"&c"

[msmjr]

Friends, I see this in quite a few period letters and also a few posts:

&c

This is normally part of a closing.

Is this a 19th Century equivalent to the modern-day military's "V/R" (Very Respectfully?)

What does this mean?

Respectfully,
-Mike Montgomery

[dusty27]

Re: "&c"

Mike,

An example letter or account for context might help others to answer your question.

A "Google" search for "&c" gave a link http://www.tnr.com/etc.mhtml and in it's context, it appears that "&c" means the same thing as "etc." or etcetera......

Thanks

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: "&c"

It simply is a shortened version of etcetera (etc).

So in closing, I remain, &c.

Ryan B. Weddle

[ephraim_zook]

Re: "&c"

The "&c" likely would be shorthand for "your obedient servant" or "very respectfully, your obedient servant" -- a common closer of the period.

Ron Myzie

[Possum Skinner]

Re: "&c"

It simply is a shortened version of etcetera (etc).

So in closing, I remain, &c.

Ryan B. Weddle

Another thing I have noticed and wondered about was the use of Inst., Instant, and Instamo.

It appears to me that most people used inst. and some used instant to mean "this month", but I have seen instamo.

I have been unable to find anything on the derivation of instamo. Is this some kind of abbreviation of "instant month" or is it supposed to be latin in orgin? Most of the reports or letters using instamo seem to be from high ranking officers. Has anyone ever read a letter from a common soldier that used instamo?

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: "&c"

"Inst." or "instant" is an abbreviation for "of the same month"

For example:

"I sent Major Jones the QM returns on the 13th, inst."

or

"In regards to your letter of the 3rd, inst."


Instamo must be a vernacular term. Probably just a derivation of "inst."
I have not run across it previous to this.

[markj]

Re: "&c"

Greetings,

Some closures to letters did, in fact, state something like:

"Yours, &c., &c.,"

thus alluding to the usual niceties.

As for "instamo"--I've never seen this before. However, the terms "proximo" (i.e., next) or "ultimo" (i.e., last) were frequently used when referring to dates so the writer may have gotten these confused. Therefore, one might say, "I have received yours of the 14th ult[imo]." or "I shall plan to visit you on the 23rd prox[imo]."

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[msmjr]

Re: "&c"

Well then, I thank you gents for answering.

Guess I've learned something new.....might just have to add this to my historical understanding of terms like "O.K."

Regards!
-Mike Montgomery

[JR Myzie]

Re: "&c"

Ryan has it right. The term "etcetera" comes from the Latin "et" meaning "and", and "cetera" meaning "the rest". So where we commonly abbreviate it "etc", they just used the symbol for "and" and the abbreviation for "cetera". Thus, &c.

It seems there were a lot of Latin expressions in common usage during that time. I guess as the good living historians we try to be here, we should all brush up on our Latin, and Victorian writing style in general. That may be a great research topic for an article, or something that could be added to the CRRC.

[Possum Skinner]

Re: "&c"

I have only seen the instamo thing twice, and it might well be a misused derivation combining instant and ultimo. I recently looked through several books and dictionaries, including H.L. Mencken's The American Language , and was unable to find any reference to the word.

In any case, I probably would not consider it widespread enough to use it while trying to recreate a period letter.

Thanks for the suggestions on its origin.

[pfeiffer3964]

The use of the word "instant"

The use of the word "instant" can be/has been used to return a reader's attention to the subject matter at hand, not necessarily just descriptive of a specific month. For instance, one reading legal briefs and the like might see language such as, "In the instant action..." meaning "In the specific case at bar.…" This is a way for the author to say, "Hey, I’m done talking about similar stuff, now lets talk about what is going on here."

While I'm sure it has other applications, I have not seen "instant" used in this fashion in any printed material of the period other than legal briefs, &c.

--Jim

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: The use of the word "instant"

I don't see how that is germaine to the discussion . In every period reference I have seen it refers to a date/month.

In modern usage you are correct. Perhaps some searching of period legal / Judge Advocate / Courts Martial documents would turn something up to give another period slant.....

[pfeiffer3964]

Re: The use of the word "instant"

I don't see how that is germaine to the discussion.... Perhaps some searching of period legal / Judge Advocate / Courts Martial documents would turn something up to give another period slant.....

You answered your own question.

--Jim

[RyanBWeddle]

Re: The use of the word "instant"

I meant POST some of those documents for reference in proving your point ...

[Trish Hasenmueller]

Re: "&c"

Back to &c: I worked at one time for a title insurance company and the plat books of property they had went back to the time the land was procured from the Chickasaws in the early 1830's. When we searched a piece of property that went far back, we often ran across &c. We were told that it stood for etcetera. Just another occurance of the use and meaning of &c.

Trish Hasenmueller