"the same thing but in name"

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jerry_friedman@yahoo.com - 30 Jan 2009 05:17 GMT

I've been correcting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common-law_marriage
from the book Don Aitken mentioned, and I came across this sentence:

'It notes that "common-law marriage" is not part of Scots law, but it
fails to note that "marriage by cohabitation with habit and repute"--
which is the same thing but in name--was part of Scots law until
2006.'

"The same thing but in name" doesn't sound right to me. Is it good
English anywhere, perhaps Scotland, with "but" meaning "except"? Or
should I correct it to "the same thing except in name" or "the same
thing in all but name"?

--
Jerry Friedman

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Derek Turner - 30 Jan 2009 07:40 GMT

> "The same thing but in name" doesn't sound right to me. Is it good
> English anywhere, perhaps Scotland, with "but" meaning "except"? Or
> should I correct it to "the same thing except in name" or "the same
> thing in all but name"?

The latter, IIWY, it's an idiom.

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jerry_friedman@yahoo.com - 31 Jan 2009 04:51 GMT

> > "The same thing but in name" doesn't sound right to me. Is it good
> > English anywhere, perhaps Scotland, with "but" meaning "except"? Or
> > should I correct it to "the same thing except in name" or "the same
> > thing in all but name"?
>
> The latter, IIWY, it's an idiom.

Thanks to all. I've since read that the two kinds of marriage have a
technical difference, so I may not use that sentence at all. Sorry!

--
Jerry Friedman

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Appelation Controlee - 30 Jan 2009 08:10 GMT

> I've been correcting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common-law_marriage
> from the book Don Aitken mentioned, and I came across this sentence:
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> should I correct it to "the same thing except in name" or "the same
> thing in all but name"?

Colloquially, I would use, "... the same thing in all but name.", and yes,
the word "but" is used with the same meaning as "except", and can be
substituted if you are inclined..

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Peter (BrE)

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John O'Flaherty - 30 Jan 2009 17:13 GMT

>I've been correcting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common-law_marriage
>from the book Don Aitken mentioned, and I came across this sentence:
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>should I correct it to "the same thing except in name" or "the same
>thing in all but name"?

I had to look at the title a bit to understand it, but now I like it.
I wouldn't use it for utilitarian writing, though.

Signature

John

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Glenn Knickerbocker - 30 Jan 2009 18:16 GMT

> "The same thing but in name" doesn't sound right to me. Is it good
> English anywhere, perhaps Scotland, with "but" meaning "except"?

Seems unexceptional to me, just a touch archaic.

> should I correct it to "the same thing except in name" or "the same
> thing in all but name"?

I'd say I hear "same in all but name" most often without the "thing."

¬R

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2009

"the same thing but in name"