et alia > et al > eta (?)

[Anglophile]

We have ‘etc’ abbreviated from ‘et cetera’ to mean “and other things” or “and so on”. This does not go with persons. To mean “and others” or “and other persons” we have ‘et al’ coming from ‘et alia’.

When et cetera can be shortened to etc, why not et alia to eta?

T H Lawrence
India
_________________
Anglophile
I know only one thing - that is that I know nothing.

[Mister Micawber]

'Et al' is simply the accepted abbreviation, Mr Lawrence. Why 'viz' for 'videlicet' or 'cf' for 'compare'? They have different histories and different customary abbreviations have evolved.

And welcome to Engish-test.net.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[ChoTokusen]

Eta (η) is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet. Therefore, an ambiguity may occur if we use the abbreviation 'eta'.

[Anglophile]

Why not accept a change in consonance with each other, Mister Micawber? We needn't be so rigid, need we?T H Lawrence
_________________
Anglophile
I know only one thing - that is that I know nothing.

[Anglophile]

As we are discussing English we may look into its acceptability and practicability.

T H Lawrence
_________________
Anglophile
I know only one thing - that is that I know nothing.

[Mister Micawber]

We are not here to change English, T.H. We are here to aid communication by disseminating current generally accepted usage. Unilaterally creating variations to suit your own ideas is counterproductive.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Anglophile]

[Mister Micawber]

Because no one really gave a thought to 'weblog'. It just happened, as is the case with most language changes.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's