Subject: Word needed

From: Elliott Moreton <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 14:37:09 -0500 (EST)

Hi,

I tried asking this on another list, with no success:  If you are 
someone's heir, what are they to you?

"Heir" has many senses.  I'm specifically interested in what you call
a living person from whom you expect to inherit something (but other
senses are interesting too).

em

(P.S.  Isn't a new round supposed to be under way?  I haven't gotten 
anything....)

---

From: Hutch <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 12:04:49 -0700

Quoting Elliott Moreton <[email-masked]>:

> Hi,
> 
> I tried asking this on another list, with no success:
> If you are someone's heir, what are they to you?
> 
> "Heir" has many senses. I'm specifically interested
> in what you call a living person from whom you expect
> to inherit something (but other senses are
> interesting too).
> 
> em
> 
> 
> (P.S. Isn't a new round supposed to be under way? I
> haven't gotten anything....)

Best I was able to come up with off the top of my head is 
the relationship of legatee / legator, which is not what 
you want.

BTW, according to at least one source (Wikipedia?), it is 
traditionally improper to speak of the heir to a living 
person, since the birth of another relative might change an 
individual's inheritance. Hence, the terms "heir apparent" 
and "heir presumptive". Thus, perhaps the term you're 
looking for would be "The Corpse" or some such ;>

<http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=heir>, meaning 3; 
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: 
Fourth Edition.  2000. 
<http://www.bartleby.com/61/74/H0127400.html>, meaning 3; 
Infoplease Dictionary 
<http://www.infoplease.com/dictionary/heir>, meaning 4; the 
Compact Oxford English Dictionary 
<http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/heir?view=uk> all use 
the term "predecessor". As "One who receives or is expected 
to receive a heritage, as of ideas, from a predecessor." 
or "a person or group considered as inheriting the 
tradition, talent, etc., of a predecessor."

In particular, Merriam-Webster <http://www.m-w.com/cgi-
bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=heir>, meaning 2, 
says, "one who receives or is entitled to receive some 
endowment or quality from a parent or predecessor".

So, "predecessor" certainly comes close, especially used in 
the sense of 'the one who died before', but "predecessor"'s 
modern meaning is considerably broader than what you're 
looking for.

Infoplease Encyclopedia 
<http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0823221.html>, 
says, "No person may be the heir of a living person; the 
relationship arises only at the death of another. If the 
other person is still living, the person who may become an 
heir is called an heir apparent or heir presumptive." So, 
more and more, the 'joke' answer I tossed off earlier seems 
to be most correct.

There doesn't appear to be a specific word that means 
exactly what you want. But "heir" / "deceased" 
(or "decedent") seems to be the best choice.

---

From: Conrad Heiney <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 13:42:10 -0800

Maybe "corpse presumptive" or "preancestor" would do?

--
Conrad Heiney
[email-masked]
http://www.contentgoeshere.com/
http://www.fringehead.org/

It's the heart's the crazy bus driver.

---

From: Nora Munoz <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 13:56:51 -0800 (PST)

I would just say ancestor.  It is used as a "legal"
term.  I put legal in quotes because I am not an
attorney and don't want you to think that I am.  ;-) 
For example, in West Virgina marriage is prohibited
between an ancestor and or descendant.  It's true! 
believe it!

Anyway, an ancestor doesn't need to be deceased, so it
will work.  But if you are looking for a word meaning
going to give you money, I would say "benefactor"
seems appropriate.  Then you don't even have to be
related.

-Nora

--- Elliott Moreton <[email-masked]> wrote:

> in what you call

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---

From: Hutch <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 12:48:55 -0700

Gotta disagree with both.

"Ancestor" is definitely a legal term, but it does not 
*necessarily* include the legal relationship defined in a 
will (or by common law).

E.g., my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather are all 
my ancestors. Yet I am not the heir (not even the heir 
apparent) of any of them. I did not inherit anything when 
any of them (currently deceased) died and will not inherit 
anything when my father dies. ('Cause he doesn't have 
anything to leave me :)

Contrary-wise, I definitely *can* be the heir of someone 
who is *not* my ancestor. Ranjit's "long-lost rich uncle" 
springs to mind.

"Benefactor" would be a decent choice, but it is too broad. 
I can be a benefactor to many people and organizations 
without making them my heir. If I give money to a pan-
handler, I am his benefactor. He is not my heir!

I did note that the current holder of an office is 
an "incumbent". The future holder of that office would be 
the "heir apparent", the "heir presumptive", or more 
generally (and less accurately) the "heir".

Hutch

Quoting Nora Munoz <[email-masked]>:

> > I tried asking this on another list, with no
> > success: If you are someone's heir, what are they
> > to you?
> > 
> > in what you call a living person from whom you
> > expect to inherit something (but other senses are
> > interesting too).
> > 
> > em
> >