Military slang
Encyclopedia
Military slang is an array of colloquial terminology
used commonly by military
personnel, including slang
which is unique to or originates with the armed forces
. It often takes the form of abbreviation
s/acronyms or derivations of the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
, or otherwise incorporates aspects of formal military concepts and terms. Military slang is often used to reinforce or reflect (usually friendly and humorous
) interservice rivalries. Military slang has often been incorporated into wider usage. Military slang and jargon
are distinguishable, as the latter has official currency, while the former is a grassroots
phenomenon.
Some military slang terms have come to be considered derogatory to varying degrees and audiences, and attempts have been made to curb their use.
Terminology
Terminology is the study of terms and their use. Terms are words and compound words that in specific contexts are given specific meanings, meanings that may deviate from the meaning the same words have in other contexts and in everyday language. The discipline Terminology studies among other...
used commonly by military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
personnel, including slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
which is unique to or originates with the armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
. It often takes the form of abbreviation
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
s/acronyms or derivations of the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
NATO phonetic alphabet
The NATO phonetic alphabet, more accurately known as the NATO spelling alphabet and also called the ICAO phonetic or spelling alphabet, the ITU phonetic alphabet, and the international radiotelephony spelling alphabet, is the most widely used spelling alphabet...
, or otherwise incorporates aspects of formal military concepts and terms. Military slang is often used to reinforce or reflect (usually friendly and humorous
Military humor
Military humor is humor based on stereotypes of military life. Military humor portrays a wide range of characters and situations in the armed forces...
) interservice rivalries. Military slang has often been incorporated into wider usage. Military slang and jargon
Jargon
Jargon is terminology which is especially defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, group, or event. The philosophe Condillac observed in 1782 that "Every science requires a special language because every science has its own ideas." As a rationalist member of the Enlightenment he...
are distinguishable, as the latter has official currency, while the former is a grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
phenomenon.
Some military slang terms have come to be considered derogatory to varying degrees and audiences, and attempts have been made to curb their use.
See also
- Wiktionary:Appendix:Military slang
- Wiktionary:Appendix:Canadian military slang
- Wiktionary:Appendix:U.S. Navy slang
- Grande Armée slangGrande Armée slangAs with all armed forces throughout history, the French Grande Armée of the Napoleonic Wars used a colorful and extensive vocabulary of slang terms to describe their lives, times and circumstances and express their reactions towards them....
(French Army slang during the Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic WarsThe Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
) - List of United States Marine Corps acronyms and expressions
- List of U.S. Navy acronyms and expressions
External links
- British Army Slang
- Compilation of slang from the Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, by Covey CrumpCovey CrumpCommander A. Covey-Crump, Royal Navy , a former Naval Assistant to the Chief of Naval Information, was responsible in the mid-1950s for compiling a record of naval slang, abbreviations, legends and historical tid-bits. The first edition appeared on 17 May 1955... - Glossary of Military Terms & Slang from the Vietnam War
- Military Slang Acronyms and Abbreviations – list of expressions used by soldiers