Language, Military

Every occupation develops its own specialized language that serves to designate people, objects, processes, and situations that are specific to the field but unfamiliar to people outside it. The military is no exception. The differences between military and civilian life create differences between military and civilian language that are remarkable in terms of their variety and scope. Military language serves many purposes: It facilitates communication in the complex, unpredictable, and emotionally stressful military environment; it reinforces social hierarchies within the service; it helps create a sense of shared identity among military personnel; it allows soldiers and sailors to describe shared experiences with specificity and detail; and it allows soldiers and sailors to clearly and directly communicate specific, and sometimes disturbing, information with a minimum of ...