Well, first I want to say hello to everyone. This post is a bit long, but I need some help from military personel for some research in a linguistics class. I hope that is all right.

Well, my linguistics teacher has informed my class that we have to write a discourse analysis paper. The list of topics was really crappy. But, among them was a discourse analysis of military discourse. That just means the various ways that military personel communicate, especially in bootcamp situations and between higher and lower ranks.

Since some of you have actually served in the military, my instructer has stated that I can draw upon you as research data. I am not required to cite your full names either. I am allowed to simply say "Subject A described this..." I am also interviewing some people that I know in real life, such as my father and brothers, and a few friends that have served or are currently serving in the military. And, I am using some documentary data from the Discovery Channel's Military Channel on cable TV.

Discouse analysis is the systematic study of connected text, or units of language above the level of the sentence, and the utterances of which they are composed. Connected text in this sense is not just text like you are reading now, but also discussions between two or more people out in the real world. Text in this reference means: spoken, written, or signed (as in sign langauge). I am very interested in military battle language, but especially hand signals and any other non-spoken language forms that we see in military usage.

I am also doing what is called critical discourse analysis, which connects the systematic analysis of features within a discourse to the larger sociopolitical context in which that discourse occurs. That deals with how ways of talking (or text in general) create, maintain, and reinforce ways of thinking. Critical discourse analysis focuses on "institutional discourse"; for example, in the media, the language of courtrooms, political language, and language in the military. It usually is most focused on features of power and ideology.

So, what I need from anybody here that has served in the military is anything that you can recall regarding communication between bootcamp DI's and the recruits. Any anecdotes or issues of language that you can recall will be helpful. Profanity is allowed since that too is language and used in discourse (unless it violates these forum's rules). I am also interested in how the DI's and higher ranking soldiers speak when they give commands and when they want to motivate a recruit.

As a tangent, I am also interested in any communications from actual battle experiences. Like, in the heat of battle, does standard military language fall away in order to create an ease of communication in order to achieve a goal without being misunderstood. And, if you can recall any code or symbology or sign language that occurs in combat (that is not top-secret).

Speech Act Theory is all about accomplishing things with words. That is essential in military life and in combat, so if you can recall anything that comes in that form, then that would be great. Speech act examples in life include when an umpire says "Strike Three" in baseball, because the words determine an act in the real world (the batter is out and must leave the batting area). Also, when a priest marries two people and says, "You are now man and wife (or whatever)." That priest has made a statement that shaped the real world and has become an action. I think that in military terms, the order to kill can become a speech act that impacts the real world.

Okay, sorry for the long winded post. I hope that you guys can help me here. It would really help me in this linguistics class, which (as you might see) is not as easy a class as I thought that it would be...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: John R.,

Keeping in mind Operational Consideration (OpCon), some terminology and prowords or acronyms will not be disclosed.

Combat language and regular military language in a garrison environment is only differentiated by the audience. For example, in my occupational specialty, we are an all male MOS. So, by telling a subordinate to gather several personnel for a detail would equate to, "Hey Sally, go grab a couple of your girlfriends and report back ASAP." Easily, given mixed company, that same request may be voiced as "Specialist Jones, go grab some other joes for a detail."

Combat language is no different. When training, you fight as you train, and train as you fight. While all good in theory, its not practical. Example from the old days of Bradley Fighting Vehicle Fire commands:

BC=Bradley Commander GNR=Gunner
BC:Gunner, COAX Troops PC. Troops first 0-600.
GNR:Identified.
BC: Driver Up. Fire.
GNR:On the way.
BC:Kill, kill, kill. Cease fire. Driver back. Shift SABOT PC 1-200.
GNR:Identified.
BC:Fire.
GNR:On the way.
BC:Kill, kill, kill. Cease fire. Driver back.

This can be rattled off in a matter of several seconds by a trained and cohesive crew. It is too much information to traffic back and forth in an actual combat situation. Actual combat chatter is more like a series of stacatto words fired back and forth. Such as:

GNR:Hey! Target!
BC:I.D.?!?
GNR:Hostile!
BC:Shoot that M****R F****R!!!
GNR:Say goodnight <insert your enemies title here>!! i.e. (Say goodnight laundryhead.)

Thank you, CavScout19D30.

In linguistics, what you are describing is generally called "ease of articulation" in that you are getting out the information in a very fast and effecient way. Sometimes it is about saying something faster. Sometimes it is about simply saying it easier, like with contractions (such as "don't" for "do not").

Thank you again. Information like what you provided will be very helpful with this paper that I am writing.

Wow, I was hoping for more input.

Can anyone else add to this thread?

For Marines, watch the movie Full Metal Jacket, Flags of Our Fathers, Sands of Iwo Jima.
For Navy, watch Top Gun, McHales Navy, Mister Roberts, The Fighting Sullivans,
For Army, watch Patton, Band of Brothers, Pork Chop Hill, Hamburger Hill, Saving Private Ryan, Sergeant, York Stripes.

They each have all of the types of dialog you are asking for.

Also, standard dismounted Infantry Hand-and-Arm signals are in print from the Reimer Library or http://www.usapa.army.mil which is the US Army Publishing Directorate. It will demonstrate the standardized nonverbal commo skills the ground military uses.