The Rise of Naff Mil Phraseology
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: definitely not close enough to the Alps, or anywhere hilly.....
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've heard the word 'solutionise' being used extremely often in meetings recently. I wasn't aware that the RAF had so many experts in metallurgy!
Last edited by E-Spy; 12th Jul 2013 at 19:28.
Having recently re-left the RAF; I found the last few years quite hard work to try to understand some of the Americanised dribble that came out of many modern servicemen's mouths.
In my last job I even had to ask one person what they actually meant and this lead me to remind my dept. that they were actually British and had a special bit of MS Word to prove it (English UK).
I developed the theory that this yank-speak was caused by too much fraternizing with our YOO-ESS cuzz's and not enough time writing letters home. It infected y'all Royaal Air-Fowse and EMuhDee folks (IMHO).
The fact that we now operate EAF's (WTF is that all about?) is also an Americanisation (or is it EU-isation?) of our British forces and, I believe, shows pretentions of fleet sizes and burocracy bordering on those of Soviet politicos.
Not enough Red yet...obviously.
In my last job I even had to ask one person what they actually meant and this lead me to remind my dept. that they were actually British and had a special bit of MS Word to prove it (English UK).
I developed the theory that this yank-speak was caused by too much fraternizing with our YOO-ESS cuzz's and not enough time writing letters home. It infected y'all Royaal Air-Fowse and EMuhDee folks (IMHO).
The fact that we now operate EAF's (WTF is that all about?) is also an Americanisation (or is it EU-isation?) of our British forces and, I believe, shows pretentions of fleet sizes and burocracy bordering on those of Soviet politicos.
Not enough Red yet...obviously.
'Stood up' when they mean 'formed' or 'reformed'. We are still allowed to speak English and not fall into army-ese. Same to when people say 'stand fast' something or other when what they mean to say is 'ignore'.
"battle rhythm" when referring to anything... except a battle!
'jets' when what is meant is an aeroplane powered by one or more gas turbines!
Last edited by TorqueOfTheDevil; 12th Jul 2013 at 20:27.
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Westerham, Kent
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Maxibon wrote:
What really pees me off is the overuse of 'Inshallah' (sp), however it pisses certain individuals when one falsely uses 'Enchilada' in the same context.
What really pees me off is the overuse of 'Inshallah' (sp), however it pisses certain individuals when one falsely uses 'Enchilada' in the same context.
Shall have to deploy this tactic (or is that tic tac) at the first available opportunity!
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Emptying the litter bin
Age: 65
Posts: 409
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Its not just the military that has naff phraseology. About 5 years ago. Road sweepers for the local council, no longer swept up dirt. All of a sudden it became, 'DETRITUS'. 
What a load of
What a load of
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 2 m South of Radstock VRP
Posts: 2,042
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by MG
Same to when people say 'stand fast' something or other when what they mean to say is 'ignore'.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,037
Received 2,915 Likes
on
1,247 Posts
Mind you some Naval technobabble has made it into common usage, such as
Third Rate
Second Rate
First Rate
Which were of course an indication of the gunnage on ships of the line..
This made me chortle
****storm arrives in German dictionary | Books | guardian.co.uk
Third Rate
Second Rate
First Rate
Which were of course an indication of the gunnage on ships of the line..
This made me chortle
****storm arrives in German dictionary | Books | guardian.co.uk
Last edited by NutLoose; 12th Jul 2013 at 21:42.
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: London, England
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Somewhere near the start of this thread ExAscoteer mentioned 'Centre of Gravity' as an example of naff phraseology - does that mean that RAF aircraft are no longer equipped with one? I've heard they are cutting costs, but I'd have thought that was taking things a bit far... 
'Awsome' seemed to come in sometime in the 80's - usually used to describe something fairly banal LOL 
...I was a civvy by then but have (mostly) continued to work for/with mili - tary aircrew 
We had a French capitaine on the course a few years ago... I certainly made sure that I went to the end of course presentation that year...she looked utterly delish in her dress uniform
...I was a civvy by then but have (mostly) continued to work for/with mili - tary aircrew We had a French capitaine on the course a few years ago... I certainly made sure that I went to the end of course presentation that year
...she looked utterly delish in her dress uniform
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: raf
Posts: 610
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by L J R
OH&S, Equal Opportunity, Environmentally Friendly, Equity and Diversity.
.
Drink more concrete and Harden Up! OK I am stuck in the '70s. 'Cos we had it TUFF then!
.
Drink more concrete and Harden Up! OK I am stuck in the '70s. 'Cos we had it TUFF then!
Since when were killer missiles "environmentally friendly" ?
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 734
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Someone wrote to me recently and used the word 'granularity' in a context suited to the more common or garden word 'detail', and while I spent a couple of moments trying to work out whether it was an attempt to impress, or whether he was just wankerish enough to talk like that, the result was the same: alarm.
Last edited by dallas; 13th Jul 2013 at 07:52.
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: North East England
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Fuzed" was the buzz word areound the time Ark Royal left service.
Link 16 fuzed information from the battle space.
RAF and RN crew were fuzed when operating on a carrier.
I guess it was an evolution of "Joint" which in turn evolved from the days when it was "Gucci" to be "purple"
I never get "Afghan" Like saying you are going to visit friends in French, or German.
Link 16 fuzed information from the battle space.
RAF and RN crew were fuzed when operating on a carrier.
I guess it was an evolution of "Joint" which in turn evolved from the days when it was "Gucci" to be "purple"
I never get "Afghan" Like saying you are going to visit friends in French, or German.