Languish: Soldiers or Lawyers?

[DGuller]

That was a little insensitive of you, you have to admit.

[Ed Anger]

Talking to the dudes in a strip joint. Weirdo.

[Sheilbh]

British doctors get pissy when they hear a surgeon called "doctor."  Apparently, back in the day, doctors came to the front door, surgeons to the servants' door.  In Britain, surgeons are called "mister," not "doctor."

Yeah. Until the 19th century surgeons were craftsmen. They trained through apprenticeship and diploma, not university and doctorate so they were not doctors they were misters. They're now doctors but referred to as 'mister'.

Having said that I don't think anyone would get pissy over it, especially if it wasn't someone who they'd expect to know and most people would still describe their surgeon as 'dr x'.

[CountDeMoney]

Plenty of airman exceptions around here, don't think that'll be a problem.

[Ed Anger]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[CountDeMoney]

Amazes me how a branch can be at the vanguard of integrated joint air support, world-leading avionics technology and be a force multiplier across all facets of warfare since its inception, and yet still run a triple option offense.

[grumbler]

Yeah. Until the 19th century surgeons were craftsmen. They trained through apprenticeship and diploma, not university and doctorate so they were not doctors they were misters. They're now doctors but referred to as 'mister'.

Having said that I don't think anyone would get pissy over it, especially if it wasn't someone who they'd expect to know and most people would still describe their surgeon as 'dr x'.

It mattered mightily that you use the correct honorific on Harley Street in the late 1980s.  I dunno about now.  But my point was that these are the kinds of things only insiders would be expected to know, and yet insiders looked down on outsiders who didn't know them.  Rather like if you go aboard a ship and talks to the crew about those "cute little round windows."

[grumbler]

Amazes me how a branch can be at the vanguard of integrated joint air support, world-leading avionics technology and be a force multiplier across all facets of warfare since its inception, and yet still run a triple option offense.

Technically, Navy runs a flexbone offense, not purely triple option, but, effectively, you are correct that it is a triple option offense.

[Ed Anger]

I see what you did there.

Go Army, beat Navy

[Razgovory]

Prior to 20th century sailors were known by the honorific "catamite".

[dps]

Is the insistance of members of the USMC that they are not "soldiers" and the offense taken if you call them "soldiers" a bit silly, or even assinine?  Yeah, but less assinine than insisting that they are soldiers even after their objection to it is explained.

[Razgovory]

Is the insistance of members of the USMC that they are not "soldiers" and the offense taken if you call them "soldiers" a bit silly, or even assinine?  Yeah, but less assinine than insisting that they are soldiers even after their objection to it is explained.

If the objection is insufficient then it's not asinine to continue calling them that.

[Malthus]

Naw, people have a right to decide what they are called, as long as they aren't improperly appropriating a name or title that belongs to someone else.

Within reasonable limits, of course. 

[crazy canuck]

In the case of Marines and Soldiers it appears the naming convention is not mere semantics.  The analogy of barristers and solicitors is a good one.  For people who dont use dont use legal services they are all lawyers but for people who do use legal services the distinction is very important.  You wouldnt want a solicitor arguing a case in court and you wouldnt want a barrister drafting a complex commercial agreement.

I dont know enough about the US armed forces to say specifically how a soldier and a marine differ but I am willing to bet that someone who is, knows why one would not want a soldier doing the job of a marine and the reverse.

[Grey Fox]

Back when there was a draft, most of the draftees went to the Army while the Marines remain a mostly volunteer force.