Posted by
[email protected] Mike Oleary on
Sun, 17 Jun 2001 16:29:53 -0400
Etymologic notes from the Concise Oxford:
Private =3D=3D> Middle English from the Latin privatus, originally a
derivative of privare to deprive, no idea how this came to mean a
soldier, though it almost seems a superb encapsulation of a soldier‘s
life from the general perspective of the citizenry, or the stereotypical
officer corps -
Corporal =3D=3D>obsolete French, variation of caporal from the Italian
caporale, probably from the Latin corporalis body combined/confused
with the Itlaian capo head
Sergeant =3D=3D> Middle English, from the Old French sergent, from Latin
serviens and/or serventis servant
Lieutenant =3D=3D> from the Old French lieu place and tenant Holder,
which I suspect is a literal appointment of a junior officer being
prepared to hold the place of his Captain
Captain =3D=3D> Middel English and Old French capitain, from the Late
latin capitaneus chiefm which is from the Latin caput or capitus
head
Major =3D=3D> originally a shortened for of the French sergent-major
Sergeant Major, orginally a high rank, evolved through Middle English
from the Latin magnus great
Colonel =3D=3D> from the obsolete French coronel, from the Italian
colonnello colonna - column, perhaps originally taken to designate the
commander of a ‘column‘ or troops
General =3D=3D> Middle English from the Old French, from Latin
generalis, the root genus translates as birth/race/stock
Mike
The Regimental Rogue
----- Original Message -----
From: "C. Bryon McLeod"
To:
Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2001 1:38 PM
Subject: RE: Lieutenant-Corporal?
> HI all,
>
> This topic brings the following question to mind
>
> Just what is the origin of
>
> Lieutenant
> Captain
> Major
> Colonel
> General
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
Etymologic notes from the Concise
Oxford:
Private =3D=3Dgt Middle English from
the Latin
privatus, originally a derivative of
privare to deprive, no idea how this came to
mean a
soldier, though it almost seems a superb encapsulation of a soldier‘s
life from
the general perspective of the citizenry, or the stereotypical officer
corps -
Corporal =3D=3Dgtobsolete French,
variation of
caporal from the Italian
caporale, probably from the Latin
corporalis body combined/confused with the
Itlaian
capo head
Sergeant =3D=3Dgt Middle English,
from the Old French
sergent, from Latin serviens
and/or serventis
servant
Lieutenant =3D=3Dgt from the
Old
Frenchlieu place and
tenant
Holder, which I suspect is a literal appointment of a
junior
officer being prepared to hold the place of his Captain
Captain =3D=3Dgt Middel English
and Old French
capitain, from the Late latin
capitaneus
chiefm which is from the Latin
caput
or capitus head
Major =3D=3Dgt originally a shortened
for of the
French sergent-major Sergeant Major,
orginally a
high rank, evolved throughMiddle English from the Latin
magnus
great
Colonel =3D=3Dgt from the obsolete
French
coronel, from the Italian
colonnello
colonna - column, perhaps
originally
taken to designate the commander of a ‘column‘ or troops
General =3D=3Dgt Middle English from
the Old French,
from Latin generalis, the root genus
translates as
birth/race/stock
Mike
The
Regimental Rogue
----- Original Message -----
From: "C. Bryon McLeod"
[email protected]
To:
[email protected]
Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2001 1:38
PM
Subject: RE:
Lieutenant-Corporal?
gt HI all,gt gt
This topic
brings the following question to mindgt gt Just what is the
origin
ofgt gt Lieutenantgt Captaingt Majorgt
Colonelgt General
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