Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 318, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1920 — France Was Originator of Terminology Identifying Parts of a British Army [ARTICLE]

France Was Originator of Terminology Identifying Parts of a British Army

The war has added many French words to current English and American use, and the number of them continues a process that goes back to the Norman French. The word “war” itself. wrote Dr. Henry Bradley, in his “Making of English,” Is of NormanFrench origin, and so also did a long Hst of martial terms originate with the French,'come over into England, and became anglicised, among them “battle," “assault,” “siege." “standard.” “banner,” “armor," “lance,” “fortress.” and “tower.” From France came originally the terminology that Identifies the separate parts of a British army, the “company.” “battalion,” “regiment,” “brigade,” “division," and “corps," as well as the officers, “general,” “colonel." “major,” “captain,” and “lieutenant.” France developed the art, or, as we might now say, the machinery of war earlier than the English. but It is rather surprising to realise how* many centuries the terrain-

ology has been In use. The words passed naturally enough Into English, for during some of those centuries, as Doctor Bradley also suggests, the relation between the two nations was so close that English writers “felt them•rives at liberty,to Introduce a French word whenever they pleased.’’