Whiskey Tango Foxtrot [electronic resource] : The Real Language of the Modern American Military

Few areas of human endeavor have produced more-or more colorful-terms than has the military. Soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen have over centuries come up with words, phrases, and acronyms to express everything from raw emotion to complex technology. The military is both a distinctive way of life and a community, and a command of its slang is essential to admission to full membership within the group. Most military slang is almost always familiar only to the troops. Mating mosquitoes, for example, refers to the two-chevron insignia of the Army corporal. Gadget>;Front Cover; Title; Copyright; Dedication; Table Of Contents; Book (1), Slang, Military; One: Behind the Butt Plate; Two: Cake Eaters and Chicken Guts; Three: After Women or Liquor; Four: Bang-bang, Beans, Bullets, Bandages & Badguys; Five: Burn Before Reading; Six: Broken Arrows and Spastic Plastic. Few areas of human endeavor have produced more—or more colorful—terms than has the military. Soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen have over centuries come up with words, phrases, and acronyms to express everything from raw emotion to complex technology. The military is both a distinctive way of life and a community, and a command of its slang is essential to admission to full membership within the group. Most military slang is almost always familiar only to the troops. Mating mosquitoes , for example, refers to the two-chevron insignia of the Army corporal. Gadget describes an enlisted man or woman who is temporarily promoted to a position of increased responsibility to fill an urgent need, while a panty raid is a foray into enemy territory for the purpose of gathering evidence of adversary activity. Among the less delicate entries are the day the eagle shits , or payday, and skimmer puke , a submariner's term for any surface ship sailor. (And then there's the book's title, the acronym for What The F-ck ). Many elements of military vocabulary have become part of our national speech: John Wayne , boondocks , attaboy , and hot dog . But whether the words and phrases are the exclusive property of our fighting men and women or are also in general use, the "real" language of the modern military set forth in this lively book embodies a uniquely American attitude and an exuberantly colloquial, unwaveringly honest, and enduringly American grace under pressure. An Alpha-to-Zulu guide to the complex and colorful slang used by the United States armed forces. Soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen have over centuries come up with words, phrases, and acronyms to express everything from raw emotion to complex technology. The military is both a distinctive way of life and a community—one with a language of its own. With this book, you can get a command of the lingo and what it means—from mating mosquitoes to gadget to panty raid, as well as some less delicate entries. You’ll also discover the military roots of words and expressions that have made their way into civilian language, like attaboy and hotdog. Whether you’re interested in military life or the quirks of American language, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is a fascinating tour. Few areas of human endeavor have produced more - or more colourful-terms than has the military. Soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen have over centuries come up with words, phrases, and acronyms to express everything from raw emotion to complex technology. But whether the words and phrases are the exclusive property of our fighting men and women or are also in general use, the 'real' language of the modern military set forth in this book embodies a uniquely American attitude and an exuberantly colloquial, unwaveringly honest, and enduringly American grace under pressure