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Writers Retreat > Student Talk > Research Chat > How to pronounce military ranks?
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Author Topic: How to pronounce military ranks?  (Read 837 times)
ColoradoKate
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« on: July 11, 2011, 01:36:09 PM »
Okay, I know PFC is pronounced "pea-eff-cee," and stands for Private First Class. Would someone ever have been called "Private First Class Jones," or always just "Pea-eff-cee Jones?"

And how about Sp4? (Vietnam era.) "Specialist Four Jones" or "Ess-pea-four Jones?" Or something else?

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« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2011, 01:43:21 PM »
I'm by no means an expert, but I would say "Ess-pea-four."
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« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2011, 02:01:39 PM »
Yeah, I think so too... just 'cause, yanno, spuh-four sounds funneh.
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« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2011, 02:10:25 PM »
What about just calling the person "Private" or "Specialist"?
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« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2011, 02:11:22 PM »
or Jones.
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« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2011, 02:15:28 PM »
Waal... yeah. But that's not as fun. Cheesy
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« Reply #6 on: July 11, 2011, 02:16:57 PM »
Military + Vietnam != fun

(Or so I've been told)
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« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2011, 02:27:51 PM »
Okey dokey! I'll take your word for that'n.
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« Reply #8 on: July 11, 2011, 03:34:30 PM »
It depends upon who you are and where you are when you are referring to that person.  If you are on a military base, you would say Private Jones, or if you are an officer, you would say Private First Class Jones.  You would NEVER address him as "Jones" or PFC Jones.

Specialist Jones would be called Specialist Jones.  Sargeant Jones is Sargeant, but Master Sargeant is Master Sargeant Jones.

The same with officers.  A Lieutenant Colonel is addressed as Lieutenant Colonel, a Brigadier General is Brigadier General.

In civilian life, you would probably drop the 'first class" or "master" or whatever, and just refer to him as Private Jones, Sargeant Jones, Colonel or General Jones.

But NEVER as PFC Jones!

Speaking here as a military brat...and wife  Grin
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ColoradoKate
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« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2011, 04:58:45 PM »
Thanks, all of you. I should have said that it's for a scene where the MC is watching a news report on TV, where a young solder is identified by the reporter and interviewed.
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« Reply #10 on: July 11, 2011, 05:05:29 PM »
If that's the case, I would think it would be Private First Class Jones.
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« Reply #11 on: July 11, 2011, 05:59:05 PM »
I have seen newsreels done in a "meet the soldier" kind of way (informal) that used "Pee-eff-cee Jones"
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« Reply #12 on: July 11, 2011, 06:39:25 PM »
Quote from: ColoradoKate on July 11, 2011, 04:58:45 PM
Thanks, all of you. I should have said that it's for a scene where the MC is watching a news report on TV, where a young solder is identified by the reporter and interviewed.

In that case, he would probably be identified by his full rank, Private First Class (first name)Jones. Then during the interview, most likely the reporter would call him Private Jones.  At least, this would be the correct way to do it...
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ColoradoKate
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« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2011, 01:20:11 PM »
Thanks, everyone. I think I'll just stick with PFC and forget trying to figure out how they would have said Sp4. I've got the Walter Cronkite: Vietnam War DVDs, that have interviews with soldiers and old newsreels and so on, so I'll see if I can discover how he said it--that oughta be authentic for the time-period.

Mikki, it's very helpful to know that "Private First Class" is the correct way. I was just sure I had heard "Pea-eff-cee" as well, perhaps on the news....
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