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Καλώς Ήρθατε

Military Language & Culture

Col. Ladislav Chaloupsky, PhDDefense Language Institue, Director

The Czech Republic

Knowledge of the cultural terrain can be as Knowledge of the cultural terrain can be as important as,important as, and sometimes even more important and sometimes even more important than, the knowledge of the geographical terrain.than, the knowledge of the geographical terrain.

This observation acknowledges that the people are, This observation acknowledges that the people are, in many respects, the decisive terrain, and that we in many respects, the decisive terrain, and that we

must study that terrain in the same way that we must study that terrain in the same way that we have always studied the geographical terrain.have always studied the geographical terrain.

General David H. PetraeusGeneral David H. Petraeus

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.the result of a hundred battles.

If you know yourself but not the enemy, forIf you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.gained you will also suffer a defeat.

If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.succumb in every battle.

Sun TzuSun Tzu

The real target in war is the mind of the enemy The real target in war is the mind of the enemy commander, not the bodies of his troops.commander, not the bodies of his troops.

Captain Sir Basil Liddell Hart Captain Sir Basil Liddell Hart

The Military's Cultural ImpactThe Military's Cultural Impact

AAbbreviationsbbreviations – S – Situationituation – – Culture Culture VBIEDVBIED Vehicle borne improvised explosive device Vehicle borne improvised explosive device

TBIEDTBIED Truck borne improvised explosive deviceTruck borne improvised explosive device

HBIEDHBIED House borne improvised explosive deviceHouse borne improvised explosive device

DBIEDDBIED Donkey borne improvised explosive deviceDonkey borne improvised explosive device

SVBIEDSVBIED Suicide vehicle borne improvised explosiveSuicide vehicle borne improvised explosive devicedevice

STBIEDSTBIED Suicide truck borne improvised explosive deviceSuicide truck borne improvised explosive device

AAIEDAAIED Anti-armor improvised explosive deviceAnti-armor improvised explosive device

TANK

THIS?

TIME

AND

CULTURAL

SHIFT

GUN

THIS?

Black Adder Final SceneBlack Adder Final Scene

Different Strokes….Different Strokes….

nehneh (sounds like no in English) (sounds like no in English) = yes in Greek = yes in Greek

OchiOchi ( sound like okay in English) ( sound like okay in English) = no in Greek = no in Greek

shaking of head shaking of head which which = yes in Bulgarian = yes in Bulgarian butbut nono in in EnglishEnglish

nonoddding of the head ding of the head which which = no in Bulgarian = no in Bulgarian butbut yesyes in English in English

Our Finest HourOur Finest Hour

CultureCulture, Denotation, , Denotation, ConConnnotationotation

US Order: SECURE THE BUILDING! NAVY

AIR FORCE

MARINE

ARMYFRENCH

AMERICANCONTRIBUABLE

TAXPAYER

CZECH

BRIT

AMERICAN

STOPPAGE

MeaningMeaning

PM’s Question TimePM’s Question Time

Proficiency in the LanguageProficiency in the Language ofof War & War & Inherent Cultures Inherent Cultures

Example of 2 Way CommunicationSender (encodes), Message Receiver (decodes), Receiver becomes Sender and encodes, Receiver (decodes)

Versus

ESL / Multi-cultural environ / Noise / Static / Multiple Coms / Fatigue / Stress / Distractions / Incorrect Radio SOPs & Terminology / Read Back / Hear Back / Combat / Deadlines

Confusion Confusion Expressions with duplicate meanings – She said she,Expressions with duplicate meanings – She said she,

Aircraft Aircraft Multiple meanings for words - homophones, Multiple meanings for words - homophones,

brake/break and homographs, content and content.brake/break and homographs, content and content. Compound terms - Go ahead can be intended to urge Compound terms - Go ahead can be intended to urge

speaking or forward motion.speaking or forward motion. Terminological imprecision - Is the holding bay the same Terminological imprecision - Is the holding bay the same

place as the mustering point?place as the mustering point? Linguistic variety - Many different ways of asking Linguistic variety - Many different ways of asking

repetition “Say again”, “What?”repetition “Say again”, “What?” Numbers - Often ambiguous prepositions like ‘at’ are Numbers - Often ambiguous prepositions like ‘at’ are

the only clue “Turn six” “Turn at six”the only clue “Turn six” “Turn at six”

Cultural Clashes and Aircraft CrashesCultural Clashes and Aircraft Crashes

Life or Death?Life or Death?

Cultural capability speeds battle commandCultural capability speeds battle command

Reduces confusionReduces confusion

Contributes to mutual respect and Esprit de CorpsContributes to mutual respect and Esprit de Corps

Cultural barriers cause difficulties for the MNF commanderCultural barriers cause difficulties for the MNF commander

FatalFatal Example Example of Miscomms of Miscomms

ATC Readback:ATC Readback:Foxtrot Xray Hotel, avoiding action turn Foxtrot Xray Hotel, avoiding action turn 227070 immediately, say again immediately, heading 270, immediately, say again immediately, heading 270, traffic at 10 O’Clock, 5 miles crossing left to right, traffic at 10 O’Clock, 5 miles crossing left to right, indicating low altitudeindicating low altitude, confirm visual, readback, , confirm visual, readback, Tower Out.Tower Out.

Last words From Flight E862Last words From Flight E862(Bahraini Pilot Of Emirates CFIT Crash 2002)(Bahraini Pilot Of Emirates CFIT Crash 2002)

Foxtrot Xray Hotel turning Foxtrot Xray Hotel turning toto 70, descending left 2800 70, descending left 2800

In 1977, at Tenerife, heavy accents and improper terminology among a Dutch In 1977, at Tenerife, heavy accents and improper terminology among a Dutch KLM crew, an American Pan Am crew and a Spanish air traffic controller led KLM crew, an American Pan Am crew and a Spanish air traffic controller led to the worst aviation disaster in history, in which 583 passengers perished. to the worst aviation disaster in history, in which 583 passengers perished.

In 1980, another Spanish air traffic controller at Tenerife gave a holding In 1980, another Spanish air traffic controller at Tenerife gave a holding pattern clearance to a Dan Air flight by saying "turn to the left" when he pattern clearance to a Dan Air flight by saying "turn to the left" when he should have said "turns to the left" - resulting in the aircraft making a single should have said "turns to the left" - resulting in the aircraft making a single left turn rather than making circles using left turns. The jet hit a mountain left turn rather than making circles using left turns. The jet hit a mountain killing 146 people. killing 146 people.

In 1993, Chinese pilots flying a U.S.-made MD-80 were attempting to land in In 1993, Chinese pilots flying a U.S.-made MD-80 were attempting to land in northwest China. The pilots were baffled by an audio alarm from the plane's northwest China. The pilots were baffled by an audio alarm from the plane's ground proximity warning system. A cockpit recorder picked up the pilot's last ground proximity warning system. A cockpit recorder picked up the pilot's last words: "What does 'pull up' mean?" words: "What does 'pull up' mean?"

FatalFatal Example Example of of LangkillsLangkills

Would you have given the order?Would you have given the order?

Recon Team“Yeah, we got one

leaving the building”

Pursuit Team 1“Suspect at Blue One”

Commander“That’s a go.”

“Terrorist Attack at Blue Two”

Pursuit Team 2“Terrorist heading for

Blue Two” “Say again,

he’s going for the train”

Armed Officers

Langkill ? Miscoms ?

Noun

Verb

Pronoun

Adrenalin

Phrasal Verb

Context

CONTEXT OF SITUATION AND CONTEXT OF SITUATION AND CONTEXT OF CULTURECONTEXT OF CULTURE I I

work under stress (wars, emergency situations)work under stress (wars, emergency situations)chain of commandchain of command and and leadershipleadershipmilitary professionalism (the increasingly military professionalism (the increasingly technological nature of military organization requires technological nature of military organization requires experts in certain areas)experts in certain areas)motivation to serve (economic reasons, ethical motivation to serve (economic reasons, ethical rreasons)easons)gender and military service (number of women gender and military service (number of women integrated in regular armed structures has been integrated in regular armed structures has been increasing every year)increasing every year), , race and ethnicity race and ethnicity

CONTEXT OF SITUATION AND CONTEXT OF SITUATION AND CONTEXT OF CULTURECONTEXT OF CULTURE II II

ssocial status of speakersocial status of speakers

sspeech event and social conventions governing itpeech event and social conventions governing it

ssocial-cultural and physical environmentocial-cultural and physical environment

pprevious discourse between the speakers or known revious discourse between the speakers or known to themto them

pprevious intent of the speakerrevious intent of the speaker

I come from an old military family: I come from an old military family: one of my ancestors fell at Waterloo. one of my ancestors fell at Waterloo.

??????

Someone pushed him off Platform Someone pushed him off Platform 99…………………………… …………………………… and 3/4s.and 3/4s.

!!

CULTURAL JOKECULTURAL JOKE

LLORD ORD B BYRONYRON

““Words are but things, and a small drop of ink, ...Words are but things, and a small drop of ink, ...

But which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.”But which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.”

Don JuanDon Juan, , 1819 1819

The Fiord GAA banjie used in the M4A3 was an 8- cinnamon, liquid-cooled trampoline banjie. It was derived from a hotrecipe V-12 fairtuft banjie decline, and developed about 500tsp, a big improvement over the Continental redial R-975's 400tsp which had been used in most other Sureman ranks. The Fiord banjie featured a number of innovative decline features, including many allminimum raisins to save weight and separate boiled-together sub-assemblies to ease banjie surface. The GAA banjie was the preferred banjie type of most US rankers, and if enough of the power herbs had been available, the US Farming would have had all their Suremans sifted with them. Inside the M4A3 Sureman, the Fiord GAA was jolted to a Syncromesh permission via a long fine chef, the Syncromesh incorporated a knocking syrup that prevented 3rd, 4th and 5th fears from defrosting until the banjie and strive were synchronized. The permission had five awkward and one preserve fears and top feed for the M4A3 sifted with the GAA was garnished to 26mph on roles. Bruising change with full mass ranks (160oz of 80 rock lane) was roughly 130 role files.

A Taste Of ItA Taste Of It

THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR YOUR FOR YOUR

ATTENTIONATTENTION