"Pronounciation of "arms" in British Commands" Topic

Apologies at first for the choice of board – I hope I am not too far away from the topic.

I think I am the biggest fan of the British Army on Parade outside the UK – as shown on Youtube: Trooping the Colour, Beating Retreat, the rehearsals for those occasions … if I were British my dream job would be Garrison Sergeant Major London District (well, I am not British and much too old for the job now … Billy Mott retired before reaching my age).

Just to understand why I am asking …

When watching the various occasions over the years I noticed that the pronounciation of the word "arms" (as in "Shoulder Arms" or the like) changed. Before and after WW2 it was like "i" (like in "bite" or "white"), whereas nowadays it is as one would expect (like "charm" or "barn").
I couldn't find a reason for this change and well – as I said – I am curios for everything British Military.

Is there any RSM reading this and old enough to know the answer? I'd really appreciate any help given.

Probably just that British accents have changed a fair bit since the 1950s. Judging by old films, people talked in a more 'clipped' way, especially vowel sounds.

Try youtubing the Queen speaking for the general effect. Although even she has changed the way she speaks over the years!

Pull up a sandbag, when I did a turn around the Wedding Cake it was pronounced "hype" usually at a very high frequency. . .

I think it's just so the executive (the word that triggers action) can be heard by the troops above the noise of bands, traffic, crowds, and such. A short, clear, AUDIBLE command will result in a simultaneous response. It doesn't really matter what the officer says, as the troops know what's coming; they just need to know when to move.

Whilst qualifying for my first stripe back in the early 80's we had to learn drill mutuals. These are basic verbal lesson plans where the young Non Commissioned Officer learns how to teach recruits how to do foot drill.
The Guards Company Sergeant Major explained to us budding NCO's that the way to give an order was first to explain to the squad what you wanted them to do. So for instance in a clear voice but not shouting you may say "The squad will move to the right in threes" ( you want the body of troops in front of you to turn to the right). The next part of the order was to warn the squad that the turn was imminent and you would shout this loudly and for as long as was required, you may even go up a scale whilst calling out the warning " Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight" the last part of the order was the actual word of command that you expected the squad to react to. This word was to be shouted at an even higher octave and could really be any word you liked or even a noise, the important thing was it was short sharp and sh** hot
" Turn" and so the squad then performed a right turn.
Simple really, it's all about the squad reacting to the final noise you make.
Clear as mud now ? :)

I think the standard joke about the RSM of the olden days was that he dropped aitches when they should be there and added them when they shouldn't (That's certainly the way Windsor Davies did it in It Ain't Half Hot Mum). So a solider might be "an 'orrible little man' but the captain was an 'hofficer' and the order you issued on the parade ground was 'Shoulder Harms!' (the last word being issued as a short, sharp shriek).

Michael Palin does it rather well: YouTube link

Maybe after Monty Python RSMs found they had to change their delivery to prevent the soldiers from dissolving into fits of giggles?

Reminds me of my recruit training. Army Reserve sergeant kept substituting "F I F I …" cadence for "left right left right …" until the Regular Army sergeant – the senior NCO – tore strips of him in front of us …

Some ideas of how commands would sound on a Parade square. The person giving the commands should never move and aims to be heard from across the parade square. Orders given from the pelvic region not the throat!

PARADE!!! As you were (as somebody would be too slow)
PARADE!!!, Paraaaade SHUN!

Squad will move to the right in threes….
Riiiiigghhhttt TURN! 1, twist on ball of foot 2, 3 Knee comes up horizontal to floor, 1 foot slammed into floor ( i want to here those heels hit the ground)

By the right (right marker not the right foot, always lead on left foot)….. quuuiiiick MARCH!!!!
Eft ight eft ight eft ight EFT!!!

Its not about what you say but How you say it

Deft , Dight. wait for iiiiiitttt!

martin

Thanks for all the input.
But why did they change from a "noise" to a real word?

There hasn't been a change in the word, just a change in pronunciation fads.

Well for a start proNUNciation is pronounced pronunciation, not "pronounciation". So many idiots in Australia say "pronounciation" now.

Jeff965 – 1980's you're just a sprog! 1970's for me.