Quote:
Originally posted by smooth
The fact that military personel use "engage" to describe any killing of an opponent doesn't detract from the realization that such a word sanitizes the reality (as opposed to the Iraqi usage of "brains and blood" all over the dashboard) that one human being killed another human being.
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I can agree with that. Much military language is sanitized for reasons I can only assume are to expedite speaking. To us it often comes across as cold and unsympathetic. I received a lesson in this while in the Air Force.
Responding to a helicopter crash, I radioed in stating that there were 4 bodies in the wreckage. I was met with silence for a bit before I was answered with, "Correction, you mean there are four <i>souls</i> aboard?" When I returned to the base, I was informed by my supervisor and commander to never, ever again use the term "bodies" over the radio during an emergency.
Perhaps we are indoctrinated in these practices early until it becomes ingrained in us and the use of any other term besides "engaged" isn't even considered as an option.