Uniform Insignia Forum

what kind of people came up with private,sergeant,colonel,etc,?and how long has these been in use?

Most of the rank titles in use today were originally created in Europe during the Middle Ages. The web link below has a brief rundown on the origins of some of the rank titles.

[url]http://www2.powercom.net/~rokats/rankhist.html[/url]

thx

Taken from:
http://www2.powercom.net/~rokats/rankhist.html


Origins of Rank Titles


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All of the current rank titles originated in Europe during the Middle Ages. The continent was under the thumb of a feudal society and warfare was the way of life. Lords battled for their sovereigns to gain loot, land and fame. Knights fought for their liege lords for loot, shelter, and a measure of loyalty. The common folk went to war for their landlord because they had no choice in the matter. This was long before private, professional armies or nationalistic fervor. If you wanted somewhere to live and something to eat you either fought or became a priest.



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Private: having attained no title of rank, a 'private soldier'.
Corporal: influenced by 'corps'; head, chief.
Sergeant: servant; attendant upon a knight in the field.
Lieutenant: an officer representing and exercising powers on behalf of his lord or sovereign.
Captain: an officer entrusted with a command or fort under a sovereign or general.
Colonel: an officer commanding a 'column' of soldiers and support trains.
General: originally meant to be of similar 'birth' or 'class' with the sovereign; the more recent use is to be familiar with all facets of the army, no longer a specialist in one area, a 'general officer'.

Well, there are lots of problems when trying to translate ranks from one language to another. In Greek, given the fact that we never had feudal society in our history, military ranks have almost totally a different meaning than let's say in English or French language:

Private: In Greek Hoplites, a man carrying hoplon, a shield in ancient Greece, a rifle nowdays.
Corporal: In Greek Dekaneas the commander of ten (deka) men.
Sergeant: Lochias, the commander of a squad.
1st Sergeant: Epilochias, Epi+Lochias, Over-sergeant (or Leading Sergeant, something equivalent).
Master Sergeant: Archilochias, Archo (to command)+Lochias, Sergeant in Command (or something like that).
Warrant Officer: There's no equivalent in Greek, Anthypaspistees, Anti+Ypaspistees, Lieutenant-aide-de-camp (sounds funny, doesn't it!).
2nd Lt: Anthypolochagos, Anti (Lieu)+Ypo (Sub or Lance)+Lochos (Company)+Ago (to lead), Company Lieutenant-Sub-Leader.
1st Lt: Ypolochagos, Ypo+Lochagos, Company Sub-Leader.
Captain: Lochagos, Lochos (Company)+Ago (to lead), Company Leader.
Major: Tagmatarches, Tagma (Battalion)+Archo (to command), Battalion Commander.
Lt. Colonel: Antisyntagmatarches, Anti+Syntagma (Regiment)+Archo, Lieutenant Regiment-Commander.
Colonel: Syntagmatarches, Syntagma+Archo, Regiment-Commander.
Major Gn: Ypostrategos, Ypo (Sub)+Stratos (Army)+Ago, Sub Army-Leader.
Lt. Gn: Antistrategos, Anti (Lieu)+Stratos (Army)+Ago (to lead), Lieutenant Army-Leader.
General: Strategos, Army Leader.
Imagine now the problems rising when trying to translate the Navy ranks. Simply a mess!! That's why all the ranks translated from one language to another, are in approximation.

this will give you almost everything you want to know about the rank
insignia and structure you want to know

http://www.history.navy.mil/trivia/trivia04.htm

just cut and paste and let the info flow.

thx valtrex for the greek language info.but it seems to be composed of long words dontha think?

Al Jumhuriah Al Hind wrote:thx valtrex for the greek language info.but it seems to be composed of long words dontha think?

Indeed. They all 'sound Greek to you' don't they!

ack! somebody call the pun police.

In quite many languages it's the same as in Greek. Like in Hungarian, private is "kozlegeny" = "common man",
corporal is "tizedes" = "(leader of) ten" (very similar to Latin "decurio"), sergeant is "ormester" = "master of guards",
warrant officer is "zaszlos" = "flag bearer",
captain is "szazados" = "(leader of" a hundred" (again, Latin "centurio)
major is "ornagy" = "leader of guards"
colone is "ezredes" = "(leader of) a thousand"
general is "tabornok" = "leader of camp"
marshall is "tabornagy" = "master of camp", "camp" beeing of course the camp of an army.
Now with lieutenant which is "hadnagy" there si a peculiar situation, since it translates actually as "leader of a host" i.e. army, and for quite some time, it was a rank used for the commanders of large forces (like divisions if you like).

In Romanian, the titles come from Latin via French (used to be originated from Russian until 1864). There is one exception though, the senior sergeants have the title "plutonier" which would translate as "platoon sergeant", while the most senior ones are called "adjutant", orginally beeing company sergeant majors or thereabouts. Anyway, you can also notice, that in Polish hierarchy there are also ranks called "plutonowy" which derive from platoon (unless I'm terrible mistaken)

NAVY RANKS

Seaman: Naphtes, crew-member of the ship, Macker perhaps?
Senior Seaman: Diopos, NCO with two stripes (I can't post in in English)
Petty Officer: Kelephstees, from the verb Kelevo-to call, Roll-Caller
Senior Petty Officer: Epikelephstees, Leading Roll-Caller
Chief Petty Officer: Archikelephstees, Roll-Caller in command
Warrant Officer: Not equivalent in Greek, Anthypaspistees, Lieutenant aide-de-camp
Ensign: Semeaeophoros, Semaea (flag)+phero (to bear), Flag Bearer (in the Greek military, the flag bearers in a parade are always 2nd Lts-both in the Army & the Air Force & Ensigns)
Lt Junior Grade: Anthypoploiarchos, Anti+Ypo+Ploio (Ship)+Archo, Lieutenant Ship-Sub-Commander
Lieutenant: Ypoploiarchos, Ship Sub-Commander
Lt Commander: Plotarchis, Pleo (to navigate)+Archo, Commander Navigator
Commander: Antiploiarchos, Lieutenant Ship-Commander
Cpt: Ploiarchos, Ship Commander
Commodore: Archiploiarchos, Chief Ship Commander
Rear Adm: Yponavarchos, Ypo+Naphtiko (Navy)+Archo, Navy Sub-Leader
Vice Adm: Antinavarchos, Navy Lieutenant Leader
Admiral: Navarchos, Navy Leader

this thread is very informative...so please keep up the good work. it is very interesting to know what the different ranks translate as. thanks to everyone who has posted and i would like to ask you, and other to post more on the subject.

thanks,
Nila

chinese
lie bing=inferior soldier
shang deng bing=superior class soldier
yi ji shi guan=1 class soldier official
er ji shi guan=2 class soldier official
san ji shi guan=3 class soldier official
si ji shi guan=4 class soldier official
wu ji shi guan=5 class soldier official
liu ji shi guan=6 class soldier oficial
xue yuan=learning member
shao wei=shao means young but i dunno wat wei means
zhong wei=zhong=center
shang wei=shang=superior
shao xiao=shao means young but i dunno wat xiao means
zhong xiao=zhong=center
shang xiao=shang=superior
da xiao=da=great
shao jiang=young gen/adm
zhong jiang=center gen/adm.
shang jiang=superior gen/adm

Hi,
Private is "szeregowy" in Polish. It means "a man in the row".

Miklós Lovász wrote: warrant officer is "zaszlos" = "flag bearer",

Warrant officer is "chorąży" in Polish and it has the same meaning.

Miklós Lovász wrote:Anyway, you can also notice, that in Polish hierarchy there are also ranks called "plutonowy" which derive from platoon (unless I'm terrible mistaken)

You are right. It is a rank between corporal and sergeant.
Lieutanant is "porucznik". It means "a man, who is ordered to do a task".
Colonel is "pułkownik" - commander of "pułk" (regiment).
The other rank's names have foreign origins.

Regards
Wymysl

other ranks in chinese military:

xia shi=lower soldier

zhong shi=center soldier

shang shi=superior soldier

jun shi zhang=army soldier chief

shui bing=water soldier

zhonghua renmin gongheguo yuanshuai=primary commander-in-chief of the people's altogether with the country of the central essence

zhonghua renmin gongheguo da yuanshuai=great primary commander-in-chief of the people's altogether with the country of the central essence

also some additional info:

the old way of saying non-commissioned officcer is:jun shi(army soldier)
but now they say shi guan(soldier official)

commisioned officer is jun guan(army oficial)

Wymysl wrote:Hi,
Private is "szeregowy" in Polish. It means "a man in the row".

Well, in Hungarian "sereg" (pronounced "shereg", whith e as in elm, the same way as in Polish, btw) means "host", "army". Didn't know "szereg" means "line" in Polish ... thx for the info:-)

Miklós Lovász wrote:Well, in Hungarian "sereg" (pronounced "shereg", whith e as in elm, the same way as in Polish, btw) means "host", "army". Didn't know "szereg" means "line" in Polish ... thx for the info:-)

:) I've checked it in a dictionary. Polish "szereg" is taken from Hungarian, but it has completely changed its meaning.

Regards
Wymysl

The Russian "Sherenga" has the same origin, but the word for private "riadovoy" comes from its synonym "riad", also means "row".

Something else - the Hebrew names of ranks:
Turai - from "tur" - means row
Samal is acronym of Segen Mi-khutz Le-min'ian, literally means acting[officer] with no commission (i.e. NCO)
Nagad in modern Hebrew means NCO (the word itself has aramaic origin -Negudta means head of group or brood)
Segen means deputy or acting person. Just like lieutenant.
Seren comes from the Biblical name for military leaders of the Philistines.
Aluf means chief or titleholder.

The affixes:
rav- means chief
rishon means first
mitkadem means advanced
bakhir means senior
-misne (or mesneh) means vice- or deputy
sgan- (special grammatical form of segen) has the same meaning - deputy or acting.
tat- means sub or under.

valtrex, what are the meanings of the greek air force ranks?? any information would be appreciated.

btw,forget about central essence, zhong hua is just china.

Nila MadhaVa wrote:valtrex, what are the meanings of the greek air force ranks?? any information would be appreciated.

Airman: Smenites, Smenos (aircrew)+Greek catalexis suggesting to belong somewhere (-ites), literaly Aircrewman/woman
Airman 1st class: Yposmenias, Ypo (Sub)+Smenos (Aircrew), Aircrew sub-leader
Flight Sergeant: Smenias, Aircrew leader
1st Sergeant: Epismenias, Master Aircrew Leader
Master Sergeant: Archismenias, Chief Aircrew Leader
Warrant Officer: Not equivalent in Greek, Anthypaspistees, Lieutenant-aide-de-camp
2nd Lt: Anthyposmenagos, Lieutenant Squadron Sub-Leader
Lt: Yposmenagos, Squadron Sub-Leader
Cpt: Smenagos, Squadron Leader
Major: Epismenagos, Master Squadron-Leader
Lt Col: Antismenarchos, Lieutenant Group-Commander
Col: Smenarchos, Group Commander
Air Commodore: Taxiarchos, Taxis (cohort)+Archo (to command), Cohort Commander (the same meaning fits to Taxiarchos of the Army, I forgot to post it)
Major Gen: Ypopterarchos, Ypo (Sub)+Pteryx (Wing)+Archo (to Command), Wing Sub-Commander
Lt Gen: Antipterarchos, Wing Lieutenant-Commander
Gen: Pterarchos, Wing Commander

thanks for the quick reply