Uniform Insignia Forum

if a major outranks a lt., then why does a lt.gen. outrank a maj.gen?

Major and Maj. Gen. are in the 3rd place of their respective category.
Lt. Col. and Lt. Gen. are in the 2nd place of their groups.

So Major "something" and Lt. "something" usually give the impression of 3rd and 2nd places.

But in your example, Major and Lt. are not in the same category.

Certainly even the lowest one in the upper group is higher than any one in the lower group.

Well, this is a question about English language, so I have no authority. :-)

i think i understand wat u mean about 3rd and 2nd place. im ok with it, but i do think its a bit weird...a lt.gen outranking a maj.gen when a maj.is superior to a lt.

Major and Lt. are not in the same category. so you can't compare them with the same way you compare the other two--Lt. gen and Maj. Gen, which are in the same category.

Anyway, see, this is a defect of your language, even you get confused. :lol: :lol: :lol:

In the Chinese "great" "middle" "junior" system, the ranks are always very clear.

Hope I didn't irritate the English speaking world. :shock:

Think of the word "general" as meaning "overall," the way it is used in "surgeon general" or "postmaster general."

In the old days, the primary unit was the company, and the companies grouped together formed the army. The company had a captain, a lieutenant as second in command, and a sergeant major to help with organization and administration. Likewise at the top of the army there was a captain-general, over the whole army, a lieutenant-general as second in command, and a sergeant major-general to handle administrative matters. Over the years, captain general was shortened to general, and sergeant major-general was shortened to major general.

regards,
Justin

well frank dont worry about it(at least im not not offended or anything) wat u just said made me realize something.shukran jazilan. i feel like a more experienced person now.

anyways this was wat i meant about me feeling more experienced:"Anyway, see, this is a defect of your language, even you get confused."

In the German states in the 17. century their exist three levels of military units with three ranks in each level:
1. "Fähnlein" (company): Hauptmann (captain) - Leutnant (lieutenant) - Wachtmeister (Sergeant)
2. Regiment: Obrist (Colonel) - Obristleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) - Obristwachtmeister
3. Armee: General - Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) -Generalwachtmeister.
The first one was the chief, the second (lieutenant) the deputy and the third was always responsible for the supply of the unit.
As in Germany the rank Major came up the Obristwachtmeister was called Major and the Generalwachtmeister Generalmajor. The rank Wachtmeister survived in some special units until 1945 and in the Austrian and the Swiss Army until today. In the French Army you can find the Major as highest NCO rank. The rank Major came up in Germany as the regiments was devided into battailons and the Major became battailon commander.

The reason a Major General "outranks" a Lieutenant General is really quite simple. Historically the term Major General was originally Sergeant Major General, and this was quite subordinate to a Lieutenant General. Eventually the term "Sergeant" was dropped, hence the occasional confusion.