[Dean's World] Dean: "Troop" and the Evolution of Words

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Posted by Dean:
"Troop" and the Evolution of Words
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1163049976.shtml


   Words change over time. This is a universal in all languages. Despite
   the best efforts of teachers and grammarians everywhere, words change
   meaning. We can fight to retard or to shape this change, but we cannot
   stop it. For example, one of the English words I have noticed has
   changed its meaning is "troop."

   Historically, it used to be that a few squads of soldiers was a
   "platoon," and a group of two or more platoons was called a "troop."
   So if you sent two or three troops into a fight, you were sending a
   quite large number of men into a battle. Not a battalion per se, but
   quite a few guys.

   But some time ago a slogan emerged of "support the troops." Now I do
   support the troops, but I have noticed that this slogan has apparently
   changed the definition of "troop." Increasingly, a "troop" is one
   single fighting man or woman. That individual is no longer even a
   "trooper," he or she is just "a troop."

   I notice that even retired Colonel Austin Bay has slipped into this
   usage. For example, in [1]this recent excellent posting (which has
   nothing to do with this discussion but is nevertheless worth reading),
   Austin said:

     Another one of the very smart troops says that should Pelosi-led
     investigations start in earnest, Rumsfeld is already two-months
     gone. A nice tactical political move, if the troopâs hunch is
     correct.

   Oh really Colonel? One entire troop thinks so? What, did they take a
   poll? Did their commanding officer have anything to say? Were there
   any dissenters among that troop?

   ;-)

   This is meant to be humorous, and I hope Colonel Bay laughs. But I
   think it illustrates how words change their meaning over time--even in
   traditionalist military culture.

References

   1. http://austinbay.net/blog/?p=1520