[Ads-l] officer

[Andy Bach]

On Tue, July 17, 2018 Mark Mandel mark.a.mandel at gmail.com wrote:
> The officer opened it and looked up
at me, and I said, "Excuse me, officer"-- then I noticed the triple chevron
pin on his collar-- "I beg your pardon, *sergeant*-- may I ask what's
happening here?" He grinned as he answered me.

"Yes sir", only Cruise answers, weakly.
"I can't hear you!", shouts Sgt Hulka.
"Yes Sir!" all the newly enlisted men shout.
"You don't say sir to me - I'm a sergent. I work for a living."
"Yes sargent!!"
"That's better."
Stripes


On Wed, Jul 18, 2018 at 12:27 PM, Mark Mandel <mark.a.mandel at gmail.com>
wrote:

> On Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 8:07 PM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > So true. But as a civvy, wouldn't you address any member of the fuzz
> (gotta
> > revive that word!) as "Officer"?
> >
>
> Not if I see and recognize their rank insignia. Understandably, they seem
> to appreciate proper address.  One time in NYC there was something
> happening on the street, maybe a demonstration or a block closed off. There
> was a police car standing nearby, and the officers inside looked relaxed,
> so I knocked on the passenger window. The officer opened it and looked up
> at me, and I said, "Excuse me, officer"-- then I noticed the triple chevron
> pin on his collar-- "I beg your pardon, *sergeant*-- may I ask what's
> happening here?" He grinned as he answered me.
>
> Mark Mandel
>
> >
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



-- 

a

Andy Bach,
afbach at gmail.com
608 658-1890 cell
608 261-5738 wk

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org