Question about the Title

[22DevilPup87]

This was posted by gunnyg in the open squad bay. It looked to me he posted it as a rhtorical question to provoke some thought, but I'd like your thoughts and opinions on it.

About Our Coveted "Title"...
Question: The Title --United States Marine, or Marines?
by Dick G
Dick G (Login Dick Gaines)
Forum Owner

Question: The Title - United States Marine, or Marines?

One dictionary definition of the word title is
1. legal ownership
2. distinguishing name
3. designation of honor, rank, or office
4. championship

No problem there, though it does seem to refer to individuals and groups as well.

Many Marines seem to feel that this title (United States Marine) is an individual title earned by the individual Marine.
Is this so?
Then, why do the words regarding this, presumed to be taken from The Marines' Hymn, say ...the title of Unites States Marines? Or,is there some other authority for preuming this title?

Notice it says Marines, not Marine. So is it an individual title, or a collective title for Marines as a whole, after all? Think about it.

Semper Fidelis,
Dick Gaines





Posted on Nov 9, 2002, 10:09 AM
from IP address 209.130.221.195


__________________
*****
Semper Fidelis
R.W. "Dick" Gaines
GySgt USMC (Ret.)
1952-72
Gunny G's Sites & Forums

[22DevilPup87]

My thoughts at the time being are:
I think the Title of each Marine and the Marines as a whole are parallel to the idea of the pack of wolves. (I'm sure you've seen that recruitment poster: "Join a pack of Marines") Each Marine must earn his/her Title, but as a whole, each Marine working alongside another form the Marines.

So ... I believe both are correct. United States Marines is the Title of the organization of the men and women that have earned the Title of United States Marine.

As I read over what I've written I see that I didn't do a good job of articulating myself ... That's something I have to work on.

[wrbones]

It was posted, I believe, as a topic for discussion only. Some- times we do get somewhat pseudo-intellectual around here, discussing an issue just for the sake of discussion. ;)

We do exercise our minds now and then! LOL. It's a matter of language usage. He wants to see if any of us have a brain in our head. I personally see the conundrum that he has posed, but haven't thought about it long enough as yet to post anything worthwhile....Besides, FirstSergeant Mike or someone like will be along to say something deep, thoughtful and humourous that I couldn;t hope to match! LOL.

Just my opinion is all.....You know what they say about opinions of course.......

[22DevilPup87]

Oh, okay.

It had several views and no replies, so I thought that it was posted to provoke thought instead of actual conversation. Oops.

I posted it here not wanting to post on gunnyg's thread. I figured if I said something wrong or screwed something up it would be simpler to make ammends here and simply delete the thread.

It'll be interesting to hear the thoughts and opinions of Marines. I'll be checking back in the Open Squad Bay to see what ya'll say.

Bones, your opinion has always given me something to think about, and is one I respect.

Jess

[firstsgtmike]

Bones,

Thanks for the plug, but I think the DevilPup said it all when he related it to the wolfpack.

If he was wrong, then J. Walter Thompson or whoever is doing PR for the Corps got paid a hell of a lot of money for a concept they know nothing about.

There's nothing new about that, but this time I think they got it right.

[22DevilPup87]

Wow - thanks.