GOING AMERICAN

Evening Star, Issue 20987, 29 December 1931, Page 10

GOING AMERICAN

THE BRITISH NAVY

Mr Stanley Baldwin is not the only person in England who dislikes the prevailing tendency to model English speech on the captions of films from Hollywood. His views on that subject are shared by the Lords of the Admiralty, to whom the extent to which American locutions are ousting the old sea lingo from the British Navy is an unwelcome _ development (says the New York ‘Times’). If they could check it they would, but, as they are coming to realise, they might as well try to drp up the Atlantic with a sheet of blotting paper. Some time ago in an effort to keep sailors’ minds moving along the old tracks, their Lordships supplied the fleet with song books containing ancient sea ditties, but the result hoped for was not achieved. Sailors stepped out briskly enough behind a band playing ‘A Life on the Ocean Wave, because they accepted that as an official marching tune, but when it came to singing for his own gratification Jack chose ‘ Old Man River or ‘ Sonny Boy.’ , , American influences, in short, nave insinuated themselves deeply into the British Navy despite its traditional conservatism. On all warships fif un-

portance there are American soda fountains, dental parlours, and other institutions, and Jack is now being fed on a system akin to that pf the United States navy, if not copied directly from it. His recreations have been Americanised also. Every British tar can fox-trot and do the Blue Bottom.” Not one in a thousand is able to step a hornpipe, although that is popularly supposed to be Jack s inherited specialty. E’er dancing aboard a British warship the band invariably plays the latest jazz product of I'm Pan Alley. , „ , , „ The films have pretty well killed all the older forms of saiors’ amusement afloat. All ships carry projectors, and Jack spends his off duty evenings watching Holywood’s latest flickering on the screen. So firmly have the movies established themselves in ships that the Admiralty are arranging to equip them for sound. . . . , . And thereby hangs a tale—a tale ot sorrow to the official mind. Watching American films and reading Wild West stories—these are highly popular in ships’ libraries—has gradually impregnated tlie sailors* speech, with Americanisms to such an extent that he has discarded the hereditary sea lingo in favour of “talking Yankee. “What the devil does that moan? ’ barked a famous Admiral when he first heard his men yelling “Attaboy ’ at a football match. He would _ noi need to ask that now; the word is ir common use. Similarly, Jack s besf girl” has become “sweetie,” “cutie,

or “honey.” Other females are “ dames ” or “ skirts.” His home port is his “home town,” a public house is a “joint.” Instead of “ turning in’ho “ hits the hay.” What he used ( to describe as “an ullage” he calls a poor boob.” Instead of parting brass' rags” -with any : one, he gives them “the frozen mitt.” His pal is his “ buddy.” The sea is no longer “the ditch,” it is “the big drink. A. sailor smart at his job is a regular wiz,” a duffer is a “ a rube.” Rations are “eats” or “chow,” and poor rood is “punk.” .... One might go on giving these examples. It is all so different from ■ what any one expected it ever would be that the official objection to the invasion is understandable,, the more so as it is well recognised that there is an important psychological' aspect to the matter. The modern British bluejacket is a quite different person from liis forerunner of a generation ago, who trotted about the decks barefoot and could climb like a monkey, but was absolutely impervious to any influence outside the service. As the design of warships flying the White Ensign has altered radically in a brief period so has the mentality of the men who man them. About the only folks who do not know this are the British people themselves.’*lf is an article or national faith with them that the Bni tish Navy never changes, and they received the shock of their lives recently i when events suggested that they might) ’■ have to revise this belief.