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Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: Tante Shvester on January 29, 2009, 08:07:17 AM

Title: What's with the Lance Corporal?
Post by: Tante Shvester on January 29, 2009, 08:07:17 AM
Why does the army have Lance Corporals?  They're not actually armed with lances, right?  Were they ever armed with lances?  Seems kind of old fashioned.
Title: What's with the Lance Corporal?
Post by: Neutros the Radioactive Dragon on January 29, 2009, 08:25:35 AM
It is. And traditional.
A lance can also be defined as a group, such as a squad.

Quote
The Lances fournies was a medieval army squad that would have surrounded a knight in battle, consisting of a four to ten man team built of squires (man-at-arms, (usually mounted swordsmen), archers, attendants (pages) and the knight himself. These units formed companies under a captain either as mercenary bands or in the retinue of wealthy nobles and royalty.

A Lance was usually led and raised by a knight in the service of his liege, yet it is not uncommon in certain periods to have a mounted swordsman, such as a serjeants-at-arms, lead a lance. More powerful knights, also known as a knight bannerets, could field multiple lances.
Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lances_fournies)
Title: What's with the Lance Corporal?
Post by: saxon75 on February 10, 2009, 10:42:30 AM
Also, the army doesn't have lance corporals.  At least, the United States Army doesn't.  The Marines do, though.
Title: What's with the Lance Corporal?
Post by: Tante Shvester on February 10, 2009, 11:30:05 AM
Yeah.  I realized that mistake later.  I was hoping that no one would notice.

But someone did.  Or maybe everyone did, and you were the only one bold enough to confront me.
Title: What's with the Lance Corporal?
Post by: Neutros the Radioactive Dragon on February 10, 2009, 11:57:19 AM
*hides from Tante*
Title: What's with the Lance Corporal?
Post by: Jonathon on February 10, 2009, 01:01:34 PM
We all value your friendship so much that we would rather overlook your minor mistakes than publicly shame you by pointing them out.

But not Mike. He's just a straight-up jerk.
Title: What's with the Lance Corporal?
Post by: Tante Shvester on February 10, 2009, 01:15:34 PM
You confirm my suspicions.
Title: What's with the Lance Corporal?
Post by: saxon75 on February 10, 2009, 01:58:12 PM
I am a terrible person, it's true.
Title: What's with the Lance Corporal?
Post by: Tante Shvester on February 10, 2009, 08:51:08 PM
You can try Porter's Two Step Program:
Title: What's with the Lance Corporal?
Post by: Porter on February 10, 2009, 09:16:00 PM
:cool: