Navy acronym / abbreviations dictionary

SirJohn · 03-28-22, 03:12 PM

Hi there.
I am currently reading my first Jerry Mitchell novel and wonder: is there any kind of navy dictionary out there somewhere to help me understand all the acronyms?

Help very much appreciated.

J

KaleunMarco · 03-28-22, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirJohn

Hi there.
I am currently reading my first Jerry Mitchell novel and wonder: is there any kind of navy dictionary out there somewhere to help me understand all the acronyms?

Help very much appreciated.

J

lol.
grab a current copy of the Bluejackets Manual. probably have to buy it...i doubt that a library would have a current one. this is always handy.

Naval Institute Press publishes periodically a Naval Terms Dictionary. i have a 1988 version so it is out of touch with the current set of DoD acronyms. www.usni.org.

or, you can send me periodic PM's and i will do the best that i can to translate the terms into some version of english.

Aktungbby · 03-28-22, 03:34 PM

type in NAVspeak on your search site which will get you to several; incl. "glossary: appendix of of U.S. Naval slang "...

SirJohn · 03-28-22, 03:34 PM

The first novel is set in 2005…
The Jerry Mitchell novels are by Larry Bond, the co-author of Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy. Highly recommended.

Danke und viele Grüße Herr Kaleun.

SirJohn · 03-28-22, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

type in NAVspeak on your search site which will get you to several "glossary of Naval terms ".

Thanks!

mapuc · 03-28-22, 03:43 PM

Came to think of Capt. Haddock's famous glossary.

Markus

ET2SN · 04-04-22, 07:32 AM

I was always impressed with words like NOMFWIC.

US Naval-ese makes sense once you get used to it, it has an almost-Pidgin quality where words, concepts, and common local slang are brewed together to make a new language. That, and the realization that cursing isn't something reserved for the lowly, its more of an art form in terms of quickly getting, and keeping, people's attention.

Naval-ese sounds like it should be easy to understand, but its beauty is that its reserved for only those who can speak it.

Aktungbby · 04-04-22, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ET2SN

I was always impressed with words like NOMFWIC.

You were even more impressed with P.H.U.K.E.T. operations which remain classified!

KaleunMarco · 04-05-22, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ET2SN

I was always impressed with words like NOMFWIC.

US Naval-ese makes sense once you get used to it, it has an almost-Pidgin quality where words, concepts, and common local slang are brewed together to make a new language. That, and the realization that cursing isn't something reserved for the lowly, its more of an art form in terms of quickly getting, and keeping, people's attention.

Naval-ese sounds like it should be easy to understand, but its beauty is that its reserved for only those who can speak it.

i wonder if BOHICA is still used.

ET2SN · 04-05-22, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

i wonder if BOHICA is still used.

With the deployment schedules and budgets over the last 5-10 years?

I'd guess its made a resurgence.

Aktungbby · 04-05-22, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ET2SN

With the deployment schedules and budgets over the last 5-10 years?

I'd guess its made a resurgence.

...especially where the Navy is "run on buggery and the lash!"

to misquote Sir Winston Churchill's famous quip!

mapuc · 04-13-22, 04:22 PM

I came to think of an episode with my dad who for some years or so was skipper on a fishing boat.

He and me had a Pettersson Yacht together.

One day we were standing in front of the rudder where I said to my dad-In the navy we learned things like

Turn rudder to 045 counter 20 degrees portside.

My dad said what are you taking about if you want to learn to be captain you have to learn it correctly.
045 is East and east by east by southeast..is (I know not correct term)He pointed at the 050 mark.

This let to a discussion between me and my dad..I tried to convince him that in furture it will be in numbers like come to 125 degrees.

Back to discuss naval abbreviations

Markus

ET2SN · 04-13-22, 09:33 PM

That does bring up a good point.

I see this a lot in vids for naval and submarine games:

"Helm, steer course 052"
"Helm, aye"

You have to understand just how P.O.'d an OOD would have to be with a Helmsman to give that order.

It is a valid order, but you would never give it. It would be like saying "steer course 302.779835".

Carry on..

mapuc · 04-14-22, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ET2SN

That does bring up a good point.

I see this a lot in vids for naval and submarine games:

"Helm, steer course 052"
"Helm, aye"

You have to understand just how P.O.'d an OOD would have to be with a Helmsman to give that order.

It is a valid order, but you would never give it. It would be like saying "steer course 302.779835".

Carry on..

It must be more than 40 years ago by now.
Edit
it isn't 40 years ago but more like 30 years-Sorry
End edit

What I remember is that you say a degree with words like 000=North, 005 North, by North by East North and 010

I also remember my father saying to me..You better learn it before summer, because I'm going to use it. It was thereafter we had this discussion.

Markus

03-28-22, 03:12 PM	#1
SirJohn Watch Join Date: Jul 2021 Posts: 17 Downloads: 26 Uploads: 0	Navy acronym / abbreviations dictionary Hi there. I am currently reading my first Jerry Mitchell novel and wonder: is there any kind of navy dictionary out there somewhere to help me understand all the acronyms? Help very much appreciated. J

03-28-22, 03:34 PM	#3
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 29,979 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	type in NAVspeak on your search site which will get you to several; incl. "glossary: appendix of of U.S. Naval slang "... __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!!

03-28-22, 03:43 PM	#6
mapuc CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Denmark Posts: 20,535 Downloads: 37 Uploads: 0	Came to think of Capt. Haddock's famous glossary. Markus __________________ My little lovely female cat

04-13-22, 04:22 PM	#12
mapuc CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Denmark Posts: 20,535 Downloads: 37 Uploads: 0	I came to think of an episode with my dad who for some years or so was skipper on a fishing boat. He and me had a Pettersson Yacht together. One day we were standing in front of the rudder where I said to my dad-In the navy we learned things like Turn rudder to 045 counter 20 degrees portside. My dad said what are you taking about if you want to learn to be captain you have to learn it correctly. 045 is East and east by east by southeast..is (I know not correct term)He pointed at the 050 mark. This let to a discussion between me and my dad..I tried to convince him that in furture it will be in numbers like come to 125 degrees. Back to discuss naval abbreviations Markus __________________ My little lovely female cat

04-04-22, 07:32 AM	#7
ET2SN Ocean Warrior Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 2,652 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	I was always impressed with words like NOMFWIC. US Naval-ese makes sense once you get used to it, it has an almost-Pidgin quality where words, concepts, and common local slang are brewed together to make a new language. That, and the realization that cursing isn't something reserved for the lowly, its more of an art form in terms of quickly getting, and keeping, people's attention. Naval-ese sounds like it should be easy to understand, but its beauty is that its reserved for only those who can speak it.

04-13-22, 09:33 PM	#13
ET2SN Ocean Warrior Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 2,652 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	That does bring up a good point. I see this a lot in vids for naval and submarine games: "Helm, steer course 052" "Helm, aye" You have to understand just how P.O.'d an OOD would have to be with a Helmsman to give that order. It is a valid order, but you would never give it. It would be like saying "steer course 302.779835". Carry on..