Why do we say "Present Arms" instead of "Present Your Arms"?

Question

There is a military command to Present Arms.

And, depending upon the military and the situation, the typical response is to either salute or hold one's weapon in front of them in the prescribed manner.

I've always wondered why this became the standard construction for this command in place of Present Your Arms or Present The Arms?

It just strikes me as a strange construct even for an imperative. It feels like it's missing an article or a possessive which would normally be present.

You wouldn't say: Wash plates!, or Open door!

Rather, you'd say: Wash your plates!, Open the Door!

Is this just a nod to brevity? Is there a historical reason for the deletion of articles from military jargon?

Answer 1

The command Present arms follows a drill and ceremony requirement, such as what's given in Field Manual 22-5 "Drill and Ceremonies" (FM 22-5). It's used to order a hand salute or to present the hand carried weapon.

This command and may others are delivered at a cadence that can be synchronized with marching steps, using what is called the command voice in section II of FM 22-5, paragraph 2-11.

Cadence, in commands, means a uniform and rhythmic flow of words. The interval between commands is uniform in length for any given troop unit. This is necessary so that everyone in the unit will be able to understand the preparatory command and will know when to expect the command of execution. For the squad or platoon in march, except when supplementary commands need to be given, the interval of time is that which allows one step (or count) between the preparatory command and the command of execution. The same interval is used for commands given at the halt. Longer commands, such as Right flank, MARCH, must be started so that the preparatory command will end on the proper foot, and leave a full count between the preparatory command and command of execution.

There are short commands, like halt, that can be said in a single step, but longer commands are broken into more steps. Present arms is broken into the preparatory command step present followed by the execution command step arms.

As to why one of these steps doesn't include the word your, you might consider this, from paragraph 2-7:

A correctly delivered command will be understood by everyone in the unit. Correct commands have a tone, cadence, and snap that demand willing, correct, and immediate response.

The U.S. Marine Corps Parris Island Drill Manual shows some more complicated commands, and gives a hint into what's not in these commands, and hints stingily, if for any reason you felt the need to create a new command, what should be part of a command and what should be left out.

Take for example this marching command: Column Of Three's To The Left MARCH and this command while halted: Take Interval to the Right MARCH.

What you see are complicated preparatory commands that may have definite articles, but no possessive pronouns.

Answer 2

The Wikipedia article on drill commands indicates that "arms" is not used today as part of any drill command in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the U.K. But it appears in several U.S. drill commands: "present arms," "order arms," "right shoulder arms," "left shoulder arms," and "port arms."

One noteworthy feature of the present-day English-language drill commands listed in the Wikipedia entry (both British Commonwealth and U.S.) is that none of them include "your"—whether with "arms" or with any other noun. For example, U.S. commands include "open [your] ranks, march," "close [your] ranks, march," and "stand at [your] ease," in addition to all of the "arms" commands noted above; and British Commonwealth commands include "change [your] step on the march," "stand at [your] ease," and "mark [your] time."

The instruction "present arms" seems to be of British army origin and goes back more than 200 years, as we see from John Russell, Instructions for the Drill, and the Method of Performing the Eighteen Manoeuvres, Third Edition (1804). Here is the entire eighteenth manoeuvre, called Advancing in Line, as Russell details it:

THE CHIEF.

THE BATTALION WILL ADVANCE—March.

It marches 100 paces.

THE CHIEF.

Halt.

FIRE A VOLLEY OBLIQUELY TO THE RIGHT.

MAKE—Ready——Present— Fire——Load.

FIRE A VOLLEY OBLIQUELY TO THE LEFT.

MAKE—Ready——Present— Fire——Load.

THE BATTALION WILL ADVANCE—March.

When the Battalion has advanced 100 paces,

Halt.

FIRE TWO VOLLEYS TO THE FRONT, AFTER THE LAST, THE MEN WILL PORT ARMS AND HALF COCK.

BATTALION Ready— Present— Fire——Load.

BATTALION Ready———Present— Fire, (the men will port arms and half cock.)

SHOULDER—Arms——SHUT—Pans.

REAR RANKS, TAKE OPEN ORDER—March.

THE CHIEF, and the Lieutenant Colonel, now dismount, and come through the center into the front, as do the music ; every one takes his station exactly as they had been placed when receiving the general.

THE CHIEF, with his back to the regiment, gives the words,

THE BATTALION WILL ADVANCE—March.

On the word March, the music plays, and when the battalion has advanced within 50 paces of the general, THE CHIEF gives the word Halt—GENERAL SALUTE—PRESENT—Arms, music plays God Save the King, and the drummers beat a march.

When the music ceases, THE CHIEF, turning to the battalion, gives the words, SHOULDER—Arms.

REAR RANKS, TAKE CLOSE ORDER—March.

Russell's book (on page 180) lists a number of "words of command," none of them modified with possessives. These include "ORDER—Arms," "FIX—Bayonets," "SHOULDER—Arms," "PRESENT—Arms," "HANDLE—Cartridge," "DRAW—Ramrods," RAM DOWN—Cartridge," and "RETURN—Ramrods." To this list, the eighteenth manoeuvre adds the memorable "SHUT—Pans." Evidently, the absence of "your" before "arms" is part of a much more broadly applicable style of wording commands.

I suspect that the "your" dropped out long ago because members of the battalion or squad already knew that all of the orders were directed to them in connection with their individual arms, ramrods, cartridges, feet, marching order, or ease; and to include the possessive would be a waste of breath for the chief, who (then as now) clearly needed to conserve it for more important purposes.

Answer 3

I am only answering here as an ex-serving soldier in the Australian Regular Army. I have no technical expertise other than my in-service training (which didn't go into the historical significance of drill).

It comes down to the "preparatory" and "action" components. In the preparatory component, it is sufficient to get the information across succinctly, without ambiguity, and certainly without the need for unnecessary words.

For example, the addition of "your" in "present arms" serves no purpose. It is irrelevant if it is "your" arms or "the" arms.

However, in some commands, "your" (or "the") is definitive. For example:

"By YOUR left - MARCH"

"By THE left - MARCH"

(Those two above can mean EXACTLY the opposite if the squad is facing the rear of the drill square, explained further below)

"To YOUR right - TURN"

"To THE left - TURN"

(that last command can actually result in the squad turning RIGHT! if they are facing to the rear to begin with)

In all these commands, "the" and "your" are significant.

"Your" references the person. Your left, your right.

"The" references the drill area or the person calling the commands. "The" left will refer to the left of the field regardless of what direction the squad is facing.

Typical scenario, the squad is facing forwards, "the" and "your" are synonymous. However, if the squad is facing the rear of the field, "YOUR left" is the same as "THE right" because to turn to "the right (side of the field)" you must turn to "your left".

Likewise, if the squad is facing "to the right" already, then to have them face forward you would issue "to YOUR left, TURN". To issue the command "to THE left, TURN" would actually mean to do an about face.

This was a game most drill instructors would play on squads learning to march and turn on the drill square.

As a side note: Whilst referring to "arms", it is largely meant to mean the rifle, but in fact can refer to rifle, sword, and even that appendage attaching the hand to the shoulder. In a command, "present arms", if you are carrying a rifle or sword (for officers in more ceremonial situations), you would present such arms. Depending on the local, you may in fact salute or remain stedfast.

Answer 4

To this veterans ear it sounds perfectly normal. All drill commands are given in the same form: Preparatory command, Execute command. Having extra, non essential words would make it awkward.

Answer 5

These answers are highly informative but go beyond what is necessary to explain the examples and provide a parsimonious answer.

Items in a list of instructions typically omit determiners, including possessive pronouns. "Break eggs into mixing bowl." "Insert middle and ring fingers into smaller holes and thumb into larger hole." "Position tongue beneath reed, lips around mouthpiece, and fingers of left hand on upper keys and of right hand on lower keys."

Remember, too, that the "Present arms" order is issued to a group; if that held for the dishwashing and door-opening examples, "Wash dishes" and "Open door" would be fine. In all of these cases the referents of the various nouns have been so fully identified in the context preceding the issuance of the order that determiners of any kind are superfluous.