Discourse community - Essay Example

There is a certain universality in the language that transcends national boundaries and specific dialects. It is a language that is used very strongly in social exclusion which also implies a strong bond for those who benefit from the reverse which is inclusion. Discourse within the military organization can be regarded as the formalized way of thinking about important matters related to war, discipline, hierarchy, loyalty, courage and love of country that has been manifested through specialized language its members know of.

Military discourse is designed exclusively to maintain cohesion within the organization but quite often, the discourse also affects other sectors of society. In this paper, I will talk about the different and unique aspects of military discourse with regard to certain matters in life. Obedience – military discourse does not discount the possibility of confrontation. In fact, military men are trained in the art of war and are expected to resolve issues by force if necessary. However, much of military discourse, especially those used during their training, is geared towards obedience and respect for authority.

The reason for this is quite obvious which is to maintain the rigid hierarchical structure in a military organization. The need to maintain a strict discipline is the reason for using this discourse (Bartle & Heinecken 81). Discipline is the backbone by which the hierarchy is being reinforced daily through total obedience. Exclusion – due to the very nature of their task which is to defend the country against external threats, the military by tradition, necessity and practice is discriminatory.

What this means is that the military leadership uses language and policies to exclude some groups or individuals which it deems as unfit to render military service. These groups can include homosexuals, transsexuals, so-called conscientious objectors who resist the draft, convicted felons, handicapped people and persons who do