What is Military Language

Throughout the novel, a pattern of military language symbolizes the military establishment’s willingness to dehumanize others to meet its own goals. For example, Schneider, Frink, and Lester all refer to Erszebet in the third person as “the Asset,” despite her repeated complaints. At one point, Frink says “I … need to speak to the Asset” when Erszebet is in the room. She retorts: “I have a name” (294). She recognizes that language like “the Asset” reduces her to an object that can be disposed of according to someone else’s strategy. The military characters—other than Tristan and Major Sloane—tend to speak almost exclusively in this heavily coded, dehumanizing language which removes them from the consequences of their actions and allows them to speak about people and losses without personal involvement. Gráinne does not even understand most of Lester’s phrases, but admits his language makes her uncomfortable. She recognizes that Lester’s language manifests his attitude toward other people, and his attitude, like his military language, is dismissive and cold.