| Accreditation |
 |
An official presentation of credentials by foreign diplomats (to
include military attaches) to the host government, thereby establishing a date
of precedence within that country’s diplomatic or attache corps. |
| Attache |
|
A technical expert on the diplomatic staff of his country at a
foreign capital. A naval attache is his/her Navy’s representative to a
foreign nation. |
| Black Tie |
|
Formal attire, generally not worn before 6:00 P.M.
Military-Dinner Dress Blue Jacket
Civilian-A dinner jacket or tuxedo
for men and formal dress for women. |
| Calling Card |
|
A small card bearing the name and title/rank of an individual and
used socially. Calling card may be sent with flowers or gifts, as bearers of
short messages. |
| Canapes |
|
An appetizer consisting of a piece of bread or toast, or a cracker
topped with a savory spread. |
| Casual Attire |
|
Attire which is never more formal than a sports coat or leisure
suit for men and slacks or casual skirts for women. |
| Charge |
|
”To Charge” one’s glass is an expression used at
Dining-ins meaning to fill one’s glass to capacity. |
| Charge d’Affaires |
|
The officer in charge of diplomatic business in the absence of the
ambassador or minister. |
| Christening |
|
A ceremony in which a naval vessel is named by a sponsor who breaks
a bottle of wine against the ship’s bow as the ship slides into the water.
|
| Cocktail Party |
|
An informal gathering featuring a stand-up buffet in which there is
no receiving line. |
| Colors |
|
National ensign; distinguishing flag flown to indicate a
ship’s nationality. Naval ceremonies are performed when the national flag
is hoisted at eight o’clock in the morning and hauled down at sunset.
|
| Commission |
|
To activate a ship or station; written order giving an officer rank
and authority. |
Commissioning
Ceremonies |
|
Ceremonies during which a new ship is placed in service. Captain of
the yard or delegated representative of commandant reads orders for delivery of
ship, attention is sounded on bugle, National Anthem is played, ensign,
commission pennant, and jack are hoisted simultaneously. The officer ordered to
command the ship reads his orders from Navy Department and orders his executive
officer to set the watch. Full dress uniform is usually worn by officers. It is
customary to invite friends of officers and others interested to attend the
ceremony, along with the sponsor who christened the ship. |
Commissioning
Pennant |
|
Commission pennant is the distinctive mark of a vessel of war
adopted by all nations. It is blue at the hoist, with a union of seven white
stars; it is red and white at the fly, in two horizontal stripes. The number of
stars has no special significance but was arbitrarily selected as providing the
most suitable display. The pennant is flown at the main by vessels not carrying
flag officers. In lieu of the commission pennant, a vessel with an admiral or
other officer in command of a division, squadron, etc., or a high ranking civil
official aboard, flies the personal flag or command pennant of that
person. |
| Company Grade |
|
Refers to officers of the grades 01-03 in the Army, Air Force and
Marine Corps. |
| Decommissioning |
|
A somber ceremony which terminates the active naval service of
ships other than those lost at sea. |
| Dining-In |
|
A formal dinner given by a unit which follows a traditional format.
|
| Dinner Partner |
|
At formal dinners, a gentleman will often escort the lady who will
sit to his right at the table (his dinner partner). |
| Ensign |
|
A flag designated by a country to be flown by its man-of-war |
| Etiquette |
|
Behavior or form required by good breeding or prescribed by
authority in social and official life. |
| Excellency |
|
A courtesy title used in addressing a foreign ambassador. |
| Field Grade |
|
A term used by the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps to refer to
officers of the grades 04-06. |
| Flag Officers |
. |
Refers to officers O-7 and above. |
| Formal attire |
|
General term used to refer to “Black Tie” or ‘White
Tie” events. |
| General Officers |
|
Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps officers grades 07 and
above. |
| Honorable |
|
A courtesy title used in addressing U.S. ambassadors, ministers,
governors, cabinet officers, Senators, Congressmen and women, Assistant to the
President, Assistant Secretaries, Judges, Mayors. |
| Hors d’oeuvres |
|
Any of various savory foods served as appetizers. |
| Informal Attire |
|
Seasonally appropriate service dress uniform for military.
Civilian: Business suit for men and short dressy dresses, long skirts, or
long dresses for women. |
| Junior Officer |
|
Term used in the U.S. Navy to refer to officers of the grades
01-04. |
| Keel-laying |
|
The first milestone in the history of a ship, recognized by a
simple ceremony to mark the laying of the keel. |
| Launching |
|
See Christening. |
| Lounge Suit |
|
Expression used by the British for Civilian Informal; or business
suit for men, informal dresses for women. |
| Luncheon |
|
Used interchangeably with lunch in writing to refer to a gathering
of individuals for a noon meal. On invitations: to a luncheon implies a number
of guests will attend; to luncheon indicates fewer and a more intimate
group. |
| Menu Cards |
|
A formal card approximately 4 x 6 inches in size upon which is
printed the menu for 3 formal luncheon or dinner. |
| Merchant Ensign |
|
The Flag designated by a country to be flown by merchant vessels of
that country. |
| “Mr. Vice/Madame Vice” |
|
Affectionate term for the junior member of a mess who acts as Vice
President for a Dining-ii. |
| National Flag |
|
The flag flown to represent a national government. |
| Notations written on calling cards: |
|
| n.b |
Note well, pay special attention. Change of address, to call
attention to. |
| p.c |
pour condoler–to condole, may replace the usual English
expressions of sympathy on a card left personally or sent through the mail at
times of bereavement. |
| p.f. |
pour feliciter-to congratulate, is used to extend felicitations
on occ~ions such as nation~ holidays or some special event. Cards so inscribed
are generally mailed or delivered on the day being celebrated. |
| p.m |
pour memoire–to remind, a party, etc. |
| pp. |
pour presenter-to present, is occasionally seen on a
friend’s card that has been sent with a stranger’s card. This is
intended to int reduce the stranger. When such a card is received, one should
immediately send cards or call on the person so introduced. |
| p.p.c. |
pour prende conge–to take leave, is used on a card by the
individual who is departing from a station or community. If it is impossible to
call in person, such cards may be sent by mail and should be left on all
officials and all acquaintances by whom one has been entertained. |
| p.r. |
pour remercier–to thank, is written on a card mailed to a
person who has sent a card inscribed with p.f. Or P.C. |
|
| Precedence |
|
The right to superior honor on a ceremonial or formal occasion. A
diplomat’s “date of precedence” is the day on which he/she
presented credentials to the host government. This date aids in ranking members
of the diplomatic corps. |
| Protocol |
|
A code prescribing adherence to correct etiquette and
precedence. |
| Receiving Line |
|
A group of people who stand in a line and individually meet and
welcome arriving guests to a social function. |
| Reception |
|
A ceremony of receiving guests. Very often a cocktail party which
has a receiving line. |
| Regrets only |
|
Used on invitation cards in the lower left hand comer in lieu of
R.S.V.P. “Regrets only” indicates a response is”required only
when the invitation is not accepted. |
| Reminder Cards |
|
Also called “to remind” cards and used as a follow-up on
accepted telephoned invitations. |
| R.S.V.P. |
|
The French abbreviation for respondéz s’il vous plait,
meaning, please reply. It is written on invitationsin the lower left hand
comer. |
| Semi-engraved invitation |
|
An invitation generally used for formal and sometimes informal
occasions which allows room for partially handwritten information. |
| Senior Officer |
|
Refers to naval officers of the grades 05-06. |
| Sponsor |
|
The title given to a prominent lady of the community and member of
the “Society of Sponsors” who participates in the christening of a
ship. She breaks a bottle of wine on the bow of the ship and names it as the
ship slides into the water. |
| Take-in Cards |
|
A small folded card used at formal dinners, with a gentleman’s
name written on the outside and his partner’s name written inside together
with a small diagram showing their position at the table. |
| Toasting |
|
A means of expressing good will toward another by drinking to that
wish. |
| WAVES |
|
A term used during World War II meaning ‘Women Accepted for
Volunteer Emergency Service”. The term is now inappropriate and should not
be used in reference to Navy women. |
| Wetting Down |
|
Slang for a promotion party |
| White Tie |
|
A very formal attire not often used in the U.S. today.
Uniform-formal dress.
Civilian-full dress evening wear; tails for men; very
dressy gowns for women. |
