【趣谈英语】士兵致敬礼的变化-The Evolution Of The Military Salute

The military salute is a sign of respect between military personnel. In the Middle Ages, knights⁵ opened their visors to show their faces to each other. Knights used their right hand to show they weren’t hiding a weapon beneath their cape⁶. Over time this gesture evolved and became a sign of respect in the military. Junior soldiers removed their hats in respect to higher ranking officers. In the late 19th century, Queen Victoria decided⁷ that it was inappropriate for military personnel to remove their hats and complex headgear. At this time, British soldiers began touching⁸ the brim of their headgear rather than removing it entirely⁹ to salute. This gradually became the accepted salute in a variety of militaries. Tradition calls for the lower-ranked personnel to salute first. The person who initiates¹⁰ the salute does not lower his or her arm until the salute is returned. Military courtesy continues to evolve. In the US, veterans and plain-clothed serviceman are now permitted to salute the US flag as uniformed personnel do. This can also be done by placing one’s hat over one’s heart. Civilians¹¹ are not supposed to use the military salute, though many children enjoy standing¹² at attention and offering a military salute when a soldier passes by. Civilians who salute military personnel usually receive a wave in return.