Omitting verbs, can I say "Two tangos dead", "Two tangos dead ahead", "Two tangos coming", "Two tanks down", "Two tanks over there" ?
Is it colloquially acceptable to omit "is", "are" verbs like above?
(Tango means target as a military term)
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2 Answers
Colloquially, yes, that's how people often talk, especially something like a warning.
"Car coming!"
It also happens in headlines and titles, but would be unusual in any other context, eg when telling a story.
answered Mar 3, 2020 at 15:43
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1Sort of, @Zenith. It's more like the "headlines and titles" thing - that also extends to information messages. Although people do say "Game over", I don't think this is actually a shortened sentence ("The game is over") but more a catch-phrase, taken from the message displayed at the end of a computer game. I don't think somebody would remark "Game finished" - though they might well say "Game's finished", with the article omitted, but not the verb. Mar 3, 2020 at 15:51
Military commands, orders, and general language is very concise.
- "Enemy down!"
- "Enemy sighted!"
- "Tank 70%°"
- "Medic!"
- "Bravo left hill; Alpha on me!"
Military tends to shorten all that can be shortened for quick strategic manipulation and high effectiveness.
answered Mar 3, 2020 at 14:19
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That may be true, but I don't think tthere's anything particularly military here. See my answer. Mar 3, 2020 at 15:43