M1 Garand and M1 nomenclature

[huaco]

I'm watching a good History Channel show about American military small arms and they are pronouncing Garand with the emphasis on the first syllable. I've always heared it said the other way. Which is correct?

Then we get to the business of things that start with M1. I've heard this applied to everything from my M1 Carbine to machine guns to 1911 style pistols. Can anyone suggest a guide or the info necessary to understand the terminology?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I'm watching a good History Channel show about American military small arms and they are pronouncing Garand with the emphasis on the first syllable. I've always heared it said the other way. Which is correct?

Then we get to the business of things that start with M1. I'e heard this applied to everything from my M1 Carbine to machine guns to 1911 style pistols. Can anyone suggest a guide or the info necessary to understand the terminology?

John C. Garand pronounced his name to more or less rhyme with "parent." So "GARand" is correct.

Model numbers were at one time linked to the year of adoption -- so the M1903 Springfield, or the M1911 Colt. Later on, they were assigned in series. The M1 rifle was the first rifle adopted in that series, the M1 Carbine the first carbine, and so on.

 

[MrMurphy]

What he said. It's not "gerAND" it's "GARE-and".


At one time, there was an M1 rifle, M1 carbine, M1 helmet (the GI steel pot), M1 submachinegun (the later massproduced model Thompson SMG, like Tom Hanks uses in Saving Private Ryan) and probably some other M1's too. Confusing, but after they changed from model year to series, this is how it was.

 

[Rosstradamus]

From someone who actually knew the man:

"He pronounces his name Garand, with the G hard as in go, and the stress on the first syllable, to rhyme with parent."

Hatcher's Notebook, Julian S. Hatcher, 1947 (third ed., 1966), p. 382.

 

[ZeroX]

*sigh of relief*

I thought for a second there that I had been mispronouncing it.

 

[Badger Arms]

So, how do you pronounce "Carbine"

 

[rbernie]

So, how do you pronounce "Carbine"

Kahr-ah-bean-ah.

 

[MrMurphy]

Car Byne

 

[BamBam-31]

How can "Garand" rhyme with "parent?" Wouldn't it rhyme more with "errand," or should it be pronounced GARE-ent?

And every time I hear car-BEAN, it gives me gas.

 

[Brian Dale]

CAR-bean; it came from French. Do you say RENN-diz-Vowse?

But Mr. Williams pronounced his name CAR-byne.