English as the Working Language

Abstract

In the last 50 years, English has come to be the language of interoperability in NATO. Interoperability is defined as ‘the ability to act together coherently, effectively and efficiently to achieve Allied tactical, operational and strategic objectives’¹. It was recognized early on that in order to have this ability, it would be necessary for NATO forces to have a common language in which they could effectively communicate among themselves. It was also recognized that concomitant with the requirement for a common language, there was a need for common terminology to be used by the forces. Variations in terminology in the different nations and even in different services in these nations were the source of confusion. Having a common and understandable terminology across the organization thus also contributes to interoperability.