The aim of this article is to settle once and for all the question of the term ‘Brown Bess’, as applied to the British soldier’s musket. The specific origin and meaning of this obviously affectionate nickname has long confounded arms and armour scholars, re-enactors, and collectors alike. As a result, various possible solutions have been offered. The article outlines the historical usage of the name, including earlier written references not widely known in the field. The scope of the term is also addressed, using period sources to demonstrate what ‘Brown Bess’ meant to those who actually used the name historically. The many false etymologies of the name are assessed and found wanting or ‘debunked’ outright. Finally, drawing upon existing research from the field of linguistics, the article details the real meaning behind ‘Brown Bess’ the firearm and places ‘her’ in a wider sociohistorical context.

中文翻译：

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“Trusty Bess”：术语“Brown Bess”的最终起源和历史

本文的目的是一劳永逸地解决“布朗贝斯”一词的问题，因为它适用于英国士兵的步枪。这个明显深情的昵称的具体起源和含义长期以来一直让武器和盔甲学者、重演者和收藏家感到困惑。因此，已经提供了各种可能的解决方案。文章概述了该名称的历史用法，包括该领域不广为人知的早期书面参考。该术语的范围也得到了解决，使用时期来源来证明“Brown Bess”对于历史上实际使用该名称的人意味着什么。对该名称的许多错误词源进行了评估，并发现它们完全缺乏或“揭穿”了。最后，借鉴语言学领域的现有研究，