The French system places major among its senior NCO titles rather than using it as a commissioned army-style rank. Below it sit several levels of master and quartermaster whose wording recalls age-of-sail sailing masters and subordinate shipboard specialists. Multiple sailor grades continue the same unusually detailed hierarchy at the rating level. These occupational terms survived even though the modern service no longer organizes work exactly as a sailing navy did.
Chapter · 40:22-42:50
French NCO depth and age-of-sail vocabulary
Major, master, quartermaster, and sailor grades preserve a dense enlisted hierarchy shaped by sailing-era roles and language.