I have served. And I will be of service. (2025)

I've already watched John Wick 1-3 recently. And I noticed two important lines repeated in the films: I have served. And I will be of service. (sometimes is "I will serve. I will be of service.") These lines are used to express the protagonist's loyalty to the High Table.

And my question is: Is there a difference between using serve and using be of service? (Because I just think both of them show the same meaning.) Or to put it another way, what is the difference between using a verb and using its derivational noun? Can they achieve different functions? And finally, can you give more examples? (I just want to confirm whether this is a phenomenon, or an exception, because I decided to use it as my research topic. If not, I will seek other topics.)

Thank you for your answers.

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Jessie-Ju said:

Is there a difference between using serve and using be of service?

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No. And without any context, I have no idea why he keeps saying both. Maybe it's some kind of formulaic expression of obeisance?

Who is John Wick? Is he a waiter? Why does he say "No soy"?

heypresto said:

No. And without any context, I have no idea why he keeps saying both. Maybe it's some kind of formulaic expression of obeisance?

Who is John Wick? Is he a waiter? Why does he say "No soy"?

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Thank you so much!

Well, John Wick is the protagonist in the film John Wick featured by Keanu Reeves. In this film, there's a mysterious but powerful organization called the High Table. And the sentence "I have served. And I will be of service" seems more like their kind of oath. John Wick and other members said this oath at different times.

I just think maybe the noun phrase "be of service" emphasizes more on the continuity of fealty, while the verb focuses more on the fleeting time?

Because I learned that in English sometimes people tend to use nouns instead of verbal or adjectives, and this phenomenon is called nominalization, especially in some academic passage. So is it true?
e.g., The competition made me excited.
The competition filled me with excitement.

Jessie-Ju said:

Is there a difference between using serve and using be of service?

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Yes. To serve is a lexical verb. i.e. it has a clear meaning and the agent of the verb is clear.
To be of service comprises a copular verb (to be) which has little or no meaning and a prepositional phrase = of + noun. The prepositional phrase can be replaced by a close synonym:

"I will serve [someone]. I will be of service [to someone/something]." ~ "I will serve. I will be useful [to someone/something]."

These verbs that have little meaning are known as delexical verbs or light verbs.

To be is somewhat of an exception as it is stative: the usual delexical verbs are have, take, make, give, go, and do.

I showered -> I had/took a shower; I fussed -> I made a fuss; I walked -> I went for a walk, etc.

Scribed Delexical Verbs Like Have, Take, Make and Give | PDF | Verb | English Language and Thought & Co (What Are Light Verbs in English Grammar?) have good articles on the subject.

PaulQ said:

Yes. To serve is a lexical verb. i.e. it has a clear meaning and the agent of the verb is clear.
To be of service comprises a copular verb (to be) which has little or no meaning and a prepositional phrase = of + noun. The prepositional phrase can be replaced by a close synonym:

"I will serve [someone]. I will be of service [to someone/something]." ~ "I will serve. I will be useful [to someone/something]."

These verbs that have little meaning are known as delexical verbs or light verbs.

To be is somewhat of an exception as it is stative: the usual delexical verbs are have, take, make, give, go, and do.

I showered -> I had/took a shower; I fussed -> I made a fuss; I walked -> I went for a walk, etc.

Scribed Delexical Verbs Like Have, Take, Make and Give | PDF | Verb | English Language and Thought & Co (What Are Light Verbs in English Grammar?) have good articles on the subject.

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Thank uuuu!!!! You just gave me inspirations.😊 Delexical verbs, yeah, maybe I can explore this module.😁

ThomasK said:

This is an interesting phenomenon. I think I'll explore it in EHL.

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Looking forward to your opinions.

Should we not mention that it is mainly used in idiomatic expressions such as "Can I be of service", in formal situations?

Here I read these examples:

"A very very polite shopkeeper might say, Can I be of service, sir,/madam? ---- A knight errant (or James Bond) might say to a damsel in distress: May I be of service? Adding "Glad to be of service" when the problem was resolved."

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BTW: is "give a service/ render service" not a more common delexical verb/... of serving? Not sure, just wondering...

I agree. Whether the situation is formal or not does matter. And nouns or noun phrases may appear to be more formal than lexical verbs in my opinion.

As for "give a service / render a service", I think they are quite similar to "be of service", but one difference, I think, is that "be of service" sounds more like "Someone will provide his/her service all the time". I mean, it's permanent or static. However, "give or render a service" potentially means "Someone provides you the service. And, it's done. Will he/she serve you continuously? We don't know".

But definitely they are all delexical verbs.

We'd need a native speaker for this, I think. My guess is that "I am at your service" and "Can I be of service?" are offers of service - if that is good English - at a particular moment (when someone sees that someone is or might be in some kind of trouble) but implying readiness to do more if needed (though not strictly all the time [of one's life]). It is an attitude, or a declaration, almost a vow, holding for more than that moment. I am not sure whether it is used in other contexts.

"To give/render a service" is just an expression

the act, not a promise, not the least because that is not a sentence. I came across this sentence though: "BCc might collect personal data from all people to whom we render services/ help/ assist, with whom we are in contact, who work for us or who visit our website." The V + N combination is only used meaning "to help/assist", and can only become a speech act (promising) when it is integrated in a sentence.

It sounds like “I have served; I will be of service” is a motto.

Mottos are often intentionally written in old/weird/foreign/cryptic language.
- https://www.bullionbypost.co.uk/index/collectible-coins/ich-dien/
- Honi soit qui mal y pense - Wikipedia

This article Jesuit blog on Catholic references in John Wick movies has some interesting things to say about the motto/oath - comparing it to the Archangel Michael's oath to God's service (and contrasting it to Lucifer's rejection of serving God).

"Did you know John Wick is a Catholic film? - The Jesuit Post

Various characters, including Wick himself, signal their fealty by saying “I have served. I will be of service,” which evokes St. Michael the Archangel’s “Serviam,” meaning “I will serve,” and is his response to Lucifer’s “I will not serve.” Assassins that break their fealty are “excommunicado,” which quite literally means excommunicated in Catholic parlance.

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