English sergeant maybe silent about current commendation (8)
I believe the answer is:
encomium
'current commendation' is the definition.
'encomium' can be an answer for 'commendation' (encomium is a kind of commendation). I'm not certain of the 'current' bit.
'english sergeant maybe silent about' is the wordplay.
'english' becomes 'E' (abbreviation).
'sergeant' becomes 'nco' (non-commissioned officer).
'maybe' becomes 'i' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'silent' becomes 'mum' (keep mum).
'about' indicates putting letters inside.
'i' put inside 'mum' is 'mium'.
'e'+'nco'+'mium'='ENCOMIUM'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for encomium that I've seen before include "Panegyric" , "Um, come in for high praise" , "Eulogy" , "High praise given in speech or writing" , "I commune with speech of high praise" .)