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We may have discussed this before but I do not remember the outcome.
I was just watching a YouTube video about a British Sunderland scrapping with some German aircraft and the narrator repeatedly used the pronunciation (Leftenant) of the word I normally hear as Lieutenant. Then again I have been told by some of you from the UK that Lieutenant is the proper form. Which is it to be?
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The pronunciation of
The pronunciation of "leftenant" instead of "lieutenant" in British English has historical roots. The word "lieutenant" was borrowed from the French language during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. In Old French, the word was pronounced as "luef-tenant," which means "place-holder" or "deputy." So it’s spelled lieutenant and pronounced leftenant in British usage.
Just
Another word ‘Merican’s mis pronounce !
Madeline Anafrid Bell
Not to put too fine a point on it.
There are many words that I have heard vastly different pronunciations for. Aluminum for example was discovered by a Danish Chemist and the pronunciation in Danish is wild to me. There is quite a difference in that pronunciation between American and UK English and neither sound like the original.
my current pet hate
route as in the way to somewhere
discuss
Madeline Anafrid Bell
Rout / route
Yeah, I must admit that one grates a bit, when people talk about the “rout” they are taking. Rout and route have very different meanings. Having said that, “route” and “root” also have different meanings, but sound exactly the same!
It’s a bit like when I hear an American saying “where are you at?”. I immediately become a language/grammar Nazi. There is absolutely no reason to add the “at” on the end - it simply does not belong there!
When I was younger
I was told that aluminium was a light metal which Americans would call "Aluminum"…
Being neither British nor American, but having learnt the language at school, I will not take sides — at least publicly.
Mis-pronunciations!
There are so many. My favourite is when our colonial cousins call a certain brand of British car “Jagwaaaah”!, cracks me up every time!
Having said that, who cares? The whole point of communication is getting another person to understand what you are saying, and if they do, regardless of what you said/wrote being correct or not, then it is “job done”!
It's all in fun,
But I've always referred to that brand as a Jagular. The animated version of Winnie-the-Pooh has stuck with me since I was a small child. I've always believed the two-door XJS is one of the best looking cars ever built. And sooo much more appealing than what everyone builds now.
Leftenant
Slacker1,
You are quite correct. The British way to pronounce it is “leftenant”. The American way is “lootenant”. Always has been, probably always will be.
One of many examples of two nations separated by a common language!
Not just US or UK
In some parts of Europe they pronounce it "Loytnant". I guess it is just what sounds good to your native language.
Penny
surely
you mean Loitnant - Y is very rarely used in Germanic languages!
Madeline Anafrid Bell
Loos and asses
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant
gives the lengthy detail but it is probably fair to say that 18th C military Englishmen were a bit hostile to French pronounciation of a word they had to use so made it come more trippngly off the British tongue. Lef rather than Lieu OMG ughhhhh, those Frogs. The Navy compromised more so Lé-tenant is more or less the British Navy version.
I still do not understand why Americans call their arse an ass, although i suppose both kinds of ass carry a burden from time to time?