Therefore, the term leftenant developed. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. That's why it's a good idea to use LanguageTool as a writing assistant. Why do Brits pronounce lieutenant "leftenant"? - Glossophilia The rank insignia of LTA is two pips.[99]. Why do British pronounce lieutenant as leftenant? The British pronunciation of the French word "lieutenant" (as "lef-tenant") is the official pronunciation as used by the Canadian Armed Forces, but the American pronunciation of "loo-tenant" (which is closer to the original French pronunciation) is sometimes heard outside of the military.. Why is Colonel pronounced kernel? This word was then adopted by the French, who translated the term in their own language, converted the word colonnello to the word coronel. Considering this, Why do British say aluminium? The British pronunciation of the French word "lieutenant" (as "lef-tenant") is the official pronunciation as used by the Canadian Armed Forces, but the American pronunciation of "loo-tenant" (which is closer to the original French pronunciation) is sometimes heard outside of the military. For example, a "lieutenant master" is likely to be second-in-command to the "master" in an organisation using both ranks. In most English-speaking and Arabic-speaking countries, as well as a number of European and South American nations, full lieutenants (and equivalents) usually wear two stars (pips) and second lieutenants (and equivalents) one. In most cases, the lieutenant governor is the highest officer of state after the governor, standing in for the governor when they are absent from the state or temporarily incapacitated. The word lieutenant derives from French; the lieu meaning "place" as in a position (cf. In Germany it is called Oberleutnant (senior lieutenant). [citation needed], Pronunciation of lieutenant as /lftnnt/ (listen) lef-TEN-nt is generally associated with the armies of British Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland, while /lutnnt/ (listen) loo-TEN-nt is generally associated with the United States military. Its simply an attempt for English speakers to pronunce French phonemes, I dont believe theres an additional reason. The USN settled on "lieutenant commander" in 1862, and made it a distinct rank; the Royal Navy followed suit in March 1914. In the case of lieutenant even the English themselves dont agree. "Leftenant" would then be easier to pronounce than "levtenant." hurricanelantern 9 yr. ago The rank of Lieutenant was formerly used in areas outside of the Metropolitan Police. "Leftenant" (or "leften't") is merely. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". As nouns the difference between lieutenant and leftenant. Therefore, the term leftenant developed. It's believed that at some time before the 19th century, the British read and pronounced the "U" at the end of "lieu" as a "V" and the "V" later became an "F". Why do Brits pronounce Lieutenant "Leftenant"? Learn how to pronounce \"lieutenant\" in British English and American English. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Once the officer in question passes lieutenant commander and reaches commander, it's all less of a problem. Join ourAdvertisingCommunity and share you ideas today ! A number of city and burgh police forces in Scotland used the rank of lieutenant (and detective lieutenant) between inspector and superintendent from 1812 to 1948. 1 : an official who acts for a higher official. Furthermore, Why do Brits pronounce Derby as Darby? Necessity is the mother of invention, or in this case, wild speculation As an aside, a US Navy Senior Chief and a Master Chief both told me, when I was a kid, that the United States Navy abandoned the title "Commodore" because sailors took to saying "commode door." It is functionally equivalent to third lieutenant. 2 : first lieutenant. Additionally, the Confederate States Army also used "third lieutenant", typically as the lowest ranking commissioned officer in an infantry company. Who sings the song in the new Facebook commercial. Therefore, the term leftenant developed. In the US however, the word is pronounced as Lew-tenant, much to British distaste. The insignia of a lieutenant in many navies, including the Royal Navy,[92] consists of two medium gold braid stripes (top stripe with loop) on a navy blue or black background. I always suspected--and I have never seen anything to back this up--that this pronunciation was adopted because "lootenant", as the Americans pronounce it, sounds like "Loo-tenant," i.e., "individual occupying the loo (toilet)." Officially we follow the British pronunciation for it in Canada, but plenty of people say it the American way. and our A lot of times, the way words are spelled in English can leave many people scratching their head. SpecialUnitt 2 yr. ago. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The word arrived in English from French in 1375 and within 100 years the English were pronouncing it left-tenant as if there were a right-tenant as well. The Oxford English Dictionary states the pronunciation is "difficult to explain ," but suggests the old French word originally had a "w" sound at the end of the first syllable, and that eventually got confused with an "f" or a "v" and created the British way of saying the word. This historical remnant caused increasing confusion in multi-national operations and was abolished. :) Mike, Washington DC, US, To read the more informative answers (including ahypothesis offered by Sean from Colorado that in British slang, of which he observes there is a great deal, the word loo refers to a toilet, and therefore he assumesthat they do not want to give the impression that a leftenant is a resident of a toilet, as in loo-tenant), read the full piece at The Guardians website . Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Why and when did 'I will' replace 'I shall' in British English? [94] Throughout the 19th century and until as late as World War II[95] the United States Army sometimes referred to brevet second lieutenants as "third lieutenants". For the bridge, see, United Kingdom and Commonwealth police forces, Report of the Committee of Inquiry on the Police, 1978, " ", "Azrbaycan Respublikas Silahl Qvvlri hrbi qulluqularnn hrbi geyim formas v frqlndirm nianlar haqqnda sasnam", " 21.07.2009 N 388 " , 9 2006 . N 383", Ministry of Defense (Bolivia) [@mindefbolivia], "Conoce la jerarqua de los grados del #Ejrcito", "Akta angkatan bersenjata diraja Brunei (Penggal 149)", " ", "LOI N 037-2016/AN PORTANT CONDITIONS D'AVANCEMENT DES PERSONNELS D'ACTIVE DES FORCES ARMEES NATIONALES", "Loi organique N1/ 04 du 20 fvrier 2017 portant Missions, Organisation, Composition, Instruction, Conditions de service et Fonctionnement de la Force de Dfense Nationale du Burundi", "Ttulo VI, Captulo II de la Ley Constitutiva de las Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras, Decreto No. While some air forces use the army rank system, the British Royal Air Force and many other Commonwealth air forces use another rank system in which flight lieutenant ranks with an army captain and naval lieutenant, a flying officer ranks with an army lieutenant and a pilot officer with an army second lieutenant. Assistant Superintendent(Bangladesh Police), Assistant Superintendent(Indian Police Service), Police Lieutenant(Philippine National Police), Police Lieutenant(National Police of Ukraine), US Police 2nd Lieutenant(Police ranks of the United States), US Police 1st Lieutenant(Police ranks of the United States), In the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the rank of lieutenant (LTA) is the second-lowest commissioned rank. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Linguists explain that the f is a relic of the countrys British imperial history, while the alternate pronunciation comes from the U.S. 4 : a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard ranking above a lieutenant junior grade. In short, English borrowed the word from French, which borrowed it from Italian. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 3 yr. ago. When asked what hes looking for inland, he said Dar be treasure. [2] The early history of the pronunciation is unclear; Middle English spellings suggest that both pronunciations may have existed even then. Well explore what these words mean and provide example sentences. "The Brits are weird" jon, cambria, United . By the mid-17th century, the spelling and French pronunciation had changed to colonnel. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The Salvation Army also uses lieutenant to denote first time officers, or clergymen/women. Lieu in French means place and tenant is to hold. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. It is the lowest field-grade rank. Why do Brits pronounce Lieutenant as leftenant? Quick Answer : Does Grindr tell if you screenshot? He loves traveling and exploring new places, and he is an avid reader who loves learning about new cultures and customs. This was because the rank was bestowed upon the commander of a column of troops. In the Royal Navy, the commissioned rank of mate was created in 1840, and was renamed sub-lieutenant in 1860. The Lieutenant Governor exercises all the royal prerogative powers that the monarch holds. It also falls in the same category as Colonel, pronounced kernel. Even later, when the Americans cuddled up to the French during the revolutionary war, their pronunciation changed to follow the french term. Therefore, the term leftenant developed. Why exactly do the British say lieutenant as 'leftenant'? The word arrived in English from French in 1375 and within 100 years the English were pronouncing it left-tenant as if there were a right-tenant as well. Anglophones have difficulty pronouncing it as the French do so it drifts either to "lettenant" or "lootenant." Both pronunciations existed in Britain and its colonies prior to the American Revolution. Phonemic changes due to considerations like the above are actually quite rare, so take that caveat too. There is great variation in the insignia used worldwide. As the rank structure of navies stabilized, and the ranks of commander, lieutenant commander and sub-lieutenant were introduced, the naval lieutenant came to rank with an army captain (NATO OF-2 or US O-3). ! Peter Charles, London, England, My fellow Brits cynical intolerance for Americans makes me ashamed to be British. The first L in the original Italian word colonello was changed to an R by the French. Why do the Brits say 'leftenant' for lieutenant? - Quora Leftenant is the British pronunciation, lieutenant is the American pronunciation. This spelling was to stick to the pronunciation, and not the opposite, as there is not lefttenant in old French. They drop the f and say le-tenant.. Questions must have a definitive answer. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Its thought that zee was last used in England during the late 17th century; however, usage is difficult to trace, because pronunciations for letters were not often written down. No one can really say why in the British Army the word is pronounced left-tenant but its notable that in the Royal Navy the pronunciation seems half way across the ocean. This word means commissioned officer of high rank in the military. Simply by the way it looks, its easy to see why some people would think its pronounced co-lo-nel. Why do Canadians say lieutenant? Privacy Policy. But how did this word (and its weird pronunciation) come to be? Officers serving in staff or command posts are awarded the "brevet" rank of captain, these officers then revert to their lieutenancy after having completed their tour of duty. 94-84", "i gradi dell'Esercito Italiano - distintivi di incarico e funzionali", " , ", " , ", "LOI N 96-029 portant Statut Gnral des Militaires", "2011 - Plaquette sur les insignes et blasons des Forces Armes du Mali", "Manual grfico para el uso de Uniformes, Divisas y Equipo del Ejrcito y F.A.M. Many people say us but if they are writing will use the word me. When asked what hes looking for inland, he said Dar be treasure. Its English our language. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. No idea whether any of this is true, just telling you what I have heard and from whom I heard it. In England (and her colonies, except for America of course) it is pronounced "leftentant" because it is bastardization of the French pronunciation, which has that ever-so-French, back of the mouth, oooggff sound at the end of the first syllable. Why is lieutenant pronounced leftenant? - Answers In the mid-17th century, spelling it with L became the standard, but it was still pronounced with an R. This long and winding history of this word led to its unusual spelling and pronunciation. A Lieutenant (a leader of a platoon) is pronounced 'Left-tenant' in the U.K. (as he/she is left the tenancy of command). Americans changed it to fit their own odd version of a perfect language. Sid, Saffron Walden, England, Well, how def yef say leftenant? Mark Dallas, London UK, Because its our language, and we can say it any way we like. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 3 : second lieutenant. This is the reason why colonel is pronounced kernel. This courtesy developed when swords were still used on the battle field. The British monarch's representatives in the counties of the United Kingdom are called Lords Lieutenant. You might want to rule the world from Washington but its still English. Why keep.The French part, tenant, then? There is a rarely used word, lief, which I see in old books in phrases like Id as lief jump off this wall as and I think it is another spelling and pronunciation of lieu. Go well beyond grammar and spell checking. The British and others pronounce z, zed, owing to the origin of the letter z, the Greek letter Zeta. Pronunciation of lieutenant as / lftnnt / ( listen) lef-TEN-nt is generally associated with the armies of British Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland, while / lutnnt / ( listen) loo-TEN-nt is generally associated with the United States military. CLTs may be promoted to the rank of senior cadet lieutenant (S/CLT), which has a rank insignia of a pip and two bars below it.[100]. The pronunciation being very difficult for English speaker. Zero is a little bit longer to pronounce, hence the oh. Before 1999 the Royal Marines enjoyed the same rank structure as the army, but at a grade higher; thus a Royal Marine captain ranked with and was paid the same as a British Army major. What Is The Hottest Month In New Hampshire? Is leftenant and lieutenant the same? It is spelled 'lieutenant' and it is pronounced as 'leftenant'. To do this automatically simply make a comment that says !answered (OP only). Privacy Policy. The word appeared in English as lieutenant, and an alternative leftenant was made to stick to the pronunciation. It stuck, to avoid embarrassing him. However, their efforts failed, and the French word is still used, along with its many variations (e.g. In the US however, the word is pronounced as 'Lew-tenant', much to British distaste. The British rank is "lieutenant" and is spelled the same as. Its believed that at some time before the 19th century, the British read and pronounced the U at the end of lieu as a V and the V later became an F. Armchair linguists on both sides of the Atlantic offered up various answers and suggestions: here's a selection for your interest and entertainment . Why Do The British Say Leftenant? - CLJ By far the most logical, understandable and concise answer Ive ever seen thank you. Do all humans on this planet belong to the same species? Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. [3] Furthermore, in Latin, the lingua franca of the era, the letter v is used for both u and v. But why is there such a difference in spelling and pronunciation when both nations speak the same language? But, then youre in danger of forgetting how to say it in American-English. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. No response from any American on this page has earned such a bitter rebuke. The usual role of a lieutenant is to carry out administrative duties and assist precinct commanders (normally a Captain, or sometimes the local police chiefs). It became Wednesdei and the d remained, even as the word morphed into Wednesday.. You have entered an incorrect email address! So a Lieutenant is someone who holds a place or functions as a deputy of a superior. Leftenant in the British army, Lootenant in the American army. Therefore, the term leftenant developed. Conventionally, armies and other services or branches that use army-style rank titles have two grades of lieutenant, but a few also use a third, more junior, rank. Why is lieutenant pronounced "leftenant" in British English? Its just an old English way of speaking. In Canada, the representative of the Canadian monarch in each province is called the Lieutenant Governor. 18 3 In 1995, the rank of lieutenant was introduced in the National Police as the first rank of the police officers scale. In the British Army and in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, a second lieutenant is the lowest ranking commissioned officer. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Yes, it is. The Oxford Dictionary suggests that it might be because at some point, the "u" in the French word "lieu" was pronounced as a "v" (which was not uncommon in French given the derivation from the Latin "v" for many "u"s). Second lieutenant is usually the most junior grade of commissioned officer. As nouns the difference between lieutenant and leftenant is that lieutenant is (military) the lowest commissioned officer rank or ranks in many military forces while leftenant is an archaic spelling of lieutenant. How to pronounce lieutenant | British English and American English In England (and her colonies, except for America of course) it is pronounced "leftentant" because it is bastardization of the French pronunciation, which has that ever-so-French, back of the mouth, oooggff sound at the end of the first syllable. On submarines and smaller Coast Guard cutters the billet of first lieutenant may be filled by a petty officer. Therefore, the term leftenant developed. It's understandable why these words cause so much confusion. The rank insignia of CLT is a pip and a bar below it. It does not store any personal data. Why do we say O instead of zero? He has dedicated his life to helping students achieve their full potential in the classroom and beyond. Why do British people say Zed? Compare the best options for 2023. Colonel has no "R", although it's pronounced with one, and lieutenant has what seems to be a random "I" in it. ELI5:Why is Lieutenant pronounced "Leftenant" by british people? Cookie Notice Such is the case with the word lieutenant. Why do the English say leftenant instead of lieutenant? - Wise-Answer Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. (The German name for the Thames is die Temse). The adoption of standardized ranks across the United Kingdom has eliminated its use. Nomad, London, England. Lieutenants were commonly put in command of smaller vessels not warranting a commander or captain: such a lieutenant was called a "lieutenant commanding" or "lieutenant commandant" in the United States Navy, and a "lieutenant in command" or "lieutenant and commander" in the Royal Navy. This pattern was copied by the United States Navy and various Air Forces for their equivalent ranks grades, except that the loop is removed (see flight lieutenant). Jamie also shared a pronunciation map of the U.S. put together in 2013 by Joshua Katz of North Carolina States department of statistics, showing that the car-mel pronunciation dominates the western and northern part of the nation, while car-uh-mel starts in southeast Texas and slowly slides diagonally up the . a person appointed to carry out a task). Confusion sometimes arises because, in the U.S., the word is routinely said "lootenant" (or sometimes "lyootenant"), while in the United Kingdom and other countries of the British Commonwealth the preferred pronunciation is "leftenant." Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. But when translating Italian military treaties into English, 16th century scholars started spelling it colonel, similarly to how Italians originally spelled it.
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