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How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:42 pm
by KK
With the revelation today that more Brits under the age of 49 now pronounce it the American way (61%), I was curious how people here say it.
YouGov wrote:Divided By a Common Language: It’s American Independence Day this week, so we are looking at how prominent Americanisms are in British language and culture today
When asked how they pronounce the military position ‘lieutenant’, more Brits say it in the American-style: ‘loo-tenant’ (49%) than the British way: ‘left-tenant’ (43%)
Younger generations are particularly influenced by the American pronunciation – 61% of those aged 25-49 say ‘loo-tenant’, compared to 28% of those over-65.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:45 pm
by Cuttooth
American way because of the its cultural influx in my lifetime.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:46 pm
by That
I would say "loo" usually. Unless I was specifically speaking about a lieutenant in the British military, then I would say "left".
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:48 pm
by Mafro
Loo-tenant because that's basically how it's spelled.
What's with the strawberry floating stupid "left-tenant" pronunciation anyway?
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:48 pm
by False
american because thats how it was in the movies
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:49 pm
by jawafour
I kinda know that it's "lef", but I always find myself saying "loo".
I came into the thread thinking that "GRcade" was somehow pronounced as "lieutenant"
.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:53 pm
by That
Mafro wrote:Loo-tenant because that's basically how it's spelled.
What's with the strawberry floating stupid "left-tenant" pronunciation anyway?
Wikipedia suggests it's because "u" was sometimes pronounced "f" in Old French if it came at the end of a word (like in
lieu), which is pretty interesting! People have been saying it "loo" since Middle English, so it's not really fair to suggest it's an Americanism.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:54 pm
by jawafour
Mafro wrote:Loo-tenant because that's basically how it's spelled...
You are rigeety, Maf.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:55 pm
by Lime
jawafour wrote:I came into the thread thinking that "GRcade" was somehow pronounced as "lieutenant"
.
It's pronounced 'Gra-cade'
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:57 pm
by jawafour
Lime wrote:It's pronounced 'Gra-cade'
Gam sands tough
.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:05 pm
by Lagamorph
Star Trek made me pronounce it the American way and now I can't use any other.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:08 pm
by Moggy
Rhymes with one.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:12 pm
by LewisD
Left obviously as it's correct.
Unless reference Lieutenant Gorman from aliens.
Or lieutenant Dan from forest gump.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:25 pm
by Outrunner
Lagamorph wrote:Star Trek made me pronounce it the American way and now I can't use any other.
Pretty much this
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:30 pm
by Ironhide
LewisD wrote:Left obviously as it's correct.
Unless reference Lieutenant Gorman from aliens.
Or lieutenant Dan from forest gump.
This.
I'm an awkward sod anyway but there's something about the Americanisation of the English language that really rubs me the wrong way.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:34 pm
by rinks
Karl_ wrote:I would say "loo" usually. Unless I was specifically speaking about a lieutenant in the British military, then I would say "left".
The exact opposite of this.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:35 pm
by Sandy
It's not left, it's lef. You're saying lef-tenant, not left-tenant. Almost bad as asking an English person to pronounce espresso and they magic an x out of nowhere.
I side with the Americans though - lu-tenant.
You don't say in lef of something do you? You say in lu of. It's the same word.
It's like when Americans call their child doctors pee-dee-a-tricians but they call their child molesters ped-a-files. It's the same word...why change the pronounciation?
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:39 pm
by Moggy
Sandy wrote:It's not left, it's lef. You're saying lef-tenant, not left-tenant. Almost bad as asking an English person to pronounce espresso and they magic an x out of nowhere.
Can you be a little more pacific?
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:40 pm
by Cumberdanes
I was thinking something similar, when you get time off work in place of being paid it's not called Time Off in Lef.
Re: How does 'cade pronounce "lieutenant"
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:44 pm
by That
Language is never particularly logical though. Why do we write queen instead of cwene? Because some mediaeval aristocrats thought it looked more French and therefore posher.