Colonel: the military rank. Why, also, is it pronounced with the
letter "r', when there is none in the word.
Colonel
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- Great Grand Panjandrum
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Colonel
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Re: Colonel
I second that motion. I do have the impression that somewhere in the British Empire at sometime the word Was pronounced with three syllables including the L. I may be wrong.
pl
- call_copse
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Re: Colonel
Normally the villain in a bad spy movie pronounces it tri-syllabically, in a bad foreign accent. Not sure why.
'Ahh, Col-oh-nell, I've been expecting you.'
Good choice, if not as inexplicable as lieutenant.
'Ahh, Col-oh-nell, I've been expecting you.'
Good choice, if not as inexplicable as lieutenant.
Iain
Re: Colonel
Here is etymonline's explanation:
https://www.etymonline.com/word/colonel
It seems the English could not make up their minds between the French 'r' and the original Latin/Italian 'l'.
It is an interesting question how spelling and pronunciation can go different ways like this, and why some languages (notably English) are especially prone to such mismatches.
https://www.etymonline.com/word/colonel
It seems the English could not make up their minds between the French 'r' and the original Latin/Italian 'l'.
It is an interesting question how spelling and pronunciation can go different ways like this, and why some languages (notably English) are especially prone to such mismatches.
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- Great Grand Panjandrum
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Re: Colonel
Thanks, you all. I appreciate your feedback.
We could piggy-back "lieutenant", probably 'place-holder'
or some such. But the British 'leftenant (?) has me
baffled as well.
We could piggy-back "lieutenant", probably 'place-holder'
or some such. But the British 'leftenant (?) has me
baffled as well.
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- call_copse
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Re: Colonel
Lieutenant is the word I was referring to, it's spelled the same in British English, but pronounced correctly (if inexplicably).
Iain
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Re: Colonel
So British English spells the word "lieutenant", but pronounces
it as "leftenant"? Am I understanding you correctly?
it as "leftenant"? Am I understanding you correctly?
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- call_copse
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- Grand Panjandrum
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Re: Colonel
Yes, perhaps lieutenant as a place-holder is a rank held in an 'acting' role while the serious officers are away. In the British army anyway, lieutenant is the lowest commissioned rank so presumably a sergeant or similar was co-opted to the role after the captain had been shot?
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Re: Colonel
Yup, your thoughts make perfect sense to me, exactly the
way I'd picture it, know as little as I do of the military.
Thanks too, Iain for clearing up the lef business for me.
way I'd picture it, know as little as I do of the military.
Thanks too, Iain for clearing up the lef business for me.
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- Slava
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Re: Colonel
Here's what the good Dr. has to say on the subject.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.
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