Why is lieutenant pronounced as though it has an f in it?

Answer 1

As many pronunciation/spelling discrepancies in English, esp. those involving foreign words borrowed into the language, the key seems to be dialectal differences and the spelling from one dialect becoming standard, while the pronunciation from another diaclect is most widely adopted.

The word was borrowed from the French in the 14th century. But there seems to have been some difference in how English people HEARD the word. Some believe the gliding sound of the W-sound at the end of "lieu" sounded like an "f" of "v" to the English.

As a result, in 14th century English there were a variety of spellings of this word in English, including leef-, leve-, lyff- and later lief-, live-, liev-, and luff-. Alongside this was a spelling that reflected a "w" pronunciation, such as lu-, lieu-, lyue-, and lew-.

So what happened is that two sets of spelling and pronounciation were around. Each made sense in its own right, but the "lieu" SPELLING "won out", while the /f/ pronunciation of other dialects became dominant.

http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20000107


(This also looks a lot like what happend with some other FRENCH words brought into English. The older English spellings matched their own pronunciation. Then scholars insisted on "correcting" the spelling to match the French spelling of their own day. But they could not change how most people PRONOUNCED the word! Something like that happend with "colonel", though in that case the spelling was changed to its current one when the FRENCH changed it... but the English pronunciation still followed the earlier pronunciation, which HAD matched its spelling.)
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-col1.htm

Answer 2

In English, the word lieutenant is pronounced "leftenant", except in American, British and Australian English in which it is pronounced "lootenant". The Royal Navy and other Commonwealth navies, in Canada and New Zealand "leftenant" is standard for all branches of the Armed Forces.

The English pronunciation was prevalent during the 14th and 15th centuries with the word being variously spelled as lieftenant, lyeftenant or luftenant. It may have originated from a mistaken reading of the 'u' as a 'v' (u and v originally were written as the same letter), with v eventually assimilating in voice to /f/. Some sources state that the original French word lieu had an alternative form spelt and pronounced lieuf, and that the modern standard English form retains the former spelling 'Lieutenant' and the latter pronunciation, 'Leftenant'.

It has also been speculated that it may have come from a fanciful etymology which associated it with the verb 'to leave', as the lieutenant only took up his duties once his superior officer had 'left'.

Another theory comes from the fact that in typical propriety the person or persons standing to the rear-left of a gentleman held power and were typically those directly second to him, with lieutenants standing to the rear-left of the commanding officer (when facing the advance), thus derived the pronunciation being "leftenant".

Answer 3

You're from Australia right? Well I served with a few Australian officers in the Phillipines even though I am from the US and I never heard them pronounce it with an "f" sound. So maybe you're looking for a good joke, and many lieutenants act like little "f's" because they think they are all that and yet most enlisted could teach them a thing or two.

Answer 4

Different use of the language. Same as why the word Colonel is pronounced "ker nol". m

Answer 5

Baghmom, you are American, so this question does not apply to you, it concerns CORRECT English. Yes it is pronounced more like "LEFT-TENANT", yet why I don't know. You can see from the spelling that it originates from French; perhaps it was that English-speakers mis-heard the French.

Answer 6

Can you spell it out phonetically how that sounds? I thought you were kidding. I thought you might need your tongue thingy clipped or wait for more teeth.JK
I'm in the USA. There are many words on Y!A that I have to overlook b/c I never heard of them.
Too many people write very stupid questions. Not that yours is, but, like I said, I thought you were kidding.
You dont mean like effinlieutenant? A lot of dumb answers too, huh?
But really, would you spell it out phonetically just FYI for some of us in Illinois? ILL IN NOY

Answer 7

you must go back in history when language was different
it is a mispronunsion of an old french word

yes america it is spoken differently but then again american is not english

Answer 8

I never noticed that it sounds like it has an F in it....
You're not in the US, are you?

....Myself, and everyone I know...and on tv...pronouce it as "lew ten it "
O_o

Answer 9

its not in the US only in British countries. Have to ask them.