# British pronunciation of lieutenant?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 4, 2001, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344 "2001-10-04T07:27:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2001, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/41 "2001-10-06T02:26:53Z")
Oh, but “Ye” meaning “You” should be pronounced with a “y”; it’s just the “Ye Olde” thing that’s wrong (should be pronounced “the old”, not “yee oldy”.) Sorry if I’m just adding to the confusion.
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### Author:  [@Dave\_Stewart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Stewart)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2001, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/42 "2001-10-06T04:24:42Z")
The Australian pronounciation of “leftenant” has been corrupted by US war movies, and so everyone I know outside of the Australian Army now says “lootenant”.
We also say “Chooseday”, and until I read this thread I’d never questioned it.
I have to admit the first time I saw Baywatch (and yes I admit to that too) I was entirely perplexed by repeated references to a boo-ey.
My own surname, when said by Americans, is unrecognisable to me. Sounds like “Schyurt”, instead of “Stew-art”.
[Glad to see you had a good time in Europe, Cliffy]
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### Author:  [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2001, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/43 "2001-10-06T14:59:41Z")
All these are from the County of Norfolk in England
Happisburgh = Haysborough
Costessey = Cossie
Postwick = Possick
Wymondham = Windham
Garboldisham = Garblesham
And there is also “Stiffkey” which some people say is pronounced as written and other people insist it is “Stewkey”. I think it is all a cunning plan to confuse strangers.
What makes me cringe is the singer calling herself “War-Wick” As a native of that county the correct pronunciation is “Wo-rik”
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### Author:  [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2001, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/44 "2001-10-06T15:08:04Z")
and the surnames “Cockburn” and “Smellie,” rendered as “Coburn” and “Smiley.” I know that the Scottish surname “Forbes” used to be spoken as a disyllable, “For-bez.”
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2001, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/45 "2001-10-06T15:46:05Z")
> [@](#):
>
> How about Colin (as in Powell)? Some say ‘Kollin’ whilst some say ‘Coalin’.
As I understand it, “Colin” is pronounced “KOLL-in” by most people who wear the name. But Powell pronounces his own name “COLE-in”.
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### Author:  [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2001, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/46 "2001-10-06T20:22:09Z")
Visual aide for G. Odoreida’s post: The letter ‘thorn’ looks like this: þ
(Yogh isn’t on the character map, alas.)
I’ve seen _boatswain_ written in print as _bo’s’n._
Odd British spellings: Let’s not forget that Southwark is pronounced ‘Sutherk.’ (I cringed noticeably as my friends asked random people for directions to the South-wark Underground station. :p) And one of Shakespeare’s patrons was Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton; his surname was pronounced ‘Risely.’
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### Author:  [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2001, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/47 "2001-10-07T00:22:52Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Katisha \*
> \*\*Visual aide for G. Odoreida’s post: The letter ‘thorn’ looks like this: þ
>
> \*\*
Fantastic. Thanks, Katisha, I’d never have known how to do that.
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### Author:  [@jmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmonster)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2001, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/48 "2001-10-07T05:21:49Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by G. Odoreida \*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by Katisha \*
> > Visual aide for G. Odoreida’s post: The letter ‘thorn’ looks like this: þ
>
> Fantastic. Thanks, Katisha, I’d never have known how to do that. \*\*
Plus, it’s good for smilies:
**:þ**
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### Author:  [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2001, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/49 "2001-10-07T05:28:04Z")
and what about these peculiar pronunciations:
fleeristan = batoolie
smayton = krugluge
gretch = hasperdinglingdingdingling
flay = (also) hasperdinglingdingdingding
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### Author:  [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2001, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/50 "2001-10-07T05:30:27Z")
flay is pronounced exactly like gretch - i.e. hasperdinglingdingdingling
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### Author:  [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2001, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/51 "2001-10-07T13:04:08Z")
Just to add to the confusion:
Magdalen College, Oxford
and
Magdalene College, Cambridge
But both pronounced ‘maudlin’. 🙂
– Quirm
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### Author:  [@achterover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/achterover)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2001, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/52 "2001-10-07T13:57:10Z")
daffodil,
surely someone like you who frequents these boards could find out about my name with a bit of searching… 😉
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### Author:  [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2001, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/53 "2001-10-07T16:30:41Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by CC \*
> \*\*fleeristan = batoolie
> \*\*
In some parts of Scotland and the north of England, “fleeristan” is pronounced “batweelie”
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### Author:  [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2001, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/54 "2001-10-07T16:50:45Z")
That figures.
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### Author:  [@greenteeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenteeth)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2001, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-pronunciation-of-lieutenant/85344/55 "2001-10-07T19:05:37Z")
To DAve Stewart,
My first name is Stuart, but many of my fellow Texans refer to me as “Stert” which annoys me to no end. Most people don’t do that however. Also, I find my name is basically unpronouncable to Germans. “Stuurd?!?!?”
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