'Know Your English'

Edited Compilation of 'Know Your English' Columns from 'The Hindu'

How is the word “Lieutenant” pronounced?

Posted by Sunil Jose on March 18, 2009

The Americans and the British pronounce this word differently. The English pronounce the “lieut” like the word “left”. The “e” that follows is pronounced like the “e” in “ten”, “pen” and “hen”, and the final “a” sounds like the “a” in “china”. The main stress is on the second syllable. The Americans, on the other hand, pronounce the “ieu” in the first syllable like the “oo” in “pool”, “cool”, and “school”. They pronounce the remaining two syllables like the British. The main stress once again remains on the second syllable. Indians tend to follow the British pronunciation.

The Hindu- ‘Know Your English’ Series, May 24, 2004

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