why is lieutenant pronounced leftenant why is lieutenant pronounced leftenant

It comes easier after a few tries. Leaders, or officers of the Boys' Brigade, particularly in the United Kingdom, are ranked as lieutenants after having completed their formal training, before which they are ranked as warrant officers. The word lieutenant derives from French; the lieu meaning "place" as in a position (cf. "Lootenant". Regardless, zee made its way to the British colonies in North America. in lieu of); and tenant meaning "holding" as in "holding a position"; thus a "lieutenant" is a placeholder for a superior, during their absence (compare the Latin locum tenens). An example of an exception is the United States, whose armed forces distinguish their lieutenant ranks with a silver bar for first lieutenant and brass bar for second lieutenant. The United States Marine Corps and British Royal Marines[88] both use army ranks, while many former Eastern-Bloc marine forces retain the naval form[clarification needed]. Phonemic changes due to considerations like the above are actually quite rare, so take that caveat too. A few of them are: Its understandable why these words cause so much confusion. Lieutenant also has more than one abbreviation, and it varies based on the nation and military branch. Wikitionary claims that leftenant is an archaic spelling of lieutenant. The USN settled on "lieutenant commander" in 1862, and made it a distinct rank; the Royal Navy followed suit in March 1914. Lieu from french shows up in English phrases like in lieu of meaning in place of, so lieu means place and lieutenant essentially means placeholder. Press J to jump to the feed. In March 1813, the US Army created the rank of third lieutenant. For the bridge, see, United Kingdom and Commonwealth police forces, Report of the Committee of Inquiry on the Police, 1978, " ", "Azrbaycan Respublikas Silahl Qvvlri hrbi qulluqularnn hrbi geyim formas v frqlndirm nianlar haqqnda sasnam", " 21.07.2009 N 388 " , 9 2006 . N 383", Ministry of Defense (Bolivia) [@mindefbolivia], "Conoce la jerarqua de los grados del #Ejrcito", "Akta angkatan bersenjata diraja Brunei (Penggal 149)", " ", "LOI N 037-2016/AN PORTANT CONDITIONS D'AVANCEMENT DES PERSONNELS D'ACTIVE DES FORCES ARMEES NATIONALES", "Loi organique N1/ 04 du 20 fvrier 2017 portant Missions, Organisation, Composition, Instruction, Conditions de service et Fonctionnement de la Force de Dfense Nationale du Burundi", "Ttulo VI, Captulo II de la Ley Constitutiva de las Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras, Decreto No. How Many Classes The Article Are Divided Into In English? In England (and her colonies, except for America of course) it is pronounced "leftentant" because it is bastardization of the French pronunciation, which has that ever-so-French, back of the mouth, oooggff sound at the end of the first syllable. Pronunciation of lieutenant as / lftnnt / ( listen) lef-TEN-nt is generally associated with the armies of British Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland, while / lutnnt / ( listen) loo-TEN-nt is generally associated with the United States military. Lieutenants were commonly put in command of smaller vessels not warranting a commander or captain: such a lieutenant was called a "lieutenant commanding" or "lieutenant commandant" in the United States Navy, and a "lieutenant in command" or "lieutenant and commander" in the Royal Navy. In navies, it is often equivalent to the army rank of captain; it may also indicate a particular post rather than a rank. These were typically newly commissioned officers for which no authorized second lieutenant position existed. Its believed that at some time before the 19th century, the British read and pronounced the U at the end of lieu as a V and the V later became an F. Have some class. William Franklin, Brighton, UK. ! Peter Charles, London, England, My fellow Brits cynical intolerance for Americans makes me ashamed to be British. Who is the birthday girl in the Skyrizi commercial? Do all humans on this planet belong to the same species? That's why it's a good idea to use LanguageTool as a writing assistant. What Is The Hottest Month In New Hampshire? Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit), Missouri University Of Science And Technology, State University Of New York Health Science Center At Brooklyn, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, The University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio, The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences, University At Buffalo Suny School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, University Of California, Los Angeles (Ucla), University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, University Of Maryland Baltimore County (Umbc), University Of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Good luck, This one is amazing. To do this automatically simply make a comment that says !answered (OP only). The British pronunciation of the French word "lieutenant" (as "lef-tenant") is the official pronunciation as used by the Canadian Armed Forces, but the American pronunciation of "loo-tenant" (which is closer to the original French pronunciation) is sometimes heard outside of the military.. Why is Colonel pronounced kernel? Leftenant is the British pronunciation, lieutenant is the American pronunciation. Why do Americans say zee? The Lieutenant Governor exercises all the royal prerogative powers that the monarch holds. According to military customs, a lower ranking soldier walks on the left side of a senior officer. Why do British people say Zed? "Leftenant" (or "leften't") is merely. The leftenant is left(tenant, English) in tenancy of the platoon, in lieu(tenant, French) of the captain. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. It stuck, to avoid embarrassing him. Why do Americans pronounce lieutenant differently? A lieutenant is a Junior Officer at DoD paygrade O-3, with a starting monthly pay of $4,637. This gave rise to the Old French zede, which resulted in the English zed around the 15th century. Why exactly do the British say lieutenant as 'leftenant'? Col., Col, COL can all serve as abbreviations for colonel. "Leftenant" would then be easier to pronounce than "levtenant." hurricanelantern 9 yr. ago The first French Lieutenant of Police, Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie, was appointed in Paris by Louis XIV on 15 March 1667 to command a reformed police force. What Town Is The Cheapest To Live In New Hampshire. CLTs may be promoted to the rank of senior cadet lieutenant (S/CLT), which has a rank insignia of a pip and two bars below it.[100]. The typical rank insignia for a lieutenant is a single silver bar (like that of an Army or Marine Corps First Lieutenant) or a single gold bar (like that of an Army or Marine Corps Second Lieutenant). At the same time the term 'Leftenant' is sometimes used (albeit. It became Wednesdei and the d remained, even as the word morphed into Wednesday.. Therefore, the term leftenant developed. Its thought that zee was last used in England during the late 17th century; however, usage is difficult to trace, because pronunciations for letters were not often written down. Don't overpay for pet insurance. Niece can be a challenging word for some people to spell. Why is Colonel pronounced kernel? Later, when the drive by the English to rid the language of french words began, they modified the word to try to match their pronunciation and made it leftenant. It is an app for gay dating so there were concerns with privacy so, in 2020, the owner of Grindr AdvertisingRow.com - Home of online Advertising Inspiration & Ideas, AdvertisingRow.com | Home of Advertising Professionals, Advertising news, Infographics, Job offers. 4 : a commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard ranking above a lieutenant junior grade. The word arrived in English from French in 1375 and within 100 years the English were pronouncing it left-tenant as if there were a right-tenant as well. Much of our modern alphabet comes directly from the Greek alphabet, including a letter, that looked just like our Z, that the Greeks called zeta. Zeta evolved into the French zede, which in turn gave us zed as English was shaped by Romance languages like French. It's understandable why these words cause so much confusion. 2 : first lieutenant. It is pronounced in the old-fashioned English way, /ref/, so that it rhymes with safe and waif. . No, they are not. Back in 2013, onThe GuardiansNotes and Queries page, a man calledJeff Rushton from London asked this very good question: Why exactly do the British say lieutenant as leftenant? In the 19th century, British writers who considered this word either an imposition on the English language, or difficult for common soldiers and sailors, argued for it to be replaced by the calque "steadholder". You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. why is lieutenant pronounced leftenantrobert downey jr house malibu. The lower ranked soldier on the "left" protected the senior officers left side. Officers serving in staff or command posts are awarded the "brevet" rank of captain, these officers then revert to their lieutenancy after having completed their tour of duty. In the film clip, Keeley Hawes appears to be playing the Prime Minister, whose bodyguard addresses her as maam with the reduced vowel. Is there a difference between lieutenant and leftenant? However, their efforts failed, and the French word is still used, along with its many variations (e.g. 1 : an official who acts for a higher official. But when translating Italian military treaties into English, 16th century scholars started spelling it colonel, similarly to how Italians originally spelled it. [3] The majority of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century sources show pronunciations with /v/ or /f/, but Bullokar has /liu/.[4]. In most cases, newly commissioned officers do not remain at the rank for long before being promoted, and both university graduates and officers commissioned from the ranks may skip the rank altogether. Its not that neatly divided. When your question is answered, we encourage you to flair your post. Because thats the word. Where more junior officers were employed as deputies to the lieutenant, they went by many names, including second lieutenant, sub-lieutenant, ensign and cornet. Additionally, the Confederate States Army also used "third lieutenant", typically as the lowest ranking commissioned officer in an infantry company. Colonel came to English from the mid-16th-century French word coronelle, meaning commander of a regiment, or column, of soldiers. Compare the best options for 2023. This comes from Queen Victorias husband, Prince Albert. [96] Because of the time required to fully establish this organization the rank continued for some time afterwards; the first Coast Guard aviator, Elmer F. Stone, was a third lieutenant until 1918.[97]. In most English-speaking and Arabic-speaking countries, as well as a number of European and South American nations, full lieutenants (and equivalents) usually wear two stars (pips) and second lieutenants (and equivalents) one. The usual role of a lieutenant is to carry out administrative duties and assist precinct commanders (normally a Captain, or sometimes the local police chiefs). That's how Americans pronounce it. Quick Answer : Does Grindr tell if you screenshot? The rank insignia of LTA is two pips.[99]. Its because we got the word via the French, who had dissimilated the Italian colonello into coronel. In the US Navy, the rank was called master until 1883, when it was renamed lieutenant, junior grade. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. According to military customs, a lower ranking soldier walks on the left side of a senior officer. The rare Old French variant spelling leuf for Modern French lieu ('place') supports the suggestion that a final [u] of the Old French word was in certain environments perceived as an [f]. Thank the British for our language and New York, else we would be speaking Dutch in New Amsterdam (or however the Dutch spell it). , P.S. He is passionate about sharing this knowledge with others, and he frequently speaks at education conferences around the world. 94-84", "i gradi dell'Esercito Italiano - distintivi di incarico e funzionali", " , ", " , ", "LOI N 96-029 portant Statut Gnral des Militaires", "2011 - Plaquette sur les insignes et blasons des Forces Armes du Mali", "Manual grfico para el uso de Uniformes, Divisas y Equipo del Ejrcito y F.A.M. Hear the pronunciation of the word on its own and in example sentences. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant#Pronunciation. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". (Examples : lieutenant governor, police lieutenant, lieutenant general. Flight lieutenant(Royal Australian Air Force). Just love its diversity of humour ! How do you start a conversation with a stranger? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. is that lieutenant is (military) the lowest commissioned officer rank or ranks in many military forces while leftenant is an archaic spelling of lieutenant. Why do Brits pronounce Lieutenant as leftenant? it's not. According to military customs, a lower ranking soldier walks on the left side of a senior officer. The insignia of a lieutenant in many navies, including the Royal Navy,[92] consists of two medium gold braid stripes (top stripe with loop) on a navy blue or black background. Assistant Superintendent(Bangladesh Police), Assistant Superintendent(Indian Police Service), Police Lieutenant(Philippine National Police), Police Lieutenant(National Police of Ukraine), US Police 2nd Lieutenant(Police ranks of the United States), US Police 1st Lieutenant(Police ranks of the United States), In the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the rank of lieutenant (LTA) is the second-lowest commissioned rank. Commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces, "Tenente" redirects here. Yes, it is. Bloody. And what is it with these Americans, who speak of British English and a British version hello!! In the old US of A, they just pronounce it how it is spelled. I've noticed in older texts and interviews with older British people they have a tendency to use "shall" and "should" when a younger speaker would use "will" and "would." [citation needed], Pronunciation of lieutenant as /lftnnt/ (listen) lef-TEN-nt is generally associated with the armies of British Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland, while /lutnnt/ (listen) loo-TEN-nt is generally associated with the United States military. As a German, the th was difficult for him to pronounce and he pronounced it as Tems. What is the meaning of the French word lieu? Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. major, a military rank standing above captain. The Israel Defense Forces rank segen () literally translates as "deputy", which is equivalent to a lieutenant. Nomad, London, England. In short, English borrowed the word from French, which borrowed it from Italian. The British and others pronounce z, zed, owing to the origin of the letter z, the Greek letter Zeta. What money is available for senior citizens? Over time the word locum evolved into the French word lieu, which is pronounced in French as it is spelled. The lower ranked soldier on the "left" protected the senior officers left side. I initially thought it was a different thing but Americans and brits in this show Im watching pronounce it differently when talking about the same person. For example: Lieutenant (commissioned officer in the armed forces, police, or other organization) is also derived from French. Conventionally, armies and other services or branches that use army-style rank titles have two grades of lieutenant, but a few also use a third, more junior, rank. Go well beyond grammar and spell checking. LieutenantArabic: , romanized:Mulazim awwal(Algerian Land Forces)[6], Leytenant(Armenian Ground Forces)[9], LieutenantBengali: (Bangladesh Army)[13], Liejtenant(Belarusian Ground Forces)[14], Leytenant(Bulgarian Land Forces)[19], Lieutenant(Burkina Faso Ground Forces)[20], LieutenantKirundi: Riyetena(Burundi Ground Forces)[21], LieutenantFrench: Lieutenant(Canadian Army)[22], Lieutenant(Central African Ground Forces), Leitenanti(Georgian Land Forces)[34], LieutenantHindi: (Indian Army)[39], LieutenantIrish: Leifteanant(Irish Army)[40], Lieutenant(Ivory Coast Ground Forces)[42], Leytenant(Kazakh Ground Forces)[44], LieutenantNepali: , romanized:Upasnn(Nepali Army)[58], Leytenant(Russian Ground Forces)[67], Lejtenant(Tajik Ground Forces)[77], Lieutenant(Trinidad and Tobago Regiment)[80], Leytenant(Ukrainian Ground Forces)[83]. The rank is also used in fire services, emergency medical services, security services and police forces. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. For more information, please see our This spelling was to stick to the pronunciation, and not the opposite, as there is not lefttenant in old French. In minor war vessels, destroyers and frigates the first lieutenant (either a lieutenant or lieutenant-commander) is second in command, executive officer (XO) and head of the executive branch; in larger ships where a commander of the warfare specialization is appointed as the executive officer, a first lieutenant (normally a lieutenant-commander) is appointed as his deputy. Therefore, the term leftenant developed. Linguists explain that the f is a relic of the countrys British imperial history, while the alternate pronunciation comes from the U.S. the American rank. Such is the case with the word lieutenant. Instantly enhance your writing in real-time while you type.With LanguageTool, The unusual spelling of these words has to do with their origin. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. You have entered an incorrect email address! It is possible that when the English heard the French pronounce the compound word lieutenant, they perceived a slurring which they heard as a "v" or "f" sound between the first and second. The lower ranked soldier on the left protected the senior officers left side. Americans changed it to fit their own odd version of a perfect language. Sid, Saffron Walden, England, Well, how def yef say leftenant? Mark Dallas, London UK, Because its our language, and we can say it any way we like. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In the British Army and in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, a second lieutenant is the lowest ranking commissioned officer. He was later elevated to Lieutenant-General of Police. The British pronunciation of the French word "lieutenant" (as "lef-tenant") is the official pronunciation as used by the Canadian Armed Forces, but the American pronunciation of "loo-tenant" (which is closer to the original French pronunciation) is sometimes heard outside of the military. In the US, zebra is pronounced as zee-bruh, so with a long e. Havent you got a chat show you can go off and whoop woo at or something? Tel McCormack, Rochdale, UK, Because thats what it should be called. A number of city and burgh police forces in Scotland used the rank of lieutenant (and detective lieutenant) between inspector and superintendent from 1812 to 1948. The subordinate position or military rank is spelled lieutenant. Having said that, British people do sometimes use it when expressing anger. [citation needed]. In the US however, the word is pronounced as Lew-tenant, much to British distaste. Learn about the etymology of Lieutenant as well as Colonel.. Well explore what these words mean and provide example sentences. In the United States, a governor serves as the chief executive officer and commander-in-chief in each of the fifty states and in the five permanently inhabited territories, functioning as both head of state and head of government therein. Colonel has no R, although its pronounced with one, and lieutenant has what seems to be a random I in it. All replies must be a genuine effort to answer the question helpfully; joke answers are not allowed. In Canada, the representative of the Canadian monarch in each province is called the Lieutenant Governor. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Leftenant is the U.K. and Commonwealth . Well thanks for that gem, Einstein. In the mid-17th century, spelling it with L became the standard, but it was still pronounced with an R. This long and winding history of this word led to its unusual spelling and pronunciation. Why do Brits pronounce lieutenant with an F? This courtesy developed when swords were still used on the battle field. Press J to jump to the feed. It is roughly equivalent to an inspector in the British and Canadian police forces. In the UK zebra is pronounced as zeh-bruh, with a short e, so without the ee sound. Armchair linguists on both sides of the Atlantic offered up various answers and suggestions: here's a selection for your interest and entertainment . Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. About time yall brushed up on your Spanish! Therefore, the term leftenant developed. the British pronunciation of the word. A lieutenant (UK: /lftnnt/ lef-TEN-nt, US: /lutnnt/ loo-TEN-nt;[1] abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant, but in Brazil it is the highest non-commissioned rank, and in Spain it is the second highest non-commissioned rank. The Royal Air Force also has an acting pilot officer designation, the most junior commissioned rank in the British armed forces. Do the British say leftenant or lieutenant? Some sources claim that 'lieutenant' had alternative spellings such as leftenant, leftenaunt, lieftenant, lieftenaunt etc., and that the ModE pronunciation with /f/ (BrE mostly) is a holdover from those spellings. How about left-renter? Thank the British for our language and New York, else we would be speaking Dutch in New Amsterdam (or however the Dutch spell it). Mat, Parma U.S. I dont really know but I love the way the British pronounce certain words, such as schedule, it sounds so much more proper. Nanette Y. Mitchell, Fredericksburg, US, P.S. Colonel confuses people because its pronounced like kernel /krnl/, but theres no R in it. Maintenance is one of those English words that many people find difficult to spell. Glossophilia. It can detect misspelled words (yes, even those with unusual spelling) and incorrect grammar. The British pronunciation of the French word lieutenant (as lef-tenant) is the official pronunciation as used by the Canadian Armed Forces, but the American pronunciation of loo-tenant (which is closer to the original French pronunciation) is sometimes heard outside of the military. Some police departments split the rank of lieutenant into two separate grades. They drop the f and say le-tenant.. The senior grade of lieutenant is known as first lieutenant in the United States, and as lieutenant in the United Kingdom and the rest of the English-speaking world. Like I said I have actually nothing at all to back this up, it's a wild stab in the dark I came up with because I've wondered the same thing for years and could never find any information about it. Anglophones have difficulty pronouncing it as the French do so it drifts either to "lettenant" or "lootenant." Both pronunciations existed in Britain and its colonies prior to the American Revolution. Not only do many English words contain silent letters, but there are also several rules and patterns that have numerous exceptions. Join ourAdvertisingCommunity and share you ideas today ! By the mid-17th century, the spelling and French pronunciation had changed to colonnel. No idea whether any of this is true, just telling you what I have heard and from whom I heard it. Do Canadians say lieutenant or leftenant? 234-IV Kanuny esasynda girizilen tgetmeler we gomaalar bilen)", "Ppstliche Schweizergarde: Gradabzeichen", "O'zbekiston Respublikasi fuqarolarining harbiy xizmatni o'tash tartibi to'g'risida", "RM Officers & Other Ranks Badges of Rank Royal Navy website", "Ley 1405 de 2010 Nuevos Grados Militares", "RM Officers & Other Ranks Badges of Rank", "Uniforms and Badges of Rank Royal Navy website", "Officer Ranks in the Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander", "Full Text Citations For Award of The Distinguished Service Cross", "United States Revenue Marine Uniforms & Devices to 1908", Commander Elmer F. "Archie" Stone, USCG Coast Guard Aviator #1, "National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) / National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lieutenant&oldid=1128780536, Articles containing Albanian-language text, Articles containing Portuguese-language text, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Articles containing Armenian-language text, Articles containing Azerbaijani-language text, Articles containing Bengali-language text, Articles containing Belarusian-language text, Articles containing Flemish-language text, Articles containing Malay (macrolanguage)-language text, Articles containing Bulgarian-language text, Articles containing Kirundi-language text, Articles containing Estonian-language text, Articles containing Finnish-language text, Articles containing Swedish-language text, Articles containing Georgian-language text, Articles containing Italian-language text, Articles containing Latvian-language text, Articles containing Lithuanian-language text, Articles containing Maltese-language text, Articles containing Romanian-language text, Articles containing Nepali (macrolanguage)-language text, Instances of Lang-ne using second unnamed parameter, Articles containing Russian-language text, Articles containing Swahili (macrolanguage)-language text, Articles containing Turkmen-language text, Articles containing Ukrainian-language text, Articles containing Dhivehi-language text, Articles with dead external links from October 2022, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2013, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from February 2010, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 December 2022, at 23:46. In the US however, the word is pronounced as 'Lew-tenant', much to British distaste. Hear the pronunciation of the word on its own and in example sentences. As nouns the difference between lieutenant and leftenant. What Does Crossing The Burning Sands Mean? I do know the English changed pronunciation and spelling of several words after the revolutionary war. Why do the British say Zed? Its simply an attempt for English speakers to pronunce French phonemes, I dont believe theres an additional reason. Don Draper is a grammar nerd Be still, our writerly hearts. This gave rise to the Old French zede, which resulted in the English zed around the 15th century. mainly in war films and mainly refering to Americans). It is possible that when the English heard the French pronounce the compound word lieutenant, they perceived a slurring which they heard as a "v" or "f" sound between the first and second syllables. So maybe they encouraged the alternate pronunciation to keep rank and file soldiers from making a joke of their superiors' title? It was spelled both clark and clerk. Once the officer in question passes lieutenant commander and reaches commander, it's all less of a problem. What rank is leftenant? Edmund Duncan is an education expert and thought leader in the field of learning. In French history, "lieutenant du roi" was a title borne by the officer sent with military powers to represent the king in certain provinces. The weird way they spoke filtered down to the lower classes. The British monarch's representatives in the counties of the United Kingdom are called Lords Lieutenant. Notably, the United States Revenue Cutter Service used a simple officer rank structure with Captain, First, Second and Third Lieutenants, each of whom had distinct insignia. It is possible that when the English heard the French pronounce the compound word lieutenant, they perceived a slurring which they heard as a v or f sound between the first and second syllables. The rank of Lieutenant was formerly used in areas outside of the Metropolitan Police. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. In smaller ships with only a single deck division, the billet is typically filled by an ensign while in larger ships with a deck department, consisting of multiple subordinate divisions, the billet may be filled by a lieutenant commander. I know there are certain individuals who think c r a p is a swear word (even though it really isnt), but frick isnt a swear word by any sense of the meaning of swear word. It's believed that at some time before the 19th century, the British read and pronounced the "U" at the end of "lieu" as a "V" and the "V" later became an "F". This pattern was copied by the United States Navy and various Air Forces for their equivalent ranks grades, except that the loop is removed (see flight lieutenant).