Why is there no "R" in Colonel?

JOERM · Mar 1, 2013

My guess is that if you pronounce Colonel the way it is spelled that it would sound funny. Or, if it was spelled the way it is pronounced it would look funny, therefore possible lack of respect to the bird.

Anyone know the history of how the name came to be?

arjay · Mar 1, 2013

Two different words were used by the spaniards in the 16th or 17th centuries.Somehow this spelling was associated with the others pronunciation.

Alnamvet68 · Mar 1, 2013

I'm not aware that the word was ever spelled any differently in the English language.

Alpo · Mar 1, 2013

Ain't no R in Cuh-nal.

dougb1946 · Mar 1, 2013

Worcester, Mass, pronounced Woosta. Have to save the "R"s for Sawr, as in the bandsawr.

amazingflapjack · Mar 1, 2013

The French

kudzu3 · Mar 1, 2013

I guess that would make things too simple. I always why lue...lieu..lieau...uh...lootinunt was spelled so funny.

diamonback68 · Mar 1, 2013

Here ya go.
"Colonel comes from Old Italian colonello, commander of a column of troops, which in turn derives from colonna, column. It wasn't always spelled the Italian way, though. Four hundred years ago English followed the Spanish practice and spelled the word "coronel," sensibly pronounced the way it looked. Eventually this was corrupted to ker-nel, still not bad considering we're talking about the British, who pronounce "Featheringstonehaugh" "Fanshaw."
But it couldn't last. Some nameless busybody decided coronel ought to be spelled "colonel" to better reflect its Italian origin, doubtless out of the same misplaced love of precision that gave us 16-1/2 feet to the rod and 27 and 11/32 grains to the dram. It's just the Anglo-Saxon way, I guess. How these people conquered an empire I'll never know."

feralmerril · Mar 1, 2013

You know how Worcester sauce got its name? A cook invented the recipe and owned his own resturant. He put it on the counter and said nothing. A gentilman came in, ordered a steak and tried the bottel on it. He smacked his lips, raised the bottel in the air and asked the cook, Wus dis here sauce?

handejector · Mar 1, 2013

You can spell it Kernel if you want to, but if a Colonel sees it, be prepared to get popped.

Cooter Brown · Mar 1, 2013

As long as you people remember there's no "I" in "team" things'll go along just fine.

Now get back to work.

keith44spl · Mar 1, 2013

handejector said:
You can spell it Kernel if you want to, but if a Colonel sees it, be prepared to get popped.

Dang....And I thought that was the German spellin,

Like in Kernel Klink........The things ya find out around these parts

.

Never Promise Nothing You Know You Can't Do...

But, Always Do A Little More Than You Promised.

ditrina · Mar 1, 2013

diamonback68 said:
Here ya go.
"Colonel comes from Old Italian colonello, commander of a column of troops, which in turn derives from colonna, column. It wasn't always spelled the Italian way, though. Four hundred years ago English followed the Spanish practice and spelled the word "coronel," sensibly pronounced the way it looked. Eventually this was corrupted to ker-nel, still not bad considering we're talking about the British, who pronounce "Featheringstonehaugh" "Fanshaw."
But it couldn't last. Some nameless busybody decided coronel ought to be spelled "colonel" to better reflect its Italian origin, doubtless out of the same misplaced love of precision that gave us 16-1/2 feet to the rod and 27 and 11/32 grains to the dram. It's just the Anglo-Saxon way, I guess. How these people conquered an empire I'll never know."

It nevre ceases to amaze me the depth of Ka-Now-Ledge on this here site

Old TexMex · Mar 1, 2013

I had a coloneloscopy oncet (pernownced wun-set, like, then, not now). Didn't know what the doc was lookin for, but turns out, he was lookin for money I didn't know I had. But I guess thats about privates, not orficers. There's no R in officer, but there's one in orfices...wait....nevermind..

M29since14 · Mar 1, 2013

Old TexMex said:
There's no R in officer, but there's one in orfices...wait....nevermind..

MOONDAWG said:
Why is the P silent in Swiming?

You guys cain't spel wurth a hoot.

MH8675309 · Mar 1, 2013

Seen that on the Benny Hill show years ago. He saidn that if you pronounce psycology P - sycology it means you are a fool, the p is silent like the p in swimming pool and then got that stupid look on his face. I still see the re runs on dish now and then

V-35 · Mar 1, 2013

Maybe it's like Justin Wilson's dog (way down in Louisiana) named Fido but down there spelled PHYDOUX.

Art

jlrhiner · Mar 1, 2013

How about that old quarterback named "Farve" and spelt (?) "Favre"?

feralmerril · Mar 1, 2013

Our family spells our last name at least 5 different ways since they arrived. My grandad had about 4 brothers that all spelt it different.
How many different ways do you think bacon can be spelled?

wbraswell · Mar 1, 2013

I thought colonel was an old Gaelic word meaning "ruptured duck".

Why is there no "R" in Colonel?

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