Doc Jargon reveals a colonel of truth

Photo By Kaitlin Knauer | Doc Jargon, cutting through the jargon that is the U.S. Army. Send your Army terminology questions to [e-mail] This column features how to take care of money matters using free resources provided by the Army.  

KS, UNITED STATES

05.23.2022

Story by Collen McGee 

Fort Riley Public Affairs Office

The invisible sound explained
Dear Doc Jargon,
I’m curious about where the “r” sound in the word colonel originated. I thought it was French but the word in that language doesn’t have an r in it either. I’m betting there is some history hidden behind the pronunciation and would love to know a little about it. Can you help?
Signed,
In Search of a hidden letter
Dear In Search,
What a fun question to research! Being in the newspaper industry, the why of words is fascinating and I do enjoy tracking down where some of our terminology of today comes from. One source I found said the borrowing of military terminology from the French by the English was rather prevalent in the 1500s. We got other words from them during that period too. Words like cavalry, infantry, citadel and canon all have French roots.
For this one, I had to reach all the way out to the military history professionals at the Smithsonian to find some information on the origin of the pronunciation of “ker-nul.” In an article posted online, David Miller, the curator of Armed Forces History at the National Museum of American History, said the word colonel came to the English language from a mid-16th-century French word spelled “coronelle.”
He went on to say the two languages diverged from the shared pronunciation and spelling in the mid-17th century. However, while the French lost the “r” sound, the English retained it but still lost the letter.
So – from the evolution of our language through about 500 years, we have the modern pronunciation of colonel. I appreciate the opportunity to dig into word origins and hope this answer helps you understand how the language – and our military traditions — often have common beginnings.
Sincerely
Doc Jargon

Doc Jargon, cutting through the jargon that is the U.S. Army. Send your Army terminology questions to [e-mail]

• Date Taken: 05.23.2022
• Date Posted: 05.23.2022 18:13
• Story ID: 421339
• Location: KS, US