lieutenant
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lieutenant
An officer rank in the armed forces of various countries, corresponding to the German Leutnant. The term is often used in historical contexts or with reference to foreign armies, especially Anglo-American or French ones.
In der US Army ist ein Second Lieutenant der niedrigste Offiziersrang.
In the US Army, a second lieutenant is the lowest officer rank.
The word comes from French: 'lieu' means 'place' or 'position', and 'tenant' means 'holding'. A Lieutenant is therefore literally a 'deputy' or 'placeholder', which describes its original function.
Historisch gesehen war ein Lieutenant der Stellvertreter eines Captains.
Historically, a lieutenant was the deputy of a captain.
In German, this rank is used almost exclusively for foreign armies (e.g. the USA, France, Great Britain) or in historical contexts. For the German Bundeswehr, the term 'Leutnant' is used.
Der amerikanische Soldat wurde zum Lieutenant befördert.
The American soldier was promoted to lieutenant.
Because of its French origin, the word is often pronounced more like French rather than English, even when it refers to an American soldier. The pronunciation can vary, but it is rarely Germanized.
Der Nachrichtensprecher sprach den Rang des französischen Offiziers als „Lieutenant“ aus.
The newsreader pronounced the rank of the French officer as 'Lieutenant'.
lieutenant
'der Leutnant' and 'der Lieutenant' both refer to an officer rank that is roughly the same. 'Leutnant' is the normal German word, for example for the German armed forces. 'Lieutenant' is more likely to be used when talking about foreign armies, historical texts, or international designations. The words can easily be confused because they look similar and refer to almost the same rank. In a German context, 'Leutnant' is usually more natural; for a British, American, or French unit, 'Lieutenant' can be more precise.
Im Film spricht ein britischer Lieutenant mit dem Kapitän.
In the film, a British lieutenant speaks with the captain.
Der Leutnant erklärte den Soldaten den Plan für die Übung.
The lieutenant explained the plan for the exercise to the soldiers.