10 Comments
Sep 11, 2023Liked by Bruce Ivar Gudmundsson

To get over the pronunciation issue, just call them Placeholder.

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Sep 11, 2023Liked by Bruce Ivar Gudmundsson

Canadian army lieutenants are "leftenants" aloud, but thanks to the overwhelming cultural presence of US TV shows and movies, most Canadians will default to the American usage.

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author

Your comment reminds me of the time that, while walking in Montréal, I overheard someone refer to his signature as his "John Hancock."

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Sep 11, 2023Liked by Bruce Ivar Gudmundsson

It's statistically unlikely that the person speaking had any idea who Mr. Hancock was, just that it was something to do with his signature that made him famous.

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author

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to convince your countrymen to refer to their signatures as their "John A. MacDonald."

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Sep 11, 2023Liked by Bruce Ivar Gudmundsson

Ah, a noble ambition, but he's been formally classed as a non-person due to being alive during the time of the Residential Schools for First Nations children and our modern Winston Smiths are busy effacing his name from as many edifices, parks, and school textbooks as they can.

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author

So I hear. That is a pity, for he was a great (British North) American.

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Sep 11, 2023Liked by Bruce Ivar Gudmundsson

He was certainly one of our best Prime Ministers (not that there's a lot of competition at the top level, especially in the last 60+ years). I was disappointed, but not surprised, that the Witchsmellers-General chose to send him off to Coventry.

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Sep 12, 2023Liked by Bruce Ivar Gudmundsson

Next you're gonna tell me that colonel is pronounced kernel and not some awkward mouthful like KOLL-OH-NELL

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There is of course the manner in senior NCO’s usual the Infantry Company First Sargent address the new butter bar platoon commander....once you hear it you will never forget the quiet contempt sugared over with hope that the address won’t turn out to a giant pain in the neck, nor the next Chesty Puller...and maybe just maybe listen from time to time to what he is hearing from his NCO’s and senior NCO’s.

RIGHT Lieutenant, on it ASAP....

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