In KTB #115 last month, we began a new section on key words used in this study. Remember, we said this is not pronounced as if it were a piece of footwear. It is pronounced BOAT; not BOOT.

So what is a U-Boat? Where does this word come from? In the German language, there is a habit of taking several words that mean one specific thing; stringing them together to make one very long word, then to condense it into a contracted word.

U-Boot comes from three words - Unter See Boot. The strict translation of the words is Under Sea Boat; or more easily understood - submarine. So these three words are strung together to make UnterSeeBoot, which means - submarine.

But it takes a long time to say “UNTERSEEBOOT” so it is shortened to “U-BOOT”. Remember, SUB means UNDER and MARINE means WATER. ‘U-BOOTE’ is plural for ‘U-BOOT’.