Re: simple Latin pronounciations
Oliver T Massey CFS (massey@hal.fmhi.usf.edu)
Thu, 12 Dec 1996 14:39:47 -0500 (EST)
> First, isolated vowels (i.e. not diphtongs like ae, oe, ue) do
> generally have only *one* phonetic value in Latin, i.e. an "a" is
> always pronounced like the "a" in "bar" (transliterated as "ah"
> below), whether it is long or short.
>
> "e" is like in "get" ("ay" below).
> "i" is like in "in" ("ee" below).
> "o" is like in "roll" ("ow" below).
> "u" is like in "you" ("ou" below).
>
> Diphtongs are somewhat disputed. Germans prefer the following:
> "ae" like "a" in "black".
> "oe" like the end of the French "lieu" (sorry, no English equivalent).
> "ue" like in the French "vue" (v.s.).
>
> "eu", pronounced by most Germans as "oi", should rather be "e-u"
> (i.e. "ay-ou" below) because it is not a diphtong in Latin.
>
>
> Consonants:
> "b", "d", "f", "k" (not known in classical Latin), "l", "m", "n", "p",
> "t" like in English.
>
> "c" was indiscriminately used like "k" at least during long periods of
> time (e.g. by the famous Kaesar and Kikero) in classical Latin. Some
> (including myself) prefer to pronounce it like "ts" if "e", "i" or a
> diphtong follows.
>
> "ch" is pronounced like "kh" in "Kazakhstan", originally it was
> exclusively used to transliterate the Greek "X" (chi) in classical
> Latin.
>
(Lots of stuff cut)
> Kind regards
> Jan
>
A succinct and well spoken summary! Unfortunately, I am still left when
speaking with little recourse but to call S. purpurea "that short squat one
that looks kinda purple!"
Tom in Fl