Pronouncing (Classical) Latin

The Alphabet It is the same as English except… It is the same as English except… There is “j” or “w” There is “j” or “w” Division of vowels and consonants is the same except… Division of vowels and consonants is the same except… When “i” When “i” –occurs between vowels (e.g. peior) –or is before a vowels at the beginnning of a word (e.g. iacio)

Vowels Each vowel has two sounds Each vowel has two sounds –Long –Short Indicated by a line, called a macron, if is long Indicated by a line, called a macron, if is long LONGSHORT ā as in father a as in idea ē as in obey e as in bet ī as in machine i as in sit ō as in note o as in omit ū as in rule u as in put

Vowels continued Six diphthongs—a combination of two vowels to make one sound Six diphthongs—a combination of two vowels to make one sound ae like aye eu like ay-oo, said in one syllable au like ow in now oe like oy in joy ei as in neighbor ui like uee in queen

Syllabification Each Latin word has as many syllables as vowels or diphthongs Each Latin word has as many syllables as vowels or diphthongs –A consonant between two vowels goes with the following one –n.b. consonantal i is not a vowel –not u when it has the w sound after g, q, and sometimes s Examples Examples numerus = numerus = nu’ me rus nu’ me rus lingua = lingua = lin’ gua lin’ gua aedificium = aedificium = ae di fi’ ci um ae di fi’ ci um The last syllable is the ultima, next to last is the penult, the one before that is the antepenult The last syllable is the ultima, next to last is the penult, the one before that is the antepenult

Syllable Names do min us Ultima Antepenult Penult

Accent Words of two syllables are accented on the first syllable Words of two syllables are accented on the first syllable –lin’ gua –Ro’ ma –tan’ go Words with three or more syllables Words with three or more syllables –accent the Penult if it’s long a mī’ cus a mī’ cus mo nē’ tur mo nē’ tur –otherwise accent the Antepenult nu’ me rus nu’ me rus do’ min us do’ min us ae di fi’ ci um ae di fi’ ci um

A Text Marked for ease of reading. Hostēs Minucium, ducem Rōmānum, et mīlitēs ejus in locō aliēnō magnā vī preµiebant. Ubi id nūntiātum est, omnēs Rōmānī timentēs vim hostium cupīvērunt Cincinnātum dictātōrem facere, quod is sōlus Rōmam ā perīculō nōn levī prohibēre et cīvitātem servāre poterat. Ille trāns Tiberim eō tempore agrum parvumc colēbat. Nūntiī ā senātū missī eum in agrō labōrantem invēnērunt et cōnstitērunt. Salūte data acceptāque, Cincinnātus uxōrem parāre togam iussise dīcitur; nam nōn oportēbat sine toga nūntiōs audīre. Hostēs Minucium, ducem Rōmānum, et mīlitēs ejus in locō aliēnō magnā vī preµiebant. Ubi id nūntiātum est, omnēs Rōmānī timentēs vim hostium cupīvērunt Cincinnātum dictātōrem facere, quod is sōlus Rōmam ā perīculō nōn levī prohibēre et cīvitātem servāre poterat. Ille trāns Tiberim eō tempore agrum parvumc colēbat. Nūntiī ā senātū missī eum in agrō labōrantem invēnērunt et cōnstitērunt. Salūte data acceptāque, Cincinnātus uxōrem parāre togam iussise dīcitur; nam nōn oportēbat sine toga nūntiōs audīre.

Listen to an example. arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris Italiam fato profugus Laviniaque venit litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto vi superum, saevae memorem Iunonis ob iram, multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem inferretque deos Latio; genus unde Albanique patres atque altae moenia Romae. Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine laeso quidve dolens regina deum tot volvere insignem pietate virum, tot adire labores impulerit. tantaene animis caelestibus irae?

Now you try. Hī nūntiī eum dictātōrem appellant et dīcunt: “Mīlitēs nostrī ab hostibus premuntur et cīvēs terrentur. Perīculum nostrum nōn leve est. Hostēs nōn consistent sed mox ad portās nostrās ipsās venient. Auxilium tuum rogāmus.” Hī nūntiī eum dictātōrem appellant et dīcunt: “Mīlitēs nostrī ab hostibus premuntur et cīvēs terrentur. Perīculum nostrum nōn leve est. Hostēs nōn consistent sed mox ad portās nostrās ipsās venient. Auxilium tuum rogāmus.” Itaque Cincinnātus, vōcibus eōrum adductus, contra hostēs contendit. Rōmānī, tēlīs iactīs, hostēs opprimunt et castra expugnant. Minuciō servātō, Cincinnātus dīcitur hostēs sub iugum mīsisse. Tum, nūllīs hostibus prohibentibus, mīlitēs ad urbem redūxit et triumphāvit. Vīs hostium frācta erat. Itaque Cincinnātus, vōcibus eōrum adductus, contra hostēs contendit. Rōmānī, tēlīs iactīs, hostēs opprimunt et castra expugnant. Minuciō servātō, Cincinnātus dīcitur hostēs sub iugum mīsisse. Tum, nūllīs hostibus prohibentibus, mīlitēs ad urbem redūxit et triumphāvit. Vīs hostium frācta erat.