Pronunciation of Classical Latin.docx

Pronunciation of Classical Latin

Vowels:

ā (as in father) pāter

a (as in idea) multa, fāma

ē (as in obey) valē

e (as in pet) et

ī (as in machine, police) dormīre

i (as in it) mortis, miser

ō (as in Ohio) dō, mōre

o (as in often) locus, dominus

ū (as in rude) fortūna

u (as the “oo” in look) fīlius

y (~ to sound make when disgusted; sounds like German ű or French “y”) [tyrannus, lyra]

Diphthongs (two vowels coming together to make one sound):

ae (as the i in like, ai in aisle) Caesar

au (as the ou in foul) laudō

ei (as in rein) deinde (next, then, afterward)

eu (“eh”+”oo” glided together) neuter

oe (like “oy” in toy) coepio (I begin)

ui (“oo” + “wi” -- like win) huic (to/for this)

Consonants (like English except the following):

• “C” & “G” always hard as in “come” & “go”

• “S” always sibilant like “snake;” never voiced as in “his”

• Consonantal “I” sound like “y” [consonantal if (1) at beginning of word (e.g., Iulius) or (2) in middle of word & between 2 vowels (e.g., Maius (May))

• “H” is always aspirated like in “hat” not “harm”

• “V” always like “w” [vēnī, vidī, vicī – Iulius Caesar]

• “X” always “ks” like box; never like Xavier or xylophone

• “B” before “s” or “t” is always sounds like “p” [urbs sounds like urps & obtineo sounds like optineo]

• “R” is trilled [if you can]

• “ch” like “character” never chew [charta]

• “ph” never sounds like “f” but like “top hat” [philosophia]

• “th” never like “the” but like “hot head” [theātrum]

“gu” sounds like “gu” in “linguini” [lingua]