Chapter 7
THE PRONUNCIATION OF LATIN
THE ALPHABET
«1.» The Latin alphabet contains the same letters as the English except that it has no _w_ and no _j_.
«2.» The vowels, as in English, are _a, e, i, o, u, y_. The other letters are consonants.
«3.» _I_ is used both as a vowel and as a consonant. Before a vowel in the same syllable it has the value of a consonant and is called _I consonant_.
Thus in Iū-li-us the first _i_ is a consonant, the second a vowel.
SOUNDS OF THE LETTERS[1]
[Footnote 1: N.B. The sounds of the letters are best learned by hearing them correctly pronounced. The matter in this section is, therefore, intended for reference rather than for assignment as a lesson. As a first step it is suggested that the teacher pronounce the examples in class, the pupils following.]
«4.» Latin was not pronounced like English. The Romans at the beginning of the Christian era pronounced their language substantially as described below.
«5.» The vowels have the following sounds:
VOWELS[2] LATIN EXAMPLES
ā as in _father_ hāc, stās ă like the first _a_ in _aha´_, never as in _hat_ ă´-măt, că-nās ē as in _they_ tē´-lă, mē´-tă ĕ as in _met_ tĕ´-nĕt, mĕr´-cēs ī as in _machine_ sĕr´-tī, prā´-tī ĭ as in _bit_ sĭ´-tĭs, bĭ´-bī ō as in _holy_ Rō´-mă, ō´-rĭs ŏ as in _wholly_, never as in _hot_ mŏ´-dŏ, bŏ´-nōs ū as in _rude_, or as _oo_ in _boot_ ū´-mŏr, tū´-bĕr ŭ as in _full_, or as _oo_ in _foot_ ŭt, tū´-tŭs
NOTE. It is to be observed that there is a decided difference in sound, except in the case of _a_, between the long and the short vowels. It is not merely a matter of _quantity_ but also of _quality_.
[Footnote 2: Long vowels are marked ¯, short ones ˘.]
«6.» In «diphthongs» (two-vowel sounds) both vowels are heard in a single syllable.
DIPHTHONGS LATIN EXAMPLES
«ae» as _ai_ in _aisle_ tae´-dae «au» as _ou_ in _out_ gau´-dĕt «ei» as _ei_ in _eight_ dein´-dĕ «eu» as _ĕ´o͝o_ (a short _e_ followed by a short _u_ in one syllable) seu «oe» like _oi_ in _toil_ foe´-dŭs «ui» like _o͝o´ĭ_ (a short _u_ followed by a short _i_ in one syllable. Cf. English _we_) cui, huic
NOTE. Give all the vowels and diphthongs their proper sounds and do not slur over them in unaccented syllables, as is done in English.
«7.» «Consonants» are pronounced as in English, except that
CONSONANTS LATIN EXAMPLES
«c» is always like _c_ in _cat_, never as in _cent_ că´-dō, cĭ´-bŭs, cē´-nă «g» is always like _g_ in _get_, never as in _gem_ gĕ´-mō, gĭg´-nō «i consonant» is always like _y_ in _yes_ iăm, iŏ´-cŭs «n» before _c, qu_, or _g_ is like _ng_ in _sing_ (compare the sound of _n_ in _anchor_) ăn´-cŏ-ră (ang´-ko-ra) «qu», «gu», and sometimes «su» before a vowel have the sound of _qw, gw_, and _sw_. Here _u_ has the value of consonant _v_ and is not counted a vowel ĭn´-quĭt, quī, lĭn´-guă, săn´-guĭs, suā´-dĕ-ō «s» is like _s_ in _sea_, never as in _ease_ rŏ´-să, ĭs «t» is always like _t_ in _native_, never as in _nation_ ră´-tĭ-ō, nā´-tĭ-ō «v» is like _w_ in _wine_, never as in _vine_ «vī´-nŭm», «vĭr» «x» has the value of two consonants (_cs_ or _gs_) and is like _x_ in _extract_, not as in _exact_ «ĕx´-trā», «ĕx-āc´-tŭs» «bs» is like _ps_ and «bt» like _pt_ «ŭrbs», «ŏb-tĭ´-nĕ-ō» «ch», «ph», and «th» are like _c_, _p_, _t_ «pŭl´-chĕr», «Phoe´-bē», «thĕ-ā´-trŭm»
_a._ In combinations of consonants give each its distinct sound. Doubled consonants should be pronounced with a slight pause between the two sounds. Thus pronounce _tt_ as in _rat-trap_, not as in _rattle_; _pp_ as in _hop-pole_, not as in _upper_. Examples, «mĭt´-tō», «Ăp´pĭ-ŭs», «bĕl´-lŭm.»
SYLLABLES
«8.» A Latin word has as many syllables as it has vowels and diphthongs. Thus «aes-tā´-tĕ» has three syllables, «au-dĭ-ĕn´-dŭs» has four.
_a._ Two vowels with a consonant between them never make one syllable, as is so often the case in English. Compare English _inside_ with Latin īn-sī´-dĕ.
«9.» Words are divided into syllables as follows:
1. A single consonant between two vowels goes with the second. Thus «ă-mā´-bĭ-lĭs», «mĕ-mŏ´-rĭ-ă», «ĭn-tĕ´-rĕ-ā», «ă´-bĕst», «pĕ-rē´-gĭt».[3]
[Footnote 3: In writing and printing it is customary to divide the parts of a compound, as «inter-eā», «ab-est», «sub-āctus», «per-ēgit», contrary to the correct phonetic rule.]
2. Combinations of two or more consonants:
_a._ A consonant followed by _l_ or _r_ goes with the _l_ or _r_. Thus «pū´-blĭ-cŭs», «ă´-grī».
EXCEPTION. Prepositional compounds of this nature, as also _ll_ and _rr_, follow rule _b_. Thus «ăb´-lŭ-ō», «ăb-rŭm´-pō», «ĭl´-lĕ», «fĕr´-rŭm».
_b._ In all other combinations of consonants the first consonant goes with the preceding vowel.[4] Thus «măg´-nŭs», «ĕ-gĕs´-tās», «vĭc-tō´-rĭ-ă», «hŏs´-pĕs», «ăn´-nŭs», «sŭ-bāc´-tŭs».
[Footnote 4: The combination nct is divided nc-t, as fūnc-tŭs, sānc-tŭs.]
3. The last syllable of a word is called the _ul´-ti-ma_; the one next to the last, the _pe-nult´_; the one before the penult, the _an´-te-pe-nult´_.
«10.» EXERCISE
Divide the words in the following passage into syllables and pronounce them, placing the accent as indicated:
Vā́dĕ ăd fŏrmī́căm, Ō pĭ́gĕr, ĕt cōnsī́dĕrā vĭ́ās ĕ́iŭs ĕt dĭ́scĕ săpĭĕ́ntĭăm: quae cŭm nōn hắbĕăt dŭ́cĕm nĕc praecĕptṓrĕm nĕc prī́ncĭpĕm, pắrăt ĭn aestā́tĕ cĭ́bŭm sĭ́bĭ ĕt cŏ́ngrĕgăt ĭn mĕ́ssĕ quŏd cŏ́mĕdăt.
[[Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which, having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest.]]
QUANTITY
«11.» The quantity of a vowel or a syllable is the time it takes to pronounce it. Correct pronunciation and accent depend upon the proper observance of quantity.
«12.» «Quantity of Vowels.» Vowels are either long (¯) or short (˘). In this book the long vowels are marked. Unmarked vowels are to be considered short.
1. A vowel is short before another vowel or _h_; as «pŏ-ē´-ta», «tră´-hō».
2. A vowel is short before _nt_ and _nd_, before final _m_ or _t_, and, except in words of one syllable, before final _l_ or _r_. Thus «a´-mănt», «a-măn´-dus», «a-mā´-băm», «a-mā´-băt», «a´-ni-măl», «a´-mŏr».
3. A vowel is long before _nf_, _ns_, _nx_, and _nct_. Thus «īn´-fe-rō», «re´-gēns», «sān´-xī», «sānc´-tus».
4. Diphthongs are always long, and are not marked.
«13.» «Quantity of Syllables.» Syllables are either long or short, and their quantity must be carefully distinguished from that of vowels.
1. «A syllable is short»,
_a._ If it ends in a short vowel; as «ă´-mō», «pĭ´-grĭ».
NOTE. In final syllables the short vowel may be followed by a final consonant. Thus the word «mĕ-mŏ´-rĭ-ăm» contains four short syllables. In the first three a short vowel ends the syllable, in the last the short vowel is followed by a final consonant.
2. «A syllable is long»,
_a._ If it contains a long vowel or a diphthong, as «cū´-rō», «poe´-nae», «aes-tā´-te».
_b._ If it ends in a consonant which is followed by another consonant, as «cor´-pus», «mag´-nus».
NOTE. The vowel in a long syllable may be either long or short, and should be pronounced accordingly. Thus in «ter´-ra», «in´-ter», the first syllable is long, but the vowel in each case is short and should be given the short sound. In words like «saxum» the first syllable is long because _x_ has the value of two consonants (_cs_ or _gs_).
3. In determining quantity _h_ is not counted a consonant.
NOTE. Give about twice as much time to the long syllables as to the short ones. It takes about as long to pronounce a short vowel plus a consonant as it does to pronounce a long vowel or a diphthong, and so these quantities are considered equally long. For example, it takes about as long to say «cŭr´-rō» as it does «cū´-rō», and so each of these first syllables is long. Compare «mŏl´-lis» and «mō´-lis», «ā-mĭs´-sī» and «ā-mi´-sī».
ACCENT
«14.» Words of two syllables are accented on the first, as «mēn´-sa», «Cae´-sar».
«15.» Words of more than two syllables are accented on the penult if the penult is long. If the penult is short, accent the antepenult. Thus «mo-nē´-mus», «re´-gi-tur», «a-gri´-co-la», «a-man´-dus».
NOTE. Observe that the position of the accent is determined by the length of the _syllable_ and not by the length of the vowel in the syllable. (Cf. §13.2, Note.)
«16.» Certain little words called _enclit´ics_[5] which have no separate existence, are added to and pronounced with a preceding word. The most common are «-que», _and_; «-ve», _or_; and «-ne», the question sign. The syllable before an enclitic takes the accent, regardless of its quantity. Thus «populus´que», «dea´que», «rēgna´ve», «audit´ne».
[Footnote 5: Enclitic means _leaning back_, and that is, as you see, just what these little words do. They cannot stand alone and so they lean back for support upon the preceding word.]
HOW TO READ LATIN
«17.» To read Latin well is not so difficult, if you begin right. Correct habits of reading should be formed now. Notice the quantities carefully, especially the quantity of the penult, to insure your getting the accent on the right syllable. (Cf. §15.) Give every vowel its proper sound and every syllable its proper length. Then bear in mind that we should read Latin as we read English, in phrases rather than in separate words. Group together words that are closely connected in thought. No good reader halts at the end of each word.
«18.» Read the stanzas of the following poem by Longfellow, one at a time, first the English and then the Latin version. The syllables inclosed in parentheses are to be slurred or omitted to secure smoothness of meter.
EXCELSIOR [[HIGHER]]! [6]
The shades of night were falling fast, As through an Alpine village passed A youth, who bore, ’mid snow and ice, A banner with the strange device, Excelsior!
Cadēbant noctis umbrae, dum Ibat per vīcum Alpicum Gelū nivequ(e) adolēscēns, Vēxillum cum signō ferēns, Excelsior!
His brow was sad; his eye beneath, Flashed like a falchion from its sheath, And like a silver clarion rung The accents of that unknown tongue, Excelsior!
Frōns trīstis, micat oculus Velut ē vāgīnā gladius; Sonantque similēs tubae Accentūs lingu(ae) incognitae, Excelsior!
In happy homes he saw the light Of household fires gleam warm and bright; Above, the spectral glaciers shone, And from his lips escaped a groan, Excelsior!
In domibus videt clārās Focōrum lūcēs calidās; Relucet glaciēs ācris, Et rumpit gemitūs labrīs, Excelsior!
“Try not the Pass!” the old man said; “Dark lowers the tempest overhead, The roaring torrent is deep and wide!” And loud that clarion voice replied, Excelsior!
Dīcit senex, “Nē trānseās! Suprā nigrēscit tempestās; Lātus et altus est torrēns.” Clāra vēnit vōx respondēns, Excelsior!
At break of day, as heavenward The pious monks of Saint Bernard Uttered the oft-repeated prayer, A voice cried through the startled air, Excelsior!
Iam lūcēscēbat, et frātrēs Sānctī Bernardī vigilēs Ōrābant precēs solitās, Cum vōx clāmāvit per aurās, Excelsior!
A traveler, by the faithful hound, Half-buried in the snow was found, Still grasping in his hand of ice That banner with the strange device, Excelsior!
Sēmi-sepultus viātor Can(e) ā fīdō reperītur, Comprēndēns pugnō gelidō Illud vēxillum cum signō, Excelsior!
There in the twilight cold and gray, Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay, And from the sky, serene and far, A voice fell, like a falling star, Excelsior!
Iacet corpus exanimum Sed lūce frīgidā pulchrum; Et caelō procul exiēns Cadit vōx, ut Stella cadēns, Excelsior!
[Footnote 6: Translation by C. W. Goodchild in _Praeco Latinus_, October, 1898.]