Part I 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 Letters1
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:
| Vowels2 | Latin Examples |
|---|---|
| ā as in father ă like the first a in aha´, never as in hat | hāc, stās ă´-măt, că-nās |
| ē as in they ĕ as in met | tē´-lă, mē´-tă tĕ´-nĕt, mĕr´-cēs |
| ī as in machine ĭ as in bit | sĕr´-tī, prā´-tī sĭ´-tĭs, bĭ´-bī |
| ō as in holy ŏ as in wholly, never as in hot | Rō´-mă, ō´-rĭs mŏ´-dŏ, bŏ´-nōs |
| ū as in rude, or as oo in boot ŭ as in full, or as oo in foot | ū´-mŏr, tū´-bĕr ŭt, tū´-tŭs |
2. Long vowels are marked ¯, short ones ˘.
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.
6. In diphthongs (two-vowel sounds) both vowels are heard in a single syllable.
| Diphthongs | Latin Examples |
|---|---|
| ae as ai in aisle au as ou in out | tae´-dae gau´-dĕt |
| ei as ei in eight eu as ĕ´o͝o (a short e followed by a short u in one syllable) | dein´-dĕ seu |
| oe like oi in toil ui like o͝o´ĭ (a short u followed by a short i in one syllable. Cf. English we) | foe´-dŭs 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 g is always like g in get, never as in gem i consonant is always like y in yes n before c, qu, or g is like ng in sing (compare the sound of n in anchor) | că´-dō, cĭ´-bŭs, cē´-nă gĕ´-mō, gĭg´-nō iăm, iŏ´-cŭs 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 t is always like t in native, never as in nation | rŏ´-să, ĭs ră´-tĭ-ō, nā´-tĭ-ō |
| v is like w in wine, never as in vine x has the value of two consonants (cs or gs) and is like x in extract, not as in exact | vī´-nŭm, vĭr ĕx´-trā, ĕx-āc´-tŭs |
| bs is like ps and bt like pt ch, ph, and th are like c, p, t | ŭrbs, ŏb-tĭ´-nĕ-ō 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
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.
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´ics5 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.
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! |
6. Translation by C. W. Goodchild in Praeco Latinus, October, 1898.