Vowels

[ScottH]

I have just started latin and am having trouble with the vowels. I want to insure that I am saying them correctly. Can anyone help me with this?

[annis]

What is your native language, and where do you speak it? That'll help with examples.

[ScottH]

I live in Montana, USA. I am Just teaching myself in hopes that I can read in latin and even write and speak it. I am a seeker of Knowlege and truth.

[benissimus]

Long vowels are often marked by a macron, or overline in learning texts but not in genuine Latin. These are to help with pronunciation so that you can differentiate between long and short vowels. Short vowels are really just the same as long vowels except that you pronounce them in a "clipped" manner. If you know any of the Romance languages, they are all pretty similar to Latin. For all intents and purposes, these should suffice:<br /><br />Long (with macron line) Short (without macron)<br />A- AH as in "fAther" a- UH as in "galA"<br />E- AY as in "rEin" or "gAte" e- EH as in "pEt"<br />I- EE as in "fEEt" or "Ink" i- IH as in "pIck"<br />O- OH as in "pOke" o- O as in "Or"<br />U- OOH as in "gOOse" or "flUte" u- U as in "pUt"<br /><br />The Greek letter "upsilon" is found in many words adopted by Latin and is pronounced similarly to a French "u" which is quite undescribable unfortunately if you do not already know. If you cannot find someone to demonstrate it for you, I have heard it explained as a mix of (Latin) "I" and "U" or as a "half-assed" "O" . It has both long and short forms just like all the other vowels.<br /><br />There are also a variety of diphthong, letters that sort of are pronounced quickly when they are together and become one syllable.<br /><br />AE or Æ is pronounced like "I" as in "rIde".<br />OE or Œ is pronounced like "OY" as in "bOY" or "bOIl".<br />EI is pronounced like "AY" as in "rEIn".<br />AU is pronounced like "OW" as in "pOUnd".<br />EU is a rare diphthong; just combine a Latin "E" and "U" and you will have it. Don't use it unless you know it is pronounced as such.<br />UI is a rare diphthong; same as above.<br /><br />There are some older diphthong such as AI, but you probably won't encounter those unless you are studying very old Latin.

[annis]

<br />The Greek letter "upsilon" is found in many words adopted by Latin and is pronounced similarly to a French "u" which is quite undescribable unfortunately if you do not already know<br />

<br /><br />It's pretty easy actually, just usually described badly.<br /><br />Make your lips shape a Latin 'u' (oo) and make the inside of your mouth (tongue mostly) make the shape for Latin 'i' (ee).<br /><br />

[mariek]

<br />EU is a rare diphthong; just combine a Latin "E" and "U" and you will have it. Don't use it unless you know it is pronounced as such.<br />UI is a rare diphthong; same as above.<br />

<br /><br /><br />Um... what would happen if I mispronounce the EU ? Would that give the word a totally different meaning ?<br />

[Milito]

<br /><br /><br />Um... what would happen if I mispronounce the EU ? Would that give the word a totally different meaning ?<br /><br />

<br /><br />Generally not. Latin isn't very dependent on word pronouciation - more word form. It behaves rather more like English, in that you can have occasional words where spelling or pronouciation might be coincidentally close, (my favorite is Latin "jus" which means both "broth" and "law" - therefore law is soup.....) but context usually tends to sort this out for you. <br /><br />An example of a couple verbs where pronouciation makes a difference is this: Incido (short "i" after the "c") and Incido (long "i" after the "c"). The first one means "happen/occur" (specifically, in this form, "I happen/occur") while the second means "carve/cut" (again, specifically, "I carve/cut"). Context would explain to a listener which was meant, and although a helpful person might correct your pronouciation for you, most people would probably just carry on, taking note of the fact that you speak with an accent.<br /><br />One reason I like Latin is that I'm told I have an other-than-western-Canadian accent when I speak in English (my first language - and beats me where the accent came from!) and I know I have an accent when I speak French (my second language). Because there are no current classical Latin speakers in the sense that they use it as their first language, I can't be nailed by a native speaker for yet another accent!<br /><br />Kilmeny

[mariek]

<br />Because there are no current classical Latin speakers in the sense that they use it as their first language, I can't be nailed by a native speaker for yet another accent!<br />

<br /><br /><br />LOL ... yep, you're definitely off the hook if you happen to speak Latin with on accent. Not that there are very many fluent speakers to ding you on mistakes. Hey.. I can really get to like this little perk !<br />