From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Subject: Latin pronounciation (was reading plant names)
Date: 21 Apr 93 20:37:59 -0600

In article <116180@bu.edu>, bailey@butyng.bu.edu (Sherry Bailey) writes:
> Um-m-m -- that advice on pronouncing Latin plant names is fine as far as it
> goes, but my big problem is deciding where the emphasis goes -- which
> syllables do you stress?  (I'll bet there's a rule -- I learned to read
> phonetically in school, but it wasn't Latin we were pronouncing! (OK -- latin
> roots!) )  I was distressed to learn it's supposed to be CLEM-a-tis, not
> clem-AH-tis! (For example)  It's easier to remember WHAT the Latin names
> are if you can SAY them right.

Sigh.  You asked for it.  Remember that... everyone else type "next"!

Dr. K's guide to botanical Latin, with profuse apologies to Wm. T.Stearn,
from whom I cribbed a lot of it.

1.  Latin words are divided into syllables.  There is one vowel per
    syllable, with the exception of diphthongs like ae, au, ei, eu, oi
    and ui.

2.  To determine where the accent falls in a word, you must divide it
    into syllables.  If there is a long vowel in the penult, (the next-
    to-last syllable), the penult gets the accent. (au-STRA-lus, AL-bus).

3.  If the penult has a short vowel, the accent goes on the syllable
    before the penult, the antepenult. (FLO-ri-dus, la-ti-FO-li-a)

4.  Diphthongs are treated as long vowels.

5.  In Latin, if two vowels that do not form a diphthong come together,
    the first vowel is short: CAR-ne-us, ME-di-us

6.  In words of Greek origin, the opposite holds: gi-gan-TE-us.

7.  Watch out for the -inus ending.  The i is long in some cases, like
    al-PIN-us, but short in others: se-RO-ti-nus.  Words of Greek
    derivation usually have the short i in an -inus ending.

8.  Best way to find out where the accent belongs is to consult a
    decent Latin dictionary, or a good flora like Gray's Manual.
    If the stresses are indicated by a ` (grave), the syllable has
    a short vowel.  If the syllable is accented with a ' it has 
    a long vowel.

9. There are usually some minor accents earlier in the word if it
   has a bunch of syllables: put them in reasonable places,
   usually every other syllable....  rosmariniflorus is
   rose'-mar-in'-i-FLOR-us.

10.  You have your choice of pronounciations of letters.  Stearn
   gives "reformed academic" ("classical") and "traditional English"
   which is next door to my church latin.

              classical                          traditional

long a      father                                fate
short a     apart                                 fat
ae          as ai in aisle                        as ea in meat
au          as ou in house                        as aw in bawl

c           cat                                   K before a, o, u (cat)
                                                  S before e, i, y (center)
ch          in greek words as K or as k-h         k or ch

long e      they                                  me
short e     pet                                   pet
ei          rein                                  height

g           go                                    G before a, o, u (go)
                                                  J before e, i, y (gem)

long i      machine                               ice
short i     pit                                   pit
consonant i "y" as in yellow                      j

ng          finger                                finger

long o      note                                  note
short o     not                                   not
oe         as oi in toil                          as ee in bee

ph         as p or p-h if possible                f

r          always trilled                         (how do you trill???)

s          sit, gas                               sit, gas

t          table, native                          t at beginning, but like
                                                   ti in nation in middle

long u     brute                                  brute
short u    full                                   tub
ui         as the French "oui"                    ruin

v (consonant u)   W                                V

long y     u as in French pur                     as long i in cipher
short y    as in French du                        as y in cynical

If you're a true "church latinist", "cie" is "ch", not "s" or "k"

Now, as to pronouncing names that are stolen from other languages or
were once peoples' names, you're kinda on your own.  Try to get it to
an approximation of the original language OR try to come up with
something that doesn't land with a dull thud on the ear.

"Warszeiczella" can be rendered "var-she-vi-CHEL-la".

One other problem.  -ii or -iae endings can be tricky, since if you
apply the penult/antepenult rule, you need to put the accent on the
last syllable of the latinized personal name, which is usually where
it doesn't belong.  So people cut some slack on that rule when dealing
with -ii and -iae endings.

Finally, words of wisdom from Stearn:

  "Botanical Latin is essentially a written language, but the scientific
   names of plants often occur in speech.  How they are pronounced really
   matters little provided they sound pleasant and are understood by all
   concerned..."

Ah-men!  Dona nobis pacem! (at least on this topic!)

     Kay Klier   Biology Dept  UNI