06-22-2003, 09:42 PM
Hi,
I had a prof who speaks and translates Classical Greek who constantly pronounced it "Shyrofon"
Doesn't matter. The pronunciation of languages prior to the recording of sound is mostly a matter of conjecture and of educated (or sometimes ignorant) guesses. And that applies as much for "living" languages as for "dead". The occasional "learned" paper I've scanned on the topic usually starts or ends with "contrary to the opinions of my esteemed colleagues (who are a bunch of horses asses), the pronunciation of blah blah . . ."
So pick any scheme you like and that is mostly consistent and you'll probably be not far off. And if anyone gives you a hard time, point out to them that any statement of how "boat" is pronounced in modern American English is wrong in most parts of the nation :)
--Pete
I had a prof who speaks and translates Classical Greek who constantly pronounced it "Shyrofon"
Doesn't matter. The pronunciation of languages prior to the recording of sound is mostly a matter of conjecture and of educated (or sometimes ignorant) guesses. And that applies as much for "living" languages as for "dead". The occasional "learned" paper I've scanned on the topic usually starts or ends with "contrary to the opinions of my esteemed colleagues (who are a bunch of horses asses), the pronunciation of blah blah . . ."
So pick any scheme you like and that is mostly consistent and you'll probably be not far off. And if anyone gives you a hard time, point out to them that any statement of how "boat" is pronounced in modern American English is wrong in most parts of the nation :)
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?