Latin Pronunciation

Question 1

The word _______ comes from Greek and means two sounds.

A _______ has two vowels,
but blends to one long vowel sound.

Answer 1

The word diphthong comes from Greek and means two sounds.

A diphthong has two vowels,
but blends to one long vowel sound.

Question 2

A ________ is a horizontal bar accent above some vowels in Latin and affect how the vowel is pronounced.

They are written above ____ vowels.

Examples: ā, ē, ī, ō, ū

Answer 2

A ________ is a horizontal bar accent above some vowels in Latin and affect how the vowel is pronounced.

They are written above long vowels.

Long vowels: ā, ē, ī, ō, ū

Question 3

Pronounce these Latin consonants

1. c - caput (head)
2. g - gentes (races)
3. i (usually a consonant, not a vowel, at the beginning of a word, before a vowel, or between vowels) - Iulius (Julius)
4. v - venio (I come)
5. x - exit (he leaves)
6. ch - pulcher (beautiful)
7. bs - urbs (city)
8. bt - obtineo (I obtain)

Answer 3

1. c - like hard c sound in cat
2. g - like hard g sound in get
3. i - like y sound in yes
4. v - like w sound in wind
5. x - like ks sound in fox
6. ch - like hard k in polka
7. bs - like the ps sound in camps
8. bt - like the pt sound in optic

Question 4

Pronounce the Short Latin Vowels

Answer 4

• *short a** is pronounced as uh like in ago or Dinah - amat (loves)
• *short e** is pronounced as eh like in pet - et (and)
• *short i** is pronounced as ih like in sit or pin - in (in or on)
• *short o** is pronounced as ah like dog or off - domus (house)
• *short u** is pronounced as uh like in put or book - ubi (where or when)

Question 5

Pronounce the 6 Diphthongs

Answer 5

• ae - pronounce like “eye” - Example laetus (happy)
• au - pronounce like “wow” - Example laudo (I praise)
• ei - pronounce like “hay” or “eight” - Example hei! (oh! woe!)
• eu - pronounce like “Europe” - Example heu (alas)
• oe - pronounce like oy - Example proelium (battle)
• ui - pronounce like oo-ee - Example cui (to whom)

Question 6

Pronounce the Long Latin Vowels

Answer 6

ā is pronounced as ah like in father - māter (mother)

ē is pronounced as ay like in they or lay - lēx (law)

ī is pronounced as ee like in machine or weeds - līber (free)

• *ō** is pronounced as oh like in clover or note - mōs (custom)
• *ū** is pronounced as oo like in rude or moose - mūs (mouse)