Latin Pronunciation - Classical
1.
Long vs. Short Vowels:
Long marks (macrons) over a vowel indicate it is long.
ā = father
tabula, penna
ē = they
pes, ped
ī = machine
mittere
ō = note
horto
ū = rude
ludus
2. Certain vowels combine with others to produce diphthongs:
ae = ie -> pie
puellae
ia = ya
iam
au = ou -> house
nauta
ei = ei -> eight
oe = oi -> oil
eu = e + short oo
3. A few consonants merit special attention:
c = c -> cat (ALWAYS has k sound)
qu = qu -> quick
quis?
g = g -> go
Grumio
j = y -> yolk
Iulia
v = w -> way
n.b. the v is only pronounced as v in Ecclesiastical Latin.
4. Accents are not written over words because all words follow these rules:
a. Words with 2 syllables are accented on the first syllable
b. Words longer than 2 syllables:
i. Accent the next to last syllable (called the penult) if the penult contains a long
vowel or a diphthong
ii. Accent the third syllable from the end (antepenult) if the penult dos not contain
a long vowel or diphthong.