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From: "Marny Lemmel" <stevenlemmel@email.msn.com>
To: <classics@u.washington.edu>
References: <387DCFDA.9DE0409D@charm.net> <l03110701b6bd7c6713b1@[134.153.128.98]> <v0421017ab6bdadd45802@[198.138.244.117]>
Subject: Re: Latin Pronunciation Questions
Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2001 09:26:05 -0500
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Regarding the explanation below -- this was most helpful in my understanding
of the length of vowels.  Realizing that it is the syllable's length that is
being addressed, I can now make far more sense of it all.
Thank you.
ML
> >and the *syllable* becomes long because it takes longer to pronounce two
> >consonants than one.
>
> How/why: the "two consonant" rule is not really a two-consonant rule.
> The point is that if a vowel A is followed by more than two
> consonants the first one of these 'belongs' with that vowel A, and
> therefore makes it marginally longer to pronounce.
>
> In litora, multum ille *et* terris iactatus *et* alto,
>
> that is         li to ra mul til let ter ris jac ta  tu se tal to
>
> The first et is long because its t cannot be pronounced with the next
> word, terris. The second et is short because its t can be pronounced
> with the following word (alto).
>
> As Rick pointed out, length is a matter of degree, but metre draws
> the line at the short vowel plus nothing. A long vowel, or anything
> following the short vowel makes the syllable long. In 'real life',
> syllables have a range of lengths.
>
> If still confused or plain unhappy, you might consider the scholarly
> high road and start calling syllables light or heavy, and reserve
> short/long for vowels.
>
> HD
> Helma Dik
> Department of Classics
> University of Chicago
> helmadik@midway.uchicago.edu
> http://humanities.uchicago.edu/classics/
> 2000-2001: Institute for Advanced Study



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