Latin versus english pronounciation

Dennis Kramb dkramb@badbear.com
Wed, 13 Jul 2005 07:20:28 PDT
>tyour problems dissappear. So dont pronounce jonesii as if it is still
>an english word It should be prounounced when latinized as jonEsii
>ending with two i like in pit Of course no one knows how the
>romans prounced it but the roman languages as they now exist are

This is something I find very interesting!  I had learned to speak modern 
Greek before I got into gardening.  Consequently I pronounce the scientific 
plant names as though they are modern Greek words rather than modern 
English words.  (I suspect most of them are Greek words rather than Latin. 
anyway.)  Suffice it to say many plant experts have corrected my 
pronunciation over the years!  But when I hear them speak it, they just 
sound like hillbillies to me, LOL.

In truth, I don't care how things are pronounced.  It's just not that 
important.  As long as two people can understand what plant each other is 
talking about, that's all that matters.  I think it adds a bit of spice & 
fun to plant collecting to have people pronounce them differently, 
anyway.  Almost as much spice & fun as trying to keep up with the ever 
changing classifications!

Dennis in Cincinnati


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