14 



REMARKS ON THE USE OF NAMES. 



The following are expressed by two letters : or zz th ; <fi = ph; \ = ch ; 

 ^ = ps. The letter ^, though written single z, is double, and equals dz. 



There being no letter h in Greek, the aspirate is expressed by the sign ', preced- 

 ing a vowel or written over it ; thus a, «, o, « = //a, he, ho, hy. The letter p also 

 takes the asi)irate, in whieh case /> = rh ; and when p is doubled, the second is fol- 

 lowed by // ; (p = rrh. 



Among other transliterations frequently occurring may be noted : Final --q may or 

 does become -a; final -os or -oi- becomes •us or -urn. The diphtliong ai becomes ce ; 

 «['., l ; ot, oe; ov, u; w, yi. The letter y before itself, and before k and ^i becomes m ; 

 tlius yy, yK, y^ = ny, nc, nch. 



It is needless to give formal examples of these rules here ; for the reader will find 

 one or more of them illustrated on any page following the introductory matter. 



II * 



1) 



1 I • 





5 3. ORTHOEPY, OR PRONUNCIATION. 



Correct pronunciation of Greek and Latin is a lost art. The best we can do now 

 is to follow the usage of those scholars who conform most nearly with what thoy show 

 reason for supposing to have been the powers of tl)e letters as spoken by the (J reeks 

 and Romans. Unfortunately for the student, there are three reputable schools who 

 pronounce certain letters, especially the vowels a, e, and t, so differently that their 

 respective methods are irreconcilable. 



I, The Enylish Method. In England, and generally in America, excepting in the 

 Jesuit colleges, the letters have neaily or exactly their English powers. This school 

 teaches us " how not to do it," that is, to pronounce as the Greeks and Romans never 

 did. If we imagine a dialv^gue between an English Professor of Latin and the Manes 

 of Cicero, we are bound to infer that they avouUI not understand each other ; in fiict, 

 that neither would know that the other was talking Latin ; though they might write 

 to each other in identical words. Obviously, therefore, the Englisli method is to be 

 siiunned. If the student will pronounce any word in the following list as if it were 

 English, he will give it a sound the furthest possible removed from the right sound. 

 The only excuse for the English method we ever heard is, that, as we do not know 

 the rigiit pronunciation, a conventional and consistent substitute is better than any 

 doubtful approximation; but such talk is a mere apology for the English/)/* idler, 

 not a defence of that sorry makeshift. 



II. Tlie Continental M<ihod. This is universal in Europe, excepting in England, 

 and lias gained much ground in America through the teaching of the Jesuits and 

 other learned scholars. It is also known as the Italian school. It may be defined, 

 in brief, as a compromise between English Latin and Roman Latin ; the vowels having 

 nearly or quite what is believed to have been their sounds as spoken by the Romans, 

 while the consonants are heard more nearly in their English powers. Leading 

 features of the school are: long a as \n father ; long e as English a in fate ; long i 

 as in machine; long m as English o in moon; y, as a vowel, practically like i ; j like 



