Latin - a beautiful language

[Spanishfly]

When I was 14 I was kicked out of the Latin class - at the time much to my delight.  But now I grow cacti -  the names of which are formally in Latin - how I wish I had studied it more.  A delightful Christmas carol by Enya - in Latin - Adeste fideles -

 

[zelly]

 

When I was 14 I was kicked out of the Latin class - at the time much to my delight.  But now I grow cacti -  the names of which are formally in Latin - how I wish I had studied it more.

 

speaking of Latin, your quote above in pig latin.... 

 

 

enWhay Iyay asway 14 Iyay asway ickedkay outyay ofyay ethay atinLay assclay - atyay ethay imetay uchmay otay ymay elightday. utBay ownay Iyay owgray acticay - ethay amesnay ofyay ichwhay areyay ormallyfay inyay atinLay - owhay Iyay ishway Iyay adhay udiedstay ityay oremay.

[Spanishfly]

I was trying to introduce a bit of learning into this forum.  But you have just proved the answer to the joke - What´s the difference between an Ozzie and a pot of yogurt? - The yogurt is the one with the culture.

[Strontium Dawg]

Jokes on you, Zelly resides above the equator.

 

[mysubtleascention]

 

 

 

Lingua -
Latina 
.. Cycloptica

 

Multifacetiae !

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2016 by mysubtleascention

[sagiXsagi]

Well sometimes I wonder how they are properly pronounced, but that's it. 

 

For what its worth, half or more of the words in latin dionyms are in greek, which means we can often understand what the name means even though we dont know latin. 

 

Lophophora or Astrophytum f.e. is 100% greek . 

Lopho from lofio in greek for tuft , phora from fero = having, bearing

 

Astro = star and phytum, fiito - plant 

 

heck even myriostigma = 100% greek

 

myrio = millions,  stigma = dots 

 

 

[Berengar]

 

I was trying to introduce a bit of learning into this forum.  But you have just proved the answer to the joke - What´s the difference between an Ozzie and a pot of yogurt? - The yogurt is the one with the culture.

No need to be so rude towards our Ozzie friends, zelly is actually American. ;)

And with the best will in the world, their attitude towards other cultures and languages is... unique.

Through my interest in mycology I've often been completely baffled with American amateurs, and even more 'scientists' attitude towards Latin. Their pronunciation is quite frankly horrific, they pronounce everything as if it's written in English, and the argument is alwys 'oh well, it's a dead language, why should I know how to pronounce it, it's dead and it doesn't matter to me'. Interesting how the British don't have the same problem, even tough they speak pretty much the same language, and can learn proper Latin...

[TBG]

I vaguely remember being told during my studies that there is no official correct way of pronouncing botanical names (Partly because as stated above a large chunk are not actually based on Latin, many are named after local places, words or people from all around the world and also because it's used worldwide there are always going to be different ways of saying the same names based on local language and teachings) and that all individual and local pronounciations are acknowledged.

 

But im digging deep to remember this and I'm far from an expert on language and nomenclature im barely even competent at my own language.

 

plus I'm merely an Aussie 

 

tbg

[sagiXsagi]

I was discussing with a very knowledgable friend in linguistics and all, that some believe Trichocereus should be pronounced "Trihochereus" , c in cereus pronounced "ch", and not "K" as I usually say it. She said, something like TBG said, that there's no ONE proper way. 

 

I supposed it could be something like spanish languagues, where you got areas with different pronounciations

[Kykeion]

 

Through my interest in mycology I've often been completely baffled with American amateurs, and even more 'scientists' attitude towards Latin. Their pronunciation is quite frankly horrific, they pronounce everything as if it's written in English, and the argument is alwys 'oh well, it's a dead language, why should I know how to pronounce it, it's dead and it doesn't matter to me'. Interesting how the British don't have the same problem, even tough they speak pretty much the same language, and can learn proper Latin...

 

I have to admit that I am one such American - sort of.  I don't have the "Oh well, whatever attitude," but I am certain that I butcher the hell out of the pronunciation of most Latin and "Latinized" words.  I blame the fact that we barely teach living foreign languages in public schools here (let alone "dead" languages), and that  I also lack formal training in a discipline that regularly uses Latin vocabulary.  I also rarely encounter the use of the scientific names of plants, animals or fungi outside of print (mostly through reading, but occasionally I'll use them in my own text).  I often come up with internal pronunciations that sound great in my head and are easy for me to remember, but translating the internal dialog to actual speech I realize I am often way off.