h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Pronouncing Ancient Greek for English Speakers - A12309608
Author: Gnomon - [ 3 stars, a rose for Ben, and 139 solo Edited Entries] - U151503

A quick guide.

Hi Gnomon, your entry leaves me with some questions:

I don't recall whther you mention if there is a reason for Koine being spoken in your History of Greece entry. If so, could you link to it? If not, is there a reason you could explain briefly?

you mention the rough breathing mark and explain how to treat it before vowels or p (oh, and shouldn't it be 'an h'?), but how is it treated before other consonants - is it treated like a glottal stop, or does it not occur before other consonants?


Bel

I did mention Koine in the history, although possibly not by name. I can certainly add a sentence or two about it.

The rough breathing mark does not occur before other consonants. I'll add a note to that effect.

I've done that.

Saying 'a h' is an Irishism. The Irish name for this letter is 'haitch'. I've fixed it.

Gnomon. I hope the Greek experts will be along shortly and ask all the relevant questions I can't think about asking.

I was hoping some Greek experts would look at it too.

Hmmm, don't know where the 'Greeks' are.
Does the pronunciation differ a lot from the modern pronunciation? Would it be worthwhile mentioning the similarities/differences?

I'd rather not get into Modern Greek in this entry, as it is much more complicated, and there is no simple standard transliteration system into Roman letters.

That's fine with me.
Do I understand it right that there is a standard transliteration system but it's just very complicated?
Whatever, it's not relevant for this entry, I'm just curious.

No, there is no standard transliteration system, simple or otherwise.

That's interesting. I guess that's not an exception, though. I know there are some Cyrillic letters we just don't have any equivalent here, so I guess these are bound to be spelled depending on who translates things.

Hi Gnomon - this is very informative, but where would I use this sort of knowledge today - I know you're going to think I'm thick, but I just had to ask.

Have you never stumbled across a Greek quotation in any book you're reading? I often see them, and it used to really annoy me that I couldn't read the Greek. It was as if suddenly, in the middle of a conversation, soaij sdjo ij soijds joaij woijd.



Also, someone asked me how to pronounce Ancient Greek a while back, but didn't hang around for the answer.

I guess we're not in the same book club then.

for taking the time to explain.

By the way, I don't think you're thick for not knowing stuff.

If, on the other hand, you still didn't know it after it had been explained to you, then you'd be thick.

Or perhaps it was just explained badly.

Let's just say I'm the Alan Davies to your Stephen Fry.

NO! That was the WRONG ANSWER!

Well I must have been off school the day we did the Greeks - the only things I know about them are what you choose to write about them.

Now get back to work if you ever want me to complete my education.

Could we have some example? A famous classical quote in original and translated version, which has also been transliterated? Tends to be easier to try pronouncing entire words sometimes, to get a feel for it better.

vp