THE PRONUNCIATION OF LATIN
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sia,—In connexion with your article on "The Pronunciation of Latin," your readers may be interested in the following passage from the Journal of the Quaker Thomas Ellwood, who was- for some time Milton's secretary :-
- "At my first sitting to read to him [Milton] observing that I • used the English Pronunciation he told me If I would have the Benefit of the Latin Tongue not only to road and understand Latin Authors but to converse with Foreigners, either abroad or at home, I must learn tho Foreign Pronunciation. To this I consenting, he instructed me how to sound the Vowels : so different from the common pronunciation used by the English . . that (with some few other Variations in sounding some Consonants in particular Case, as C before E or I like Ch. Sc before I like Sh & t) the Latin thus spoken seemed as different from that which was delivered as the English generally speak it, as if it was another language."
One would be very interested to hear the views of others on the pronunciation of the consonant M, which would appear to have been pronounced very lightly, and I think possibly as a nasal, as in French.—! am, Sir, &e.,
110 Ferndene Road, S.E. 24. BEN W. VINCENT.
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