I was taught when I took it that medieval Latin was pronounced differently from classical Latin; the "v"s are /v/, the "c"s before front vowels were pronounced as in Italian /tS/, and so forth. Pilate's Latin is on the late side, but hardly, yet, medieval. But I am unsure when this change in pronunciation took hold--I imagine as the romance languages changed from Vulgar Latin to separate languages in the diaspora of the Roman Empire. It could be earlier, though. Language change tends to move in fits and starts and to be dependent on matters of class and region. So, in the face of our ignorance and the lack of recording materials: way-nee weedy week-y as pronounced by Caesar (the "c"s were hard, too, I was taught, in classical Latin, even before front vowels), but vaynee veedee veechee by mid-medieval speakers of Latin. I presume that Pilate should be talking the King's Latin, unless he's speaking a dialect, appropriate for some chump out in the boondocks. I've already given this subject way too much serious contemplation; it was after all a movie. And one I haven't seen. But if Mel's language coaches were incompetent, then that's a more interesting matter. Sarah On Tue, 9 Mar 2004, Jonathan Cullum wrote: > I'm hoping someone else who has studied Latin can help me out here. I > had 2 years of it in high school, many years ago, and I think I remember > learning that the "v" in Latin words is pronounced as a "w" sound. We > were taught that "Veni, vidi, vici" was spoken as "[wayne'-ee], [weedy], > [weechy]". > But the actor who plays Pilate in The Passion of the Christ pronounces > the word "veritas" with the same "v" sound we use today. > Is this a mispronunciation, or did my schooling fail me? Anyone > familiar with Latin, please weigh in. I would appreciate it. > > --- > Jonathan A. Cullum > Auburn University > 303 Samford Hall > Auburn University, AL 36849-5110 > voice: (334) 844-6194 > fax: (334) 844-4844 > > "The world is quiet here." > > ---- > To sign off Screen-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF Screen-L > in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask] > ********************************************************************* Sarah L. Higley [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask] Associate Professor of English office: (585) 275-9261 The University of Rochester fax: (585) 442-5769 Rochester NY, 14627 ********************************************************************* Py dydwc glein / O erddygnawt vein? "What brings a gem from a hard stone?" Book of Taliesin ********************************************************************* ---- To sign off Screen-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF Screen-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]