The
Orthodox
Pages
email:
pater@christopherklitou.com
A NOTE ON
THE PHONETIC
TRANSLITERATION
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HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE GREEK ALPHABET
The
Greek language has 7 vowels (α,
ε,
η,
ι,
ο,
υ,
ω)
but only 5 basic vowel sounds.
Τhus
η,
ι,
υ
are all pronounced as the i in
inner. In comparison the English
language has 5 vowels which can be pronounced in 20 basic vowel sounds.
Of
the 8 basic Greek diphthongs, 4 make the same vowel sounds as the basic
vowels, ου
is pronounced as the English
ou in You
and the remaining 3 -
αυ,
ευ,
ηυ
- make the sound of the first vowel
with the sound of the consonant v at
the end. In the transliteration, all the diphthongs with the exception of
ou are written as single vowels so in
places where there are consecutive vowels, they must be pronounced
separately e.g. eléison = e-lé-i-son, Iisoú = I-i-soú,
zoobió = zo-o-bi-ó.
Many
of the consonants are pronounced as they are in English, but some need
special attention. For example, let’s take the first 4 letters of the
Greek Alphabet. Traditionally they are known in English as Alpha, Beta,
Gamma and Delta, but apart from Alpha, they are not pronounced as they are
read in English. A more proper phonetic translation would be – Alpha,
Vida, Yamma and Thelda. Thus the Greek B
has an English V sound, the
Γ
has a
Y sound and the
Δ
has a
Th sound as in the words The,
They or
Thee.
Five
more consonants need careful pronunciation.
Θ
as
Δ
is also pronounced as a Th, but as in
Third or
Thesis. To distinguish between the two
Th sounds I has used Th for
Θ
and
Dh for
Δ.
Κ
is usually translated as
K but has the sound of the English
G as in Go
or Give. When 2
κκ
are used then the sound can be either like a double
gg or like the English
C or K
in Cat, Kite.
Π
is usually translated as
P, but has the sound of the English
B. When 2
ππ
are used they produce the English sound P.
Ρ
is the Greek
R but is pronounced stronger than the
English R and with a roll of the
tongue.
Τ
is usually translated as the
English T but has the sound of the
English D. When 2
ττ
are used they produce the sound of the English
T as in Taxi,
Attic, etc. A single
τ
can also produce a
soft t
sound after some consonants
or diphthongs as in
αυτό.
Some
combined consonants have no English equivalent sound e.g.
αγνοία
Αγνή,
Γραφάς.
Γν,
γν
and
Γρ,
γρ
are traditionally
translated as Gn,
gn and
Gr,
gr
as in words like
Gnostic,
Agnes
and
graphic,
but in Greek there is
no
g
sound in these words,
thus I have kept to the Greek
Γ
as
Y – Γραφάς
–
Yrafás,
αγνοία
– aynía.
. Someone wishing to use the phonetic transliteration for the Divine
Liturgy must audibly hear these sounds to produce them correctly.
The Greek Alphabet
Α
α
- as in
Apple
Β
β
- as the English V
Γ
γ
- as the English
Y as in Yes
Δ
δ
- as the English Th as in
They, Thee.
Dh in translation
Ε
ε
- as in Empty,
Emperor
Ζ
ζ
- as the English
Z as in Zebra
Η
η
- as the English
I as in Inner
Θ
θ
- as the English
Th as in
Third or Thesis
Ι
ι
- as the English
I as in Inner
Κ
κ
- the English
G as in Go
or Give. Two kk are pronounced as the
English C in
Cat
Λ
λ
- as the English
L
Μ
μ
- as the English
M
Ν
ν
- as the English
N
Ξ
ξ
- as the English X in Extreme
Ο
ο
- as the English
O in God
Π
π
- as the English
B. Two
ππ
are pronounced as the English P
Ρ
ρ
- as the English
R but with a stronger roll of the
r
Σ
σ
ς
- as the English
S
Τ
τ
- as the English
D. Two
ττ
are pronounced as the English tt in attic
Υ
υ
- the English I as in
Inner
Φ
φ
- as the English
F or Ph
Χ
χ
- as the English
H in Hat
Ψ
ψ
- as the English
Ps pronouncing both the
P and S
together as in Psalter
Ω
ω
- as the English
O in God
The Diphthongs
Αι
αι
- as in Empty,
Emperor
Αυ
αυ
- as the English
Av as in
Avarice
Ει
ει
- as the English I as in
Inner
Ευ
ευ
- as the English Ev in
Every, Ever
Ηυ
ηυ
- as the English iv as in give
Ου
ου
- as the English
ou in You
Οι
οι
- as the English I as in
Inner
Υι
υι
- as the English
I as in Inner
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Κυριακή 21 Φεβρουαρίου 2016
A NOTE ON THE PHONETIC TRANSLITERATION
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