gk pronunciation

yochanan bitan ButhFam at compuserve.com
Sun Oct 17 04:08:40 EDT 1999



>1. I have always assumed that the primary difference between omicron &
omega
>was quantitative/length rather than quality.  Was this true at some point,
>and when did it cease being true?

by mid-second century BCE vowel length had been neutralized, [the process
was probably enhanced by the spread of greek throughout the mediteranean
and near east after Alex.] we may assume from the mistakes in the papyri
that o-mega vs o-mikron were pronounced the same. both theos and logos can
be pronounced with a single 'o' sound.

>2. Would you begin to recommend a bibliography on the subject, covering
the
>different proposed systems, reconstructions, etc.?

you might want to look at 
    g. horrocks "Greek, a history of the language and its speakers"
Longman,1997. 
though for further details it will refer you to 
    w. allen (vox graeca,3rd ed., cambridge) for the old 4-5 cent BCE stuff
and 
    f. gignac (grammar of greek papyri..., v. 1: phonology, 1976, milan)
for hellenistic.

also, 2 papers will be read at SBL, Greek section, in Boston this year that
will deal with this. 

is this important?
i would argue, yes, 
because 
a.  an aural foundation is necessary for the best language learning
pedagogy and 
b.  some aural system must be chosen. 
c.  a "practical first century" would allow reading of nt and papyri
without undue stress.  [ ei=i, h, ai=e, a, w=o, ou, oi=u (french 'u') ] it
is also 3/4 of the way to medival greek and the modern system. 

come to boston.

randall buth
jerusalem



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