[B-Greek] Jefferson on Greek Pronunciation
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at ioa.com
Mon Feb 6 08:06:42 EST 2006
Nice things do come to light in the blogs, if one is willing to cull
through them. Here's another nice revelation from Suzanne McCarthy
(http://powerscourt.blogspot.com/2006/02/jefferson-on-greek-
pronunciation.html) that makes me realize that I need to spend some time
reading from our founding fathers, and also reminds me, if I needed
any reminding, that a great deal of what is well said has been said
long before someone gives it fresh expression in our own time. One
may agree or disagree with this, but it seems to me a pretty sensible
perspective.
.
=====
To Judge Spencer Roane Poplar Forest, September 6, 1819
I thank you, Sir for the remarks on the pronunciation of the Greek
language which you have been so kind as to send me. I have read them
with pleasure, as I had the pamphlet of Mr. Pickering on the same
subject. This question has occupied long and learned inquiry, and
cannot, as I apprehend, be ever positively decided. Very early in my
classical days, I took up the idea that the ancient Greek language
having been changed by degrees into the modern, and the present race
of that people having received it by tradition, they had of course
better pretensions to the ancient pronunciation also, than any
foreign nation could have. When at Paris, I became acquainted with
some learned Greeks, from whom I took pains to learn the modern
pronunciation. But I could not receive it as genuine in toto. I could
not believe that the ancient Greeks had provided six different
notations for the simple sound of {i}, iota, and left the five other
sounds which we give to n, v, {i-i}, {oi}, {yi}, without any
characters of notation at all. I could not acknowledge the {y},
upsillon, as an equivalent to our {n}, as in {Achilleys}, which they
pronounce Achillevs, nor the {g}, gamma, to our y, as in {alge},
which they pronounce alye. I concluded, therefore, that as experience
proves to us that the pronunciation of all languages changes, in
their descent through time, that of the Greek must have done so also
in some degree; and the more probably, as the body of the words
themselves had substantially changed, and I presumed that the
instances above mentioned might be classed with the degeneracies of
time; a presumption strengthened by their remarkable cacophony. As to
all the other letters, I have supposed we might yield to their
traditionary claim of a more orthodox pronunciation. Indeed, they
sound most of them as we do, and, where they differ, as in the {e, d,
ch,} their sounds do not revolt us, nor impair the beauty of the
language.
If we adhere to the Erasmian pronunciation, we must go to Italy for
it, as we must do for the most probably correct pronunciation of the
language of the Romans, because rejecting the modern, we must argue
that the ancient pronunciation was probably brought from Greece, with
the language itself; and, as Italy was the country to which it was
brought, and from which it emanated to other nations, we must presume
it better preserved there than with the nations copying from them,
who would be apt to affect its pronunciation with some of their own
national peculiarities. And in fact, we find that no two nations
pronounce it alike, although all pretend to the Erasmian
pronunciation. But the whole subject is conjectural, and allows
therefore full and lawful scope to the vagaries of the human mind. I
am glad, however, to see the question stirred here; because it may
excite among our young countrymen a spirit of inquiry and criticism,
and lead them to more attention to this most beautiful of all languages.
And wishing that the salutary example you have set may have this good
effect, I salute you with great respect and consideration. (Th
Jefferson)
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/
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