[B-Greek] PEI, FEI, XEI, KSI, PSI (was pee or pie)

Curtis Hinson curtis at curtishinson.com
Mon Jul 10 13:40:20 EDT 2006


I would say it's an abberation to even think about learning a language 
but using another language's accent.  I really don't see the point. 

Greek, in particular, is an euphonious language: so much about it's 
grammar and mechanics are the result of the way the language sounds 
spoken aloud and not the other way around.  If you don't understand how 
Greek sounds, you don't understand Greek.  So, if some folks in the 
1880s were using an English accent, or an Erasmian one for that matter, 
they certainly aren't worthy of emulating.  Erasmian is with us because 
of some rather stupid turns of history, but nothing should be done to 
propagate or attempt to justify it's use IMHO.  Let it die quietly so 
study of the language can move on and flourish.

Bless the Name
Curtis Hinson

TuNeCedeMalis67 at aol.com wrote the following on 7/10/2006 11:38 AM:
> In 1881 there had already been a MAJOR decline in number of students who were 
> fluent in Greek, right? But at the time of the founding fathers, children 
> from middle class and wealthy families were EXPECTED to be fluent in classical 
> Greek BEFORE entering university? And most of them just used an English Accent, 
> not ever Erasmian?
>
> Kat
>
> In a message dated 7/10/2006 10:54:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> dmiller at briercrest.ca writes:
> This debate about Greek pronunciation has been going on for some time.
> Consider Henry Schliemann, writing in 1881:
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