Thursday, July 08, 2010

how to pronounce "Introit"

I've heard it pronounced "in-TROW-it" and then this website confirms it:

but why?

(I'm currently listening to a talk by Fr. Phillips who says it quickly and seems to say "in-troht.")
I have usually heard it as "in-troit," with the diphthong "oi"

but...it usually seems that people who are slightly more "knowledgeable" say it either in 3 syllables, or like Fr. Phillips.

but why? doesn't Latin have diphthongs?

1 comment:

totustuusmaria said...

Interesting observation. I have always pronounced it as "in-" (like "inside") "troyt"

But "oi" is NOT a Latin diphthong. It is a Greek diphthong. But the Latin diphthongs are ae, au, ei, eu, oe, and ui.

Now what does this mean? How would it be pronounced in Latin? Well, it would depend on where the accent it. Intro'itus, with the accent over the 'o' would would be prounounced "in-troy-tus". "Introi'tus, with the accent over the 'i' would be pronounced 'in-tro-ee-tus'.

With you having peaked my interest, I search for a Latin dictionary. Most of them are at Sursum Corda instead of Thaler (where I am), but I finally find one. Finding the word, I discover that the penultimate 'i' is short, and therefore it should probably be pronounced "in'troy-tus", perhaps with the slightest glottal stop between the 'oy' and the 'tus'. My guess, anyhow.