Latin names and how we say them

[Giles]

What I don't think has been picked up on, is that even within the UK 'Church Latin' , 'Botanical Latin', and 'School Latin'
often have their own distinctive customs when it comes to pronunciation.
Mention has been made of plant names with Greek 'roots'.
I think I'm right in suggesting that these have all been 'Latinised' and so should not be treated any differently to straight Latin
names when it comes to pronunciation.
My pet hate is 'Androsace'
as in ' An - dross - a- see'
( An -dro-sarky, I think!)

[Anthony Darby]

Are you suggesting that words from Greek roots like Cymbidium should be Kymbidium?

[ashley]

( An -dro-sarky, I think!)

Fair point Giles. 
The second 'r' is a typo presumably

[Anthony Darby]

In most English accents the second 'r' is not rolled, so 'ar' would sound 'ah'.

[ashley]

In most English accents the second 'r' is not rolled, so 'ar' would sound 'ah'.

If it's not a typo then there would be no 'r' at all in standard English or most forms of English around the world; my point . 
To an Irish ear at least, insertion of an extra 'r' is generally restricted to accents from SE England (but which are heavily represented on British radio and TV of course). 

 

[Maggi Young]

I raise my hand to admit to "Ann-dross-asee" .....
 I cannot say that I have ever heard anyone say "An-dro-saky" 

[ranunculus]

I raise my hand to admit to "Ann-dross-asee" .....

A tad cruel on poor Ann, Maggi ... she can't help her derriere!   

During two hundred plus lectures to the East Lancashire Group of the Alpine Garden Society we have heard every pronunciation of each contestable plant name and we still managed to understand the speaker.
Life is too short ... I would much rather grow and photograph them ...

[David Shaw]

Wish I'd never opened this thread

[ashley]

During two hundred plus lectures to the East Lancashire Group of the Alpine Garden Society we have heard every pronunciation of each contestable plant name and we still managed to understand the speaker.
Life is too short ... I would much rather grow and photograph them ...

 
How right you are Cliff!

[mark smyth]

Henrik Zetterlund says skilla

A German snowdrop collector I know says gal-an-tus

An Ulster Group member talks about keel-an-deens

[David Shaw]

I remember one eminent SRGC personality saying that it does not matter how you pronounce the names as  long as the other person(s) understands you. Conversely, I remember another speaker standing up and proclaiming, rather pompously, that it helps if you have a classical background!
The words we are trying to pronounce are names of things. Just compare this with the way we pronounce British, and particularly Scottish, place names. There are a number of places where the residents accept two different pronunciations of the one name. An example would be the village of Tarves in Aberdeenshire. It is pronounced as in Mavis or as in Calves and both are in common useage.

[Anthony Darby]

In most English accents the second 'r' is not rolled, so 'ar' would sound 'ah'.

If it's not a typo then there would be no 'r' at all in standard English or most forms of English around the world; my point . 
To an Irish ear at least, insertion of an extra 'r' is generally restricted to accents from SE England (but which are heavily represented on British radio and TV of course). 

 

I come from Yorkshire and it took me years to learn how to roll an 'r'.

[Gerry Webster]

As far as  I know the standard work in English on Botanical Latin remains Botanical Latin by W.T. Stearn (1983). Stearn maintains that this is essentially a written language and devotes less than 4 pages (out of 557) to pronunciation. He prefaces his brief discussion with the remark: "How they [the names of plants] are pronounced really matters little provided they sound pleasant and are understood by all concerned."

[4moreaction]

Far from being an expert in latin I would say that in Swedish they are pronounced skilla as in skill and presumably also in Danish. Whether it is correct or not I do not know but I will not change my way of pronounce it anyway.
Lovely picture every one.
Kind regards
Joakim

...even in finnish it's being pronounced skilla... and I believe that is rather the 'right' pronouncing according to those who knows more... ;O)

[Anthony Darby]

Personally, I think it sounds skilly. Local pronunciations will aways take preference over 'correct' scientific thinking. The pronunciation of the word is given in the dictionary as silla, but then all words in English starting with 'sc' ignore the 'c'.