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Article published In: Historical Linguistics at School
Edited by Theodore Markopoulos and Brian D. Joseph
[Pedagogical Linguistics 6:2] 2025
► pp. 175–192

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Historical linguistics, the pronunciation of Latin and teaching of classical languages

Outcomes of two projects aimed at Slovenian pupils

ORCiD logo with link | University of Ljubljana
 | University of Ljubljana
Published online: 6 January 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/pl.24005.kav
Abstract
We present attempts at reforming the pronunciation of Latin in Slovenia, also analyzing — based on a survey on the use of pronunciation in primary and high schools — the reasons for the lack of their success. In addition, we discuss two related pedagogical projects that involved primary and secondary pupils. Our main conclusion is that the adherence to the traditional pronunciation makes it necessary to readdress the issue of how a more authentic way of Latin pronunciation is to be incorporated in the language instruction. One such attempt was made during the summer school, where we informed students about findings of modern historical linguistics concerning the phonological system of Classical Latin. In addition, we tried to adopt these findings in practice, by following them in reading a part of an authentic Latin text. Our results show that this approach to presenting the classical pronunciation of Latin can be an interesting and well-received part of Latin instruction.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Reforming the pronunciation of Latin in Slovenia
  • 3.The fate of the classical pronunciation
  • 4.Hiper! Super! Did you already know that you use Latin and Greek every day?
  • 5.An alternative way of introducing the “authentic” pronunciation of Latin
  • 6.Conclusions
  • Notes
  • References
References (22)
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