xii Athenaze: Book I Introduction xiii

Partll: The symbol will occasionally be used over a Greek vowel to indicate a
v

The Greek Alphabet vowel of short quantity. The symbol - indicates a vowel of long quantity (see
ii, t, and ij in the right-hand column in the list above). Normally short vowels
have neither mark above them (see a, t, and 1) in the right-hand column
Many of the letters of the Greek alphabet will already be familiar to you. above). When these three vowels are long, they will usually be printed in
Athenaze with long marks over them (ii, t, and ij). The long mark is referred
Letter Name Translit- Pronunciation to as a macron (Greek ~axp6v, long). A long vowel is held approximately
eration twice as long as a short vowel. The vowels 1] and OJ are always long and are
A a alpha " (short alpha), as the sound in top; a therefore not marked with macrons. The digraphs El and 01) represent two
(long alpha), as the sound in top, additional long vowels in Greek (see Long Vowel Digraphs below). The vow-
but held longer els and 0 are always short.
B beta =b All vowels marked with a circumflex accent C) or with an iota subscript
r gamma (see below) are always long and will usually not be marked with macrons.
=g (but before y, 1(, ~, or X = the sound
In the Greek names for the letters of the alphabet given on the previous
in sing) page, identify all long and all short vowels. Practice pronouncing the names
A 1i,\A,~a delta =d of the letters, paying special attention to proper pronunciation of the long and
E E 'VtAOV epsIlon as the sound in get short vowels. Hold the long vowels for twice the length of time as the short
Z S sf\~a zeta = cr + 0 = sd as in wisdom vowels.
H TJ ~~a eta as the sound in bed, but held longer f,t
e e ef\~a theta = aspirated t as in top Breathings
I t ionu iota t(short iota), as the sound in it; [(long There is no letter h in the Attic alphabet, but this sound occurs at the be-
iota), as the sound in keen ginning of many Greek words. It is indicated by a mark called a rough
K x K(bt1tu kappa = the sound of k (without aspiration), breathing or aspiration, written over the first vowel of a word (over the second
as in sack vowel of a diphthong), e.g.:
A A, MJ.l~lia lambda =l I:v (pronounced hen) ou (pronounced hou)
M J.l J.lil mii =m
N v vii nii
When an h sound is not to be pronounced at the beginning of a word begin-
=n
ning with a vowel or diphthong, a smooth breathing mark is used, e.g.:
/;t xi = lC + cr =the sound of x in axe
o o {) J.ltKpoV omIcron
~
as the sound in boat or goat IA v EV (pronounced en) ou (pronounced au)
II tt ttt pI = p (without aspiration), as in sap Thus, every word beginning with a vowel or a diphthong will have a rough or
P pro rho = a trilled r smooth breathing. Initial p always has a rough breathing, e.g., pa~30S, wand.
L a{wa sigma = s as in sing, but = z before 13, y, 6, and
fL (written <; when last letter of a Diphthongs
word) Diphthongs are glides from one vowel sound to another within the same
T ~ail tau = t (without aspiration), as in sat syllable. Attic Greek has the following diphthongs:
Y U 'lilA,6v upsIlon 'U (short upsilon), as the sound in French
Diphthongs Words Pronunciation
tu; i} (long upsilon), as the sound in
French tu, but held longer at aiy,s as the sound in high
<l> <p <pt pm = aspirated p as in pot a1)
1)
a,,,oxpa~f]s as the sound in how
+ 1) pronounced as one syllable
uyvf]s
X X xt cm = aspirated k as in kit
T]1l 1]up1]xa 1] + 1) pronounced as one syllable
'P IJI IJIt psI =1t+cr=ps as in lips Ot oix:ovoflID as the sound in foil
D. rll ~'\ya omega
- as the sound in caught, but held longer ui6; 1) + t pronounced as one syllable
(J) 1)1
~I'.