Adele's "Hello, It's Me" in Latin

[Luigi]

For all you Latin-lovers on board:

http://www.mentalfloss.com/article/77479/learn-sing-adeles-hello-latin

[Gabriela]

Okay, his singing isn't that bad, but what is with his pronunciation? I mean, I know there are disagreements on some letters, but his was really bizarre. Consistent, but bizarre.

Is there something I don't know?

[Luigi]

19 hours ago, Gabriela said:

Okay, his singing isn't that bad, but what is with his pronunciation? I mean, I know there are disagreements on some letters, but his was really bizarre. Consistent, but bizarre.

Is there something I don't know?

He's using Classical Latin pronunciation, not Church Latin.

In Classical Latin, written C = spoken K even when followed by E of I, written G = spoken G even when followed by E or I, and written V = spoken W.

The pronunciation shifts (written C = CH when followed by E or I, written G = J when followed by E or I, and written V = spoken V) didn't occur until after the fall of the Roman Empire.

So the original pronunciation of the prayer would have bee AH-way MAH-ria, and Julius Caesar actually pronounced WHEN-ee, WIDD-ee, WICK-ee.

[Gabriela]

4 hours ago, Luigi said:

He's using Classical Latin pronunciation, not Church Latin.

In Classical Latin, written C = spoken K even when followed by E of I, written G = spoken G even when followed by E or I, and written V = spoken W.

The pronunciation shifts (written C = CH when followed by E or I, written G = J when followed by E or I, and written V = spoken V) didn't occur until after the fall of the Roman Empire.

So the original pronunciation of the prayer would have bee AH-way MAH-ria, and Julius Caesar actually pronounced WHEN-ee, WIDD-ee, WICK-ee.

I like the "new" way better. The old way sounds silly. I can't imagine Julius Caesar, feared world leader, standing up before an enormous crowd of people to declare his great military victory with "Whenee, Widdee, Wickee". He'd sound like a child with a speech impediment.  

Ridiculous! 

[Discipulus Romae]

8 hours ago, Luigi said:

He's using Classical Latin pronunciation, not Church Latin.

In Classical Latin, written C = spoken K even when followed by E of I, written G = spoken G even when followed by E or I, and written V = spoken W.

The pronunciation shifts (written C = CH when followed by E or I, written G = J when followed by E or I, and written V = spoken V) didn't occur until after the fall of the Roman Empire.

So the original pronunciation of the prayer would have bee AH-way MAH-ria, and Julius Caesar actually pronounced WHEN-ee, WIDD-ee, WICK-ee.

Actually, there's quite a bit of turmoil as to which way is historically accurate.  Ecclesiastical Pronunciation has been passed down through the church, so it would be loyal to the original but skewed over the centuries.  Classical Latin was an attempt at restoring the old pronunciation by some Latin scholars in the 19th century.  I'll let you decide.

4 hours ago, Gabriela said:

I like the "new" way better. The old way sounds silly. I can't imagine Julius Caesar, feared world leader, standing up before an enormous crowd of people to declare his great military victory with "Whenee, Widdee, Wickee". He'd sound like a child with a speech impediment.  

Ridiculous! 

Great point. 

Edited April 8, 2016 by Discipulus Romae

[elizabeth09]

He was off beat.  It was not bad, but it was not good.  He was trying to make Adele sound bad.  And I really like Adele

Edited April 12, 2016 by elizabeth09