Hello, I’m just starting here and wonder if there’s a version of these lessons that uses the classical rather than the ecclesiastical pronunciation.
I’m only new to Latin myself and prefer the Classical pronunciation. Good work by those people creating lessons (or is it only Mikebond?). But, I do love the classical style.
It’s almost only mikebond (alleray recorded some lessons too), and mikebond learnt the Ecclesiastical pronunciation at school. He translated AND recorded the lessons himself.
Someone else can make another translation and a new recording with the Classical pronunciation.
I’m not new to Latin, just this site as a way to brush up on it, and haven’t spent any time on it yet. I definitely prefer the classical pronunciation, as the ecclesiastical is a distortion - not that I have anything against Italian.
By the way, I was very impressed with Mikebond’s profile! Danged Europeans have all the advantages when it comes to learning multiple languages. Would you like to see my one-page satire of Rigoletto I wrote for my 2nd-year Italian class, Mike? Some people found it amusing, at least.
Eeek, I don’t like that word ‘distortion’. Makes it sound like something terrible. haha It’s just as valid…perhaps moreso, because it’s got a history. The thing is, for me at least, that I just don’t belong to the religion. Given a choice, I’ll go with the classical pronunciation because I’m not learning Latin to be able to read Latin prayers in Church. Instead, I’m interested in the literature of the Roman Empire firstly and the other stuff comes later for me. Also, I’ve got a large linguistic interest, and looking at older forms of the language are of interest to me, in regards to their its relation with other ancient IE languages. The classical pronunciation works better when comparing to Greek, Sanskrit, Avestan, etc. It’s about being comfortable.
Okay, how about ‘mutation’ then? That’s the way languages evolve in fact. I still have nothing against Italian, but since you mentioned it the ecclesiastical reminds me of a certain organization of which you could say I am anything but an admirer.
I’ve recently taken a look at Greek in some detail and enjoyed widening my horizons a bit, but like you I find it discouraging that all the texts for ancient Greek insist on using biblical texts for their source material. Besides that those horrid breath marks are always cluttering up the text - what did the Greeks have against using a letter for the ‘h’ sound anyway?
Languages for me are an enjoyable hobby, with the advantage that it makes me feel educated compared to a lot of people in this boring monoculture called the USA.
Yeah, mutation is good. In the neutral, bioligicalesque type of way.
If you get into Greek and want to read something other than the bible, you’ll have to not study New Testament Greek (or the Septuagint for that matter). Studying Classical Greek itself will offer texts written by a large range of authors, much like studying Classical Latin will.
I not comment on the ‘cluttering’ up on texts. I love the way Vietnamese is written…so…yeah… haha 
Monoculture is the mindset, but not the reality. It’s that they don’t want to see anything past it. When I go to the USA, I want to go there to study Navajo language.
djeff, welcome to LingQ. Have you tried using our resources for Italian? On the other hand perhaps one of our Italian native speakers could be induced to record your one page satire in Italian and you could put it into our Italian library.
Re the US monoculture, it is no different than the situation in many other English speaking countries, or even other large countries like China, Japan, and more. However, some of our keenest members and polyglots here at LingQ are from the good old US of A.
That’s true, Steve. It’s the same here in Australia. It’s not as if America is to blame for it. That nation just happens to be in a position of influence right now. At earlier stages it was others. The Romans, at one stage. The French, etc.
There are always those, in each place, which are interested in stepping outside the boundaries of their own languages and culture to explore others. That’s something which is, sadly, not celebrated enough. Perhaps, if the average person did understand the benefits and reasons behind this exploration, they too would engage in it.
Thanks, Steve, I’ll check out the Italian site for that.
Using the Italian pronunciation can be confusing for us beginners. When I heard the first lesson, I had to double check that I was not in the Italian language mode. However, I did like the relaxed tone. Most of the Latin I have heard so far (on other websites) have been rather heavy and perhaps too formal. Thanks to those that are putting this together!
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Guys, no one is FORCING anyone to learn a particular pronunciation of Latin! I OFFER a service, that you can FREELY CHOOSE to use or not! Stop complaining or you won’t get anything more. I don’t like the Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation very much (no offense meant to anyone!) but I don’t complain about it being ugly! I just wish there were more texts in European Portuguese in the library. When I use a lesson with a text read by a Brazilian, sometimes I just read it without listening to it. You can do the same. I wonder when in your life you will need to pronounce Latin!
And it’s not the Italian pronunciation, it’s the pronunciation that has been used by the Catholic Church for centuries! http://bit.ly/gQqFkU
I warn you, guys. If someone else complains about the pronunciation, I will unshare all the Latin lessons I published, even if this means I would get fewer points every month. I have never seen so many people complain about pronunciation. You can still look for someone who use the Classic pronunciation and ask them to record the lessons for you.
Sorry if this post sounds harsh, but I’m really tired of these useless protests.
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I love Classical Latin and Brazilian Portuguese. 
I’ll just add, that I never complained about the pronunciation: It’s that I prefer the classical period and am not a part of the religion which has the pronunciation you use.
Relax Mikebond. Forget the haters.
Geez, Mike, no one is insisting that you offer the classical pronunciation; we’re just asking. Also, I am aware that it’s not exactly the Italian either, but it is close to it. Peace.
Yirtse, I noticed your posts were not merely critical.
Jeff, I realised you were not insisting that I offer the classical pronunciation, still you kind of disapproved my choice to use the ecclesiastical pronunciation.
Before starting recording the first lessons, I thought about trying to use the classical pronunciation, but I eventually gave up because it would have sounded too unnatural, since I’m not used to it.
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Hello Mike,
I wonder if you could help me with one sentence that I’m not sure I got right, and that is the Latin for “What does not kill me makes me stronger.” I’m no Randian - far from it - but someone I know asked me about it. I came up with “Quod me non occidet (necat?) me fortior(em/am?) facit.”
Appreciate any help or suggestions you have!
Djeff
“Quod me non necat/occidit me fortiorEM facit.”
“Fortior” is the nominative, but here you need an accusative because “me” is the object. “Fortioram” doesn’t exist.
Thanks, I wasn’t sure whether it would be nom or acc, but wouldn’t forioram work if ‘me’ was referring to a female?
No. The ending -am only applies to nouns, adjectives and pronoun in -a belonging to the first declension: puella-puellam, agricola-agricolam…
Comparatives follow the third declension, where the accusative has the same form for masculine and feminine (-em).
Rats, you beat me to it - I just figured that out. This is how one learns though, by actually putting sentences together.