Pronunciation of brachypelma smithi

[barabootom]

I see what you mean but then near the end it states "Some naturalists apply classical sound values to scientific names, and some employ hybrid pronunciations such as "fun-jee" for fungi. The English pronunciation is "funj-eye" and the classical is ~"foongh-ee."

Almost seems like anything goes.

So both pronunciations smith-ee or smith-eye could be correct? So what is most of the scientific community using?

 

[Kirk]

That's a great site chone1. Thanks. So the new sound according to that site should sound like this.

http://www.spanishspanish.com/aaaasounds/b_smithi2.mp3

Yes indeed. You got it! In my 30 years as a taxonomist/systematist, I've always heard Latinized names ending in a vowel with the vowel clearly pronounced as it would sound by itself.

 

[barabootom]

Yes indeed. You got it! In my 30 years as a taxonomist/systematist, I've always heard Latinized names ending in a vowel with the vowel clearly pronounced as it would sound by itself.

Thanks for your help!! Maybe you could help me with some others?

Would B albopilosum sound like this? al (like back)-bo-pie-lo-some

http://www.spanishspanish.com/aaaaasounds/b_albopilosum2.mp3

 

[Anansis]

OK. You've convinced me. Smith-eye it is.

Ollie

 

[sparular]

The problem with Latin is that basically nobody speaks it as a first language and it has several forms that are all correct. It has also changed over time in popular use (mostly catholic churches and science) and in different countries with different phonemes. Latin spoken in Catholic churches is different in Italy and Germany but there is no centralized authority to say which Latin is correct. Since Latin is the basis for Italian and Spanish, I tend to pronounce latin like Spanish but with no consonant blends (sh=s, ch=k, th=t). However, I think that pronunciation matters very little as long as people know what you are saying.
Keith

 

[sparular]

Yes indeed. You got it! In my 30 years as a taxonomist/systematist, I've always heard Latinized names ending in a vowel with the vowel clearly pronounced as it would sound by itself.

OK but an I in latin languages is the long E sound in the English.

Latin based spelling > Germanic/english pronunciation
-------------------------
Si > see
Me > may
tu > too
Brachypelma > Bra-key-pell-mah
smithi > smith (since smith is a proper name)- ee (long e)

I think that the long I sound with a terminal "I" is an anglicized version of latin. So I think that that is also correct if you speak English or German but I would like to put forth that the long E pronunciation is also correct.
I am also a scientist.

Keith

 

[Kirk]

The problem with Latin is that basically nobody speaks it as a first language and it has several forms that are all correct. It has also changed over time in popular use (mostly catholic churches and science) and in different countries with different phonemes. Latin spoken in Catholic churches is different in Italy and Germany but there is no centralized authority to say which Latin is correct. Since Latin is the basis for Italian and Spanish, I tend to pronounce latin like Spanish but with no consonant blends (sh=s, ch=k, th=t). However, I think that pronunciation matters very little as long as people know what you are saying.
Keith

I understand what you're saying. I'm only presenting the perspective as it's been presented to me in science for over 30 years, which is confirmed by the web site I mentioned earlier.

 

[barabootom]

OK but an I in latin languages is the long E sound in the English.

Latin based spelling > Germanic/english pronunciation
-------------------------
Si > see
Me > may
tu > too
Brachypelma > Bra-key-pell-mah
smithi > smith (since smith is a proper name)- ee (long e)

I think that the long I sound with a terminal "I" is an anglicized version of latin. So I think that that is also correct if you speak English or German but I would like to put forth that the long E pronunciation is also correct.
I am also a scientist.

Keith

So we come back to both pronunciations are acceptable. Earlier in this thread Zoltan added a link with the pronunciation form a lecturer from BTS that agrees with Chone1. I agree that the most important aspect of pronunciation is that the listener understands what you're saying, but not sounding like a fool is also a good thing. I'd like to use the pronunciation most scientists are using. Are you also a biologist Keith?

 

[Drachenjager]

it seems to me that in Latin studies we were taught that to have the long I sound the word had to end with ii not a single i. With the single i it was pronounced as a short i with ii it was long i sound; but it has been a long time ago.

 

[barabootom]

it seems to me that in Latin studies we were taught that to have the long I sound the word had to end with ii not a single i. With the single i it was pronounced as a short i with ii it was long i sound; but it has been a long time ago.

So we have another vote for smith-eye. Thanks Drachenjager.

 

[Travis K]

Interesting... This thread turn out to be rather insightful

I have always said it smith-eye, so that should be enough for you all to say it the same.

BTW, Kirk. Thank you for posting that good link and for all of your professional opinions/experience in this matter. This is what I LOVE about arachnoboards.

Regards,

 

[Paramite]

As some of you probably know, finnish is really close to latin, so naturally I've never had any problems with it.

 

[sparular]

I'd like to use the pronunciation most scientists are using. Are you also a biologist Keith?

Yes. I study cancer genetics/genomics, so I only deal with a handful of species. A lot of latin science words have several pronunciations (like apoptosis; a-poe-toe-sis or a-pop-toe-sis). Like I said I agree with the American science latin pronunciation but I actually prefer a more ancient latin personally.

Keith

 

[Vidaro]

Just wondering, are you sure its allways pure Latin and not Greek? Coz it really does sound 100% ancient greek.
For example apoptosis is 2 woords combined, apo-ptosis im not sure of the meaning of "apo" but ptosis means fall and in medical language is usually refered to something dieing.
And the pelma in Brachypelma is the under surface of the foot and brachy is short---Brachypelma = shortfoot sounds funny but thats how it is

 

[Kirk]

Just wondering, are you sure its allways pure Latin and not Greek? Coz it really does sound 100% ancient greek.
For example apoptosis is 2 woords combined, apo-ptosis im not sure of the meaning of "apo" but ptosis means fall and in medical language is usually refered to something dieing.
And the pelma in Brachypelma is the under surface of the foot and brachy is short---Brachypelma = shortfoot sounds funny but thats how it is

The international rules (for latest edition see here) for establishing zoological names have long required that they be Latinized, even if they are Greek derivatives. My recollection is that this strong mandate for Latinizing names is being/or has been eased.

 

[sparular]

Just wondering, are you sure its allways pure Latin and not Greek? Coz it really does sound 100% ancient greek.
For example apoptosis is 2 woords combined, apo-ptosis im not sure of the meaning of "apo" but ptosis means fall and in medical language is usually refered to something dieing.
And the pelma in Brachypelma is the under surface of the foot and brachy is short---Brachypelma = shortfoot sounds funny but thats how it is

You're probably right. The only language I speak fluently is English, so Greek and Latin are difficult for me to distinguish and science draws heavily on both.

For the record, my official vote is for both smith-ee and smith-eye.

and with reference to drachjager's post; Ibelieve he was saying i=ee, ii=eye
so that would be a vote for smith-ee.

 

[barabootom]

and with reference to drachjager's post; Ibelieve he was saying i=ee, ii=eye
so that would be a vote for smith-ee.

After reading it again I believe you are correct. Thanks.

 

[Drachenjager]

So we have another vote for smith-eye. Thanks Drachenjager.

not hardly
I think as i said if its latin it would have to end in ii to be eye. and i would be ee
but again it has been ages since studying latin.
And even the i kept saying "Santa Plays Dominoes"