Amusing thought of the day...
Well, it was actually last night's thought, but I was talking to my professor about it today. It sent me into a giggle-fit.
Why is it that, in pronunciation, we Anglicise "Aristotle" with a silent E at the end, but names like "Pericles" and "Themistocles" we say "eez" at the end? If we're Anglicising, why not "Perikle" (as in "periwinkle" without the "win") and "Themistocle" (again, with the silent E)? I mean, yes, that sent me into FITS of laughter when I said it out loud, but that's just because I'm not used to it. If you think about it, it really does sound more English to pronounce it in that absurd (to us) way.
Of course, my professor (who probably thinks I'm a nut-case, as I couldn't stop laughing) pointed out that "Pericle" with a silent E sounds a lot like "monocle."
English never did make much sense. And I'm still laughing.
In other news, my new goal is to get into the summer program (next summer, clearly) at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. I'm not sure what my chances are, but it's six weeks of studying in Greece. I've never been to Greece, and I seem to have an inability to stop taking classes. It sounds perfect!
Why is it that, in pronunciation, we Anglicise "Aristotle" with a silent E at the end, but names like "Pericles" and "Themistocles" we say "eez" at the end? If we're Anglicising, why not "Perikle" (as in "periwinkle" without the "win") and "Themistocle" (again, with the silent E)? I mean, yes, that sent me into FITS of laughter when I said it out loud, but that's just because I'm not used to it. If you think about it, it really does sound more English to pronounce it in that absurd (to us) way.
Of course, my professor (who probably thinks I'm a nut-case, as I couldn't stop laughing) pointed out that "Pericle" with a silent E sounds a lot like "monocle."
English never did make much sense. And I'm still laughing.
In other news, my new goal is to get into the summer program (next summer, clearly) at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. I'm not sure what my chances are, but it's six weeks of studying in Greece. I've never been to Greece, and I seem to have an inability to stop taking classes. It sounds perfect!
posted by Glaukôpis at 11:04 PM
1 Comments:
::giggles!:: You do realise you'll have to tell me what he said, lest I go and ask my prof and get into another giggle fit...
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