From: Timster132@aol.com
Date: Fri Feb 02 1996 - 00:39:57 EST
On 1/31/96, Eric Vaughan wrote:
>> Upsilon is transliterated as both "y" and "u". What is the correct (or
>> accepted) pronunciation of it? I've always (probably incorrectly)
>> pronounced it with a sound in between the long and short "u". I
>> appreciate any answers.
"Carl W. Conrad" <cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu> on Wed, 31 Jan 1996 replies...
>The "Y" was taken into the Roman alphabet to represent upsilon precisely
>because it had a sound that was no longer represented by the Latin "U" (as
>presumably it would have been if upsilon's sound had not undergone a
>change). Probably by the Christian era it was already being pronounced as
>it is in modern Greek: like an English long E (exactly as iota, EI, OI were
>also pronounced).
>
>The "proper" pronunciation? The Erasmian standard has always been, I
>believe, that it should be like a French U or like a German umlauted U.
>
>There may be some alternative answers to this question; don't be surprised
>if there are!
I would only add that some suggest that Upsilon has an occassional V sound
(as in Victory) or W sound (as in Wax). Examples include the name DAUID
(David) and EUAGGELION (gospel).
Tim Staker, pastor
Poseyville Christian Church
Poseyville, Indiana USA
Timster132@aol.com
http://home.aol.com/Timster132
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