Expertlatin
The consonant v is pronounced as the English 'w' as in water. The word via (road), is pronounced "wi-a." Original Latin texts used the letter V in place of the vowel U as well (since the letter U did not exist).
- How do you pronounce V in Latin?
- How is V pronounced in church Latin?
- Is V always pronounced W in Latin?
- Is V pronounced as W?
How do you pronounce V in Latin?
According to a consensus of Latin scholars, the letter V in ancient Latin was pronounced as [w]. This seems to make sense, because there was no distinguishing between V and U, so the letter V could mark either the vowel [u] or its semivocalic counterpart [w] (much like with the letter I).
How is V pronounced in church Latin?
The letter is pronounced either "w" or "u" as in English (as a consonant or as a vowel respectively). There is no "v" sound as in English in ordinary Latin. In Ecclesiastical Latin, the dialect spoken by Catholic clergy, however, V is pronounced "v" as in English (or more realistically, Italian).
Is V always pronounced W in Latin?
Yes, v in Classical Latin was pronounced like English 'w', so the famous veni, vidi, vici was actually said WEH-nee, WEE-dee, WEE-kee by Caesar, whereas in the vulgar Latin, or ecclesiastical (church Latin) it sounds like our 'v'. So it all depends on which you prefer.
Is V pronounced as W?
/v/ is pronounced with the top teeth biting the bottom lip. /w/ is produced with rounded lips. If you are practising on your own, try saying both words and making sure your pronunciation of each is different, for example by looking at your mouth shape in the mirror.
