Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
#181976 01/23/09 07:51 AM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 5
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 5
I don't know a lot of French, but shouldn't this phrase be pronounced swee zhan-uhr-ee?

Both pronunciations (visual and audio) seem wrong.

Mitch


"Eventually, everything connects."
mitchpowell #181977 01/23/09 09:13 AM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
I'm afraid sui generis isn 't French but Latin.
So maybe the French pronounce their Latin your way. As each language has it's own pronounciation for Latin we would pronounce it like sùwee gayneris (throaty G)

mitchpowell #181978 01/23/09 09:13 AM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 390
L
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
L
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 390
Originally Posted By: mitchpowell
I don't know a lot of French


Which does not seem particularly relevant to a discussion of the Latin phrase sui generis. Since the phrase is not French, why would it pronounced as if it were?

latishya #181980 01/23/09 02:03 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 876
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 876
Originally Posted By: latishya
Originally Posted By: mitchpowell
I don't know a lot of French


Which does not seem particularly relevant to a discussion of the Latin phrase sui generis. Since the phrase is not French, why would it pronounced as if it were?

This comment does not seem particularly relevant to the question asked by mitchpowell. Since he (?) thought it was French, he also thought it would be pronounced as French. If he knew it was Latin, he wouldn't have posted at all. What is the point of highlighting the fact that he didn't know it was Latin? Yes, the email does say "From Latin", however that does not necessarily mean it is Latin.

mitchpowell: Welcome to the board! I don't know a lot of French, either. You've got good company. I do know some Latin, but I can see how "sui", which I did not recognize, might look like French to some. This phrase is new to me.

President Obama used another phrase which illustrates the kind that always bugs me: "...the only people that really know are the collection of ex-Presidents we have." It sounds wrong to me. I am wanting to put "in" or "part of" after "are": "...the only people that really know are in/part of the collection of ex-Presidents we have." Any comments?

twosleepy #181985 01/23/09 05:06 PM
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 35
F
newbie
Offline
newbie
F
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 35
Originally Posted By: twosleepy
Originally Posted By: latishya
Originally Posted By: mitchpowell
I don't know a lot of French


Which does not seem particularly relevant to a discussion of the Latin phrase sui generis. Since the phrase is not French, why would it pronounced as if it were?

This comment does not seem particularly relevant to the question asked by mitchpowell. Since he (?) thought it was French, he also thought it would be pronounced as French. If he knew it was Latin, he wouldn't have posted at all. What is the point of highlighting the fact that he didn't know it was Latin? Yes, the email does say "From Latin", however that does not necessarily mean it is Latin.

mitchpowell: Welcome to the board! I don't know a lot of French, either. You've got good company. I do know some Latin, but I can see how "sui", which I did not recognize, might look like French to some. This phrase is new to me.

President Obama used another phrase which illustrates the kind that always bugs me: "...the only people that really know are the collection of ex-Presidents we have." It sounds wrong to me. I am wanting to put "in" or "part of" after "are": "...the only people that really know are in/part of the collection of ex-Presidents we have." Any comments?


3 PART COMMENT:

1) I totally agree with 2sleepy's read on this.

2) MY first response to sui generis was: If this is Word for a Day, when did it become 2 words for a day? Is Anu bending the rules because it's an expression from a foreign language? Does he sometimes have a two word WORD in english as well? JUST WONDERING...

3) On your final comment sleepy, I was wondering, do you prefer "data are" or "data is"?

I'm slowly getting used to data are, having been committed to "data is", for years. Apparently the Times still uses both. The example you were wondering about seems more natural for me to use the plural because the reference to the "collection of ex-presidents". With data, I guess I've always been used to viewing it as singular.

Fauve #181987 01/23/09 06:20 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Quote:
Does he sometimes have a two word WORD in english as well? JUST WONDERING...

wow, there's a sixty-four-dollar question; or, take a look a his "word" list. (or, "This week we'll feature terms"...)

-joe (just being a wise-guy again) friday

BranShea #181994 01/24/09 12:14 AM
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,933
Likes: 3
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,933
Likes: 3
Originally Posted By: BranShea
I'm afraid sui generis isn 't French but Latin.
So maybe the French pronounce their Latin your way. As each language has it's own pronounciation for Latin we would pronounce it like sùwee gayneris (throaty G)


There are basically two main pronunciations of Latin: Classic and Ecclesiastical.
Classic would call Caesar: "Ky zer"
Ecclesiastical would say; "Say zar"

If you are classic: it is: su ee gay nay ris
if you're Ecclesiastical: su ee jen er is

Last edited by LukeJavan8; 01/24/09 12:17 AM.

----please, draw me a sheep----
LukeJavan8 #181995 01/24/09 12:18 AM
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,933
Likes: 3
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,933
Likes: 3
Presidents are sui generis: that is why it is so lonely
at the top.


----please, draw me a sheep----
tsuwm #181998 01/24/09 12:52 AM
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 35
F
newbie
Offline
newbie
F
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 35
Originally Posted By: tsuwm
Quote:
Does he sometimes have a two word WORD in english as well? JUST WONDERING...

wow, there's a sixty-four-dollar question; or, take a look a his "word" list. (or, "This week we'll feature terms"...)

-joe (just being a wise-guy again) friday


Aha! Thanks for the link.

LukeJavan8 #181999 01/24/09 12:53 AM
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 35
F
newbie
Offline
newbie
F
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 35
Then there's always the German pronunciation of Latin. Yet another variant.

Page 1 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,606
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 154 guests, and 6 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,727
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,933
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5