Letters
| Letter | Name |
|---|---|
| a | a |
| b | be (bi) |
| c | ce (ci) |
| d | de (di) |
| e | e |
| f | effe |
| g | ge (gi) |
| h | ache (acca) |
| i | i |
| j | ji |
| k | ka |
| l | elle |
| m | emme |
| n | enne |
| o | o |
| p | pe (pi) |
| q | cu (qu) |
| r | erre |
| s (ſ) | esse |
| t | te (ti) |
| u | u |
| v | ve (vi) |
| w | ve duplus |
| x | ixe |
| y | i græca |
| z | zeta |
Traditionally these letters were only used for foreign words, whereas native words employed other letters:
| Foreign | Native |
|---|---|
| k | c |
| x | cs |
| y | i |
| z | ss |
The letter q is only used for native words, whereas foreign words employ c.
Further, j & v were added by Gian Giorgio Trissino (7059 AM). Before, v was the capital form of u. To distinguish between vocal u & consonantal u, the digraphs uu & ve were used.
The letter ¸, which is a small z, is called a cedille, i.e. a small zeta, & softens the c it is attached to.
Ligatures
| Ligature | Meaning |
|---|---|
| æ | ae |
| œ | oe |
| ß | ss |
| w | uu |
Further, ligatures for whole words:
| Ligature | Meaning |
|---|---|
| & | et |
| ¶ | capitulum |
| # | librum |
| % | percent |
Pronunciation
| Letter | Sound |
|---|---|
| a | a |
| æ e | e |
| ai ay | e (ei) |
| au | o (au) |
| b | b |
| c k q qu | c |
| ç | s |
| cæ ce cœ | se (cie) |
| ch | ci (c) |
| ci cy | si (cii) |
| d | d |
| ee | e i (e) |
| ei | e (ei) |
| ea | e (ea) |
| eau | o (eau) |
| eu | u (eu) |
| f | f |
| g | ng (g) |
| gæ ge gœ | gie |
| gi gy | gii |
| gh gu | g |
| (gl) | (li) |
| (gn) | (ni) |
| h | |
| i y | i |
| j | gi (i) |
| l | l |
| ll | i (l) |
| m | m |
| n | n |
| nc nq nqu | ngc |
| nch | ngci (ngc) |
| ng ngh ngu | ng |
| nx | ngcs |
| o | o |
| œ | u (e) |
| oê | o (oe) |
| oi oy | u (i) |
| ou | u (ou) |
| p | p |
| ph | f (p) |
| r | r |
| s | s |
| (sc) | (sci) |
| t | t |
| tia | cia (tia) |
| tio | cio (tio) |
| u w | u |
| un | an (un) |
| um | am (um) |
| v | v |
| x | cs |
| z | z (ds) |
(Ecclesiastical Latin)
The last syllable of a word is not pronounced, save for Ecclesiastical Latin.
Where s is between two vowels, it may be pronounced as z.
Abbreviations
| Latin | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| c. | circa | about |
| cf. | conferatur | compare |
| e.g. | exempli gratia | for example |
| et al. | et alibi | and others |
| etc. | et cetera | and so on |
| i.e. | id est | that is |
| id, ed. | idem, eadem | same |
| viz. | videlicet | to wit |
Related
Grammar
Grammar