Pronunciation Without Pain: Thank you, Henry Beard!

Another early lesson in every textbook is how to pronounce Latin.  The consonants, vowels and diphthongs are categorized and explained.  Students read and repeat.  Bored with the sentences in my textbook, I wrote these sentences for students to practice.  I explain the rule, read it aloud and then ask them to read it in unison. Sometimes I call on a brave soul to read it aloud before me, based upon my explanation of the rule. Interest in pronunciation has increased  since I started using these sentences.   

Consonant pronunciation: 
Vir in via vehiculum videt
Certe, Caesar cum celeritate cecedit.
Iam Iulius ianitorem iubet  ianuam iacere

AE dipthong
Haec Caesar Laetus in aestate est.

Amasne me, bene, Cornelia?  (to demonstrate the long e sound in Latin)

There are more of course, but you get the idea.

However, the dessert is my hand-out, given after we have reviewed all the major rules of pronunciation, usually ten minutes before the end of the class. It's entitled "Useful Latin Expression" and its full of the kinds of things that students really want to say in Latin such as, "The dog at my homework" or "Pull my finger."  Somehow kids never lose this sheet.  We generally don't practice all of the expressions on the page.  I read some of them and then let them try them out on each other.  It never fails to please.  For this activity, I must credit Henry Beard since many of these sentences were based upon the expressions in his book, Latin For All Occasions.  It's hilarious. If you don't have a copy,  you should buy one immediately. 

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