Three major pronunciation systems
There are three major "how to pronounce Greek words" systems, each one having many little variations on the theme.Some people very strongly prefer one system over the other. However, most are happy to find a system that works for them and for their teachers and fellow students of the Greek text.
Here are the three:
1. Erasmus. The Erasmus system (often referred to as Erasmian, invented by Erasmus) in one form or another has been used in Bible college classrooms for centuries. It uses a set of made-up sounds. It's no surprise that it sounds artificial. It is!
The leading Biblical Greek textbook uses this system. Marilyn Phemister's recording of the Greek NT uses this system; you can access her recording from the audio section on the right side of this blog page. Vocabulary aids often use this system, too; Visual Greek is an example.
Teachers know this system; students learn it.
This system uses a set of made-up sounds, intended to help students in the classroom to read and spell words (in this system, most vowel and vowel-pair sounds are unique, so knowing the sound usually helps one spell a word correctly). This set of sounds is good for reading or spelling a word at a time, yet has not proven to be as effective for oral reading, as it does not appear to have been designed with that readability in mind.
As a result, reading out loud in the classroom or listening to an audio recording, well, it sounds somewhat mechanical, somewhat odd, to the speaker and to the listener.
Many using this system go for years without ever reading a chapter aloud, with understanding. And when studying with others, reading a chapter aloud, well, it's just not done.
So while the Erasumus' system is helpful in reading a word or spelling a word, it may not provide enough "real language" connections for those who would like to actually read (and think) the Scriptures in Greek.
Many students begin their journey with this pronunciation system.
2. Modern. Modern Greek is not a new language. It is Greek itself, developed over several millennia. It's pronunciation system is the historic outcome of a language living over such an extended time period.
Its sounds are the sounds of actual human language, developed over many centuries of oral and written communication.
John Simon's audio recording uses this system; you can access his recording from the audio section on the right side of this blog page.
3. Koine. In this approach, linguist Randall Buth began with modern Greek and adjusted it based upon what he observed from common misspellings during the centuries before, during, and after the first century A.D. (details here). Buth is the innovator of a four-week immersion program, with two-week add-ons (details here and a participant's blog here).
This approach appears to be gaining more and more acceptance in the academic community.Its sounds are the sounds that are justifiably the closest thing to what was spoken when the church epistles were read aloud to those who were part of the first-century church.
It's beautiful to the ear.
Some find that when wanting to read Greek aloud, or seeking to begin thinking in Greek, that the flowing sounds of a real language prove helpful, even essential.
Those who want to get to the point of "thinking and understanding in Greek" rather than "decoding and translating word by work into one's native tongue" are making the move from Erasmus sounds (where to date nearly everyone begins) to Koine sounds.
---
Q & A
Q: What did it sound like in the first century?
A: No one knows for sure. One may be able to get close by inferring some similar-in-sound matches from misspellings in handwritten manuscripts.
Q: Why choose Erasmus pronunciation?Pro: It's the one most often used in US classrooms and in learning materials.
Pro: Very few duplicate sounds makes it easier to hear a word and know how to write it down.
Con: It's a made-up systems of sounds, sounds that never existed together as an everyday language. It sounds awful! Yet is serves its purpose.
Q: Why choose modern Greek pronunciation?
Pro: The sounds you hear as you read aloud are the sounds of an actual human language, not an academic invention. It sounds like a real language. It sounds beautiful!
Con: It's used less frequently in US classrooms, although those who advocate it feel strongly about it.
Con: It's harder to hear a word and know how to write it down.
Q: Why choose Koine Greek pronunciation?
Pro: The sounds are as close as one can get to the sounds heard in the first-century church. It sounds like a real language. It sounds beautiful!
Con: It's used less frequently in US classrooms, although those who advocate it feel strongly about it.
Con: It's harder to hear a word and know how to spell it.
Q: Will my choice of Erasmus or Modern or Koine pronunciation affect my understanding of the Scriptures?
A: No. However, to the extent that using the sounds of an actual spoken language may help you think in that language, Koine Greek is likely to have an advantage.
Q: How might I choose?
A: Many begin with Erasmus, as that is what many learning materials are based upon, and that is what most peers may be familiar with. Then further along on one's journey, upgrading to Koine can be worthwhile, to facilitate actually reading, thinking, and meditating the Greek Scriptures.
Q: Which system does this site use?
A: The site supports and provides audio resources suitable for all three pronunciation systems.
---
Erasmus sounds
α | sound: ah | name: alpha (ahl.fah)
β | sound: b | name: beta (bey.tah)
γ | sound: g | name: gamma (gahm.mah)
δ | sound: d | name: delta (dehl.tah)
ε | sound: eh | name: epsilon (ehp.see.lahn)
ζ | sound: z | name: zeta (zey.tah)
η | sound: ey | name: eta (ey.tah)
θ | sound: th | name: theta (they.tah)
ι | sound: ee | name: iota (ee.oh.tah)
κ | sound: k | name: kappa (kahp.pah)
λ | sound: l | name: lambda (lahm.dah)
μ | sound: m | name: mu (moo)
ν | sound: n | name: nu (noo)
ξ | sound: ks | name: xi (ksee)
ο | sound: ah | name: omicron (ah.mee.krahn)
π | sound: p | name: pi (pee)
ρ | sound: r | name: rho (hroh)
σ, ς | sound: s | name: sigma (seeg.mah)
τ | sound: t | name: tau (tau)
υ | sound: oo | name: upsilon (oop.see.lahn)
φ | sound: f | name: phi (fee)
χ | sound: k | name: chi (kee)
ψ | sound: ps | name: psi (psee)
ω | sound: oh | name: omega (oh.meh.gah)
αι | sound: ahy (as in "αιsle")
αυ | sound: au (as in "sαυerkrαυt")
ει | sound: ey (as in "ειght")
ευ | sound: yoo (as in "fευd")
ηυ | sound: yoo (as in "fευd")
oι | sound: oi (as in "oιl")
oυ | sound: oo (as in "groυp")
υι | sound: wee (as in "sυιte")
γγ | sound: ng
γκ | sound: nk
γξ | sound: nks
γχ | sound: nk
‘ | sound: h
---
Modern sounds
α | sound: ah | name: alpha (ahl.fah)
β | sound: v | name: beta (vee.tah)
γ | sounds: gh | n before γκχ | y before eh or ee | name: gamma (ghahm.mah)
δ | sound: th | name: delta (thel.ta)
ε | sound: eh | name: epsilon (ehp.see.lohn)
ζ | sound: z | name: zeta (zee.tah)
η | sound: ee | name: eta (ee.tah)
θ | sound: th | name: theta (thee.tah)
ι | sound: ee | name: iota (yoh.tah)
κ | sound: k | name: kappa (kahp.pah)
λ | sound: l | name: lambda (lahm.dah)
μ | sound: m | name: mu (mee)
ν | sound: n | name: nu (nee)
ξ | sound: ks | name: xi (ksee)
ο | sound: oh | name: omicron (oh.mee.krohn)
π | sound: p | name: pi (pee)
ρ | sound: rolled r | name: rho (hroh)
σ, ς | sound: s | name: sigma (seeg.mah)
τ | sound: t | name: tau (tahf)
υ | sound: ee | name: upsilon (eep.see.lohn)
φ | sound: f | name: phi (fee)
χ | sound: kh | name: chi (kee)
ψ | sound: ps | name: psi (psee)
ω | sound: oh | name: omega (oh.meh.hgah)
αι | sound: eh
αυ | sounds: ahv | ahf (before θκξπστφχψ or final)
ει | sound: ee
ευ | sounds: ehv | ehf (before θκξπστφχψ or final)
ηυ | sounds: eev | eef (before θκξπστφχψ or final)
ιο | sound: yohoι | sound: eeoυ | sound: oo
υι | sound: ee
γγ | sound: ng
γκ | sound: ng (g, at word start)
γξ | sound: nks
γχ | sound: nk
μπ | sound: mb (b, at word start)
ντ | sound: nd (d, at word start)
τζ | sound: dz
‘ | sound: silent
---
Koine sounds
Same as modern Greek, with these adjustments, based upon papyrus and inscription evidence:
η | ey (rather than ee)
υ, οι | ue (rather than ee)
υι | ue.ee (two syllables)
Here are the Koine sounds:
α | sound: ah | name: alpha (ahl.fah)
β | sound: v | name: beta (vey.tah)
γ | sounds: gh | n before γκχ | y before eh or ee | name gamma (ghahm.mah|
δ | sound: th | name: delta (thel.ta)
ε | sound: eh | name: epsilon (ehp.see.lohn)
ζ | sound: z | name: zeta (zey.tah)
η | sound: ey | name: eta (ey.tah)
θ | sound: th | name: theta (they.tah)
ι | sounds: ee | name iota (ee.oh.tah)
κ | sound: k | name: kappa (kahp.pah)
λ | sound: l | name: lambda (lahm.dah)
μ | sound: m | name: mu (mue)
ν | sound: n | name: nu (nue)
ξ | sound: ks | name: xi (ksee)
ο | sound: oh | name: omicron (oh.mee.krohn)
π | sound: p | name pi (pee)
ρ | sound: rolled r | name: rho (hroh)
σ, ς | sound: s | name: sigma (seeg.mah)
τ | sound: t | name: tau (tahv)
υ | sound: ue | name: upsilon (uep.see.lohn)
φ | sound: f | name: phi (fee)
χ | sound: kh | name: chi (khee) | kh
ψ | sound: ps | name: psi (psee)
ω | sound: oh | name: omega (oh.meh.hgah)
αι | sound: eh
αυ | sounds: ahv | ahf (before θκξπστφκψ or final)
ει | sound: ee
ευ | sounds: ehv | ehf (before θκξπστφκψ or final)
ηυ | sounds: eyv | eyf (before θκξπστφκψ or final)
oι | sound: ueoυ | sound: oo
υι | sound: ue.ee (two syllables)
γγ | sound: ng
γκ | sound: nk
γξ | sound: nks
γχ | sound: nk
μπ | sound: b
ντ | sound: nd
‘ | sound: silent
---
©2015 TheBible.org All rights reserved worldwide.
There are three major "how to pronounce Greek words" systems, each one having many little variations on the theme.Some people very strongly prefer one system over the other. However, most are happy to find a system that works for them and for their teachers and fellow students of the Greek text.
Here are the three:
1. Erasmus. The Erasmus system (often referred to as Erasmian, invented by Erasmus) in one form or another has been used in Bible college classrooms for centuries. It uses a set of made-up sounds. It's no surprise that it sounds artificial. It is!
The leading Biblical Greek textbook uses this system. Marilyn Phemister's recording of the Greek NT uses this system; you can access her recording from the audio section on the right side of this blog page. Vocabulary aids often use this system, too; Visual Greek is an example.
Teachers know this system; students learn it.
This system uses a set of made-up sounds, intended to help students in the classroom to read and spell words (in this system, most vowel and vowel-pair sounds are unique, so knowing the sound usually helps one spell a word correctly). This set of sounds is good for reading or spelling a word at a time, yet has not proven to be as effective for oral reading, as it does not appear to have been designed with that readability in mind.
As a result, reading out loud in the classroom or listening to an audio recording, well, it sounds somewhat mechanical, somewhat odd, to the speaker and to the listener.
Many using this system go for years without ever reading a chapter aloud, with understanding. And when studying with others, reading a chapter aloud, well, it's just not done.
So while the Erasumus' system is helpful in reading a word or spelling a word, it may not provide enough "real language" connections for those who would like to actually read (and think) the Scriptures in Greek.
Many students begin their journey with this pronunciation system.
2. Modern. Modern Greek is not a new language. It is Greek itself, developed over several millennia. It's pronunciation system is the historic outcome of a language living over such an extended time period.
Its sounds are the sounds of actual human language, developed over many centuries of oral and written communication.
John Simon's audio recording uses this system; you can access his recording from the audio section on the right side of this blog page.
3. Koine. In this approach, linguist Randall Buth began with modern Greek and adjusted it based upon what he observed from common misspellings during the centuries before, during, and after the first century A.D. (details here). Buth is the innovator of a four-week immersion program, with two-week add-ons (details here and a participant's blog here).
This approach appears to be gaining more and more acceptance in the academic community.Its sounds are the sounds that are justifiably the closest thing to what was spoken when the church epistles were read aloud to those who were part of the first-century church.
It's beautiful to the ear.
Some find that when wanting to read Greek aloud, or seeking to begin thinking in Greek, that the flowing sounds of a real language prove helpful, even essential.
Those who want to get to the point of "thinking and understanding in Greek" rather than "decoding and translating word by work into one's native tongue" are making the move from Erasmus sounds (where to date nearly everyone begins) to Koine sounds.
---
Q & A
Q: What did it sound like in the first century?
A: No one knows for sure. One may be able to get close by inferring some similar-in-sound matches from misspellings in handwritten manuscripts.
Q: Why choose Erasmus pronunciation?Pro: It's the one most often used in US classrooms and in learning materials.
Pro: Very few duplicate sounds makes it easier to hear a word and know how to write it down.
Con: It's a made-up systems of sounds, sounds that never existed together as an everyday language. It sounds awful! Yet is serves its purpose.
Q: Why choose modern Greek pronunciation?
Pro: The sounds you hear as you read aloud are the sounds of an actual human language, not an academic invention. It sounds like a real language. It sounds beautiful!
Con: It's used less frequently in US classrooms, although those who advocate it feel strongly about it.
Con: It's harder to hear a word and know how to write it down.
Q: Why choose Koine Greek pronunciation?
Pro: The sounds are as close as one can get to the sounds heard in the first-century church. It sounds like a real language. It sounds beautiful!
Con: It's used less frequently in US classrooms, although those who advocate it feel strongly about it.
Con: It's harder to hear a word and know how to spell it.
Q: Will my choice of Erasmus or Modern or Koine pronunciation affect my understanding of the Scriptures?
A: No. However, to the extent that using the sounds of an actual spoken language may help you think in that language, Koine Greek is likely to have an advantage.
Q: How might I choose?
A: Many begin with Erasmus, as that is what many learning materials are based upon, and that is what most peers may be familiar with. Then further along on one's journey, upgrading to Koine can be worthwhile, to facilitate actually reading, thinking, and meditating the Greek Scriptures.
Q: Which system does this site use?
A: The site supports and provides audio resources suitable for all three pronunciation systems.
---
Erasmus sounds
α | sound: ah | name: alpha (ahl.fah)
β | sound: b | name: beta (bey.tah)
γ | sound: g | name: gamma (gahm.mah)
δ | sound: d | name: delta (dehl.tah)
ε | sound: eh | name: epsilon (ehp.see.lahn)
ζ | sound: z | name: zeta (zey.tah)
η | sound: ey | name: eta (ey.tah)
θ | sound: th | name: theta (they.tah)
ι | sound: ee | name: iota (ee.oh.tah)
κ | sound: k | name: kappa (kahp.pah)
λ | sound: l | name: lambda (lahm.dah)
μ | sound: m | name: mu (moo)
ν | sound: n | name: nu (noo)
ξ | sound: ks | name: xi (ksee)
ο | sound: ah | name: omicron (ah.mee.krahn)
π | sound: p | name: pi (pee)
ρ | sound: r | name: rho (hroh)
σ, ς | sound: s | name: sigma (seeg.mah)
τ | sound: t | name: tau (tau)
υ | sound: oo | name: upsilon (oop.see.lahn)
φ | sound: f | name: phi (fee)
χ | sound: k | name: chi (kee)
ψ | sound: ps | name: psi (psee)
ω | sound: oh | name: omega (oh.meh.gah)
αι | sound: ahy (as in "αιsle")
αυ | sound: au (as in "sαυerkrαυt")
ει | sound: ey (as in "ειght")
ευ | sound: yoo (as in "fευd")
ηυ | sound: yoo (as in "fευd")
oι | sound: oi (as in "oιl")
oυ | sound: oo (as in "groυp")
υι | sound: wee (as in "sυιte")
γγ | sound: ng
γκ | sound: nk
γξ | sound: nks
γχ | sound: nk
‘ | sound: h
---
Modern sounds
α | sound: ah | name: alpha (ahl.fah)
β | sound: v | name: beta (vee.tah)
γ | sounds: gh | n before γκχ | y before eh or ee | name: gamma (ghahm.mah)
δ | sound: th | name: delta (thel.ta)
ε | sound: eh | name: epsilon (ehp.see.lohn)
ζ | sound: z | name: zeta (zee.tah)
η | sound: ee | name: eta (ee.tah)
θ | sound: th | name: theta (thee.tah)
ι | sound: ee | name: iota (yoh.tah)
κ | sound: k | name: kappa (kahp.pah)
λ | sound: l | name: lambda (lahm.dah)
μ | sound: m | name: mu (mee)
ν | sound: n | name: nu (nee)
ξ | sound: ks | name: xi (ksee)
ο | sound: oh | name: omicron (oh.mee.krohn)
π | sound: p | name: pi (pee)
ρ | sound: rolled r | name: rho (hroh)
σ, ς | sound: s | name: sigma (seeg.mah)
τ | sound: t | name: tau (tahf)
υ | sound: ee | name: upsilon (eep.see.lohn)
φ | sound: f | name: phi (fee)
χ | sound: kh | name: chi (kee)
ψ | sound: ps | name: psi (psee)
ω | sound: oh | name: omega (oh.meh.hgah)
αι | sound: eh
αυ | sounds: ahv | ahf (before θκξπστφχψ or final)
ει | sound: ee
ευ | sounds: ehv | ehf (before θκξπστφχψ or final)
ηυ | sounds: eev | eef (before θκξπστφχψ or final)
ιο | sound: yohoι | sound: eeoυ | sound: oo
υι | sound: ee
γγ | sound: ng
γκ | sound: ng (g, at word start)
γξ | sound: nks
γχ | sound: nk
μπ | sound: mb (b, at word start)
ντ | sound: nd (d, at word start)
τζ | sound: dz
‘ | sound: silent
---
Koine sounds
Same as modern Greek, with these adjustments, based upon papyrus and inscription evidence:
η | ey (rather than ee)
υ, οι | ue (rather than ee)
υι | ue.ee (two syllables)
Here are the Koine sounds:
α | sound: ah | name: alpha (ahl.fah)
β | sound: v | name: beta (vey.tah)
γ | sounds: gh | n before γκχ | y before eh or ee | name gamma (ghahm.mah|
δ | sound: th | name: delta (thel.ta)
ε | sound: eh | name: epsilon (ehp.see.lohn)
ζ | sound: z | name: zeta (zey.tah)
η | sound: ey | name: eta (ey.tah)
θ | sound: th | name: theta (they.tah)
ι | sounds: ee | name iota (ee.oh.tah)
κ | sound: k | name: kappa (kahp.pah)
λ | sound: l | name: lambda (lahm.dah)
μ | sound: m | name: mu (mue)
ν | sound: n | name: nu (nue)
ξ | sound: ks | name: xi (ksee)
ο | sound: oh | name: omicron (oh.mee.krohn)
π | sound: p | name pi (pee)
ρ | sound: rolled r | name: rho (hroh)
σ, ς | sound: s | name: sigma (seeg.mah)
τ | sound: t | name: tau (tahv)
υ | sound: ue | name: upsilon (uep.see.lohn)
φ | sound: f | name: phi (fee)
χ | sound: kh | name: chi (khee) | kh
ψ | sound: ps | name: psi (psee)
ω | sound: oh | name: omega (oh.meh.hgah)
αι | sound: eh
αυ | sounds: ahv | ahf (before θκξπστφκψ or final)
ει | sound: ee
ευ | sounds: ehv | ehf (before θκξπστφκψ or final)
ηυ | sounds: eyv | eyf (before θκξπστφκψ or final)
oι | sound: ueoυ | sound: oo
υι | sound: ue.ee (two syllables)
γγ | sound: ng
γκ | sound: nk
γξ | sound: nks
γχ | sound: nk
μπ | sound: b
ντ | sound: nd
‘ | sound: silent
---
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