Re: ?Pronunciation?

["Nicholas J. Pharris" <pharrinj@PLU.edu>]

On Thu, 8 Feb 1996, Sharon A. Calpin (717) 621-3118 wrote:

> If archaeopteryx is ar-kee-op'-ter-icks, 
> is gobipteryx go-bip'-ter-icks. Sounds weird.
> I want to say go-bee-tare'-icks, but that would mean ar-kay-o-tare'-icks.
> To be or not to be...a silent 'p'???

Since the "p" in "pt" was originally pronounced everywhere, and since it 
is merely a convention in non-Greek languages not to pronounce it when it 
stands at the beginning of a word (probably to avoid the embarrassing 
faux pas of spitting on one's esteemed colleagues), I recommend 
pronouncing it whenever it does not begin the word.

As for the accent, that all depends on whether the upsilon in "-pteryx" 
was long or short.  I've got to find myself a decent Greek dictionary.

Nick Pharris
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA 98447
(206)535-8204
PharriNJ@PLU.edu

"If you can't convince them, confuse them." -- Harry S. Truman