I received an interesting request that asked how to properly pronounce the genus name Anthurium. The writer noted several websites that offered different pronunciations. Like all names in botany the word is Latin based and as a result is pronounced "an-THUR-eh-um". Some were saying the emphasis should be put on the first "A" and others were indicating it should be put on the "i" by pronouncing it as a strong "E". One article on the internet claims there is no correct or incorrect way to pronounce any scientific name! It says basically to say it any way you like! The world's top aroid botanist Dr. Tom Croat at the Missouri Botanical Garden would certainly disagree! Everytime I see him he corrects some Latin world I spoke incorrectly! Oh well, I guess anything goes in America today and we should all just forget how the real world works. Botanical names are based in Latin and there are a variety of Latin forms. The traditional system approximates the way ancient Romans spoke but there is also the academic system. Another system is known to some as "Church Latin". Church Latin is used by the Roman Catholic Church. Scientific names are generally spoken using the traditional system and there are certainly rules for pronunciation just like there are rules for English, French, German and every other language in the world. This article may help: http://botanicallatin.org/botnamesay.html
Steve, as a Latin speaker, I'd say an-THOO-ree'oom - the vowels in Latin have fixed sounds, like they do in Spanish and Portuguese. The most common pronunciation, though, is the one you give - an-THU-re'um.
Sure can't argue with you Beth. I just pronounce it the way I've heard Tom say it but your pronunciation is correct.
Beth, why don't you start a new thread and explain how to properly pronounce all the commonly used aroid genus names. Any recommendations on how names should be pronounced would also be useful since I am often asked how to pronounce them and have to do some digging and reread several articles every single time. I have zero training in Latin and I'd bet 99.999% of plant growers are just like me!
Why just aroids?!? Why not all names! I've seen some really grotesque pronunciation suggestions being spammed into wikipedia recently, from something called the "sunset gardening book". Best guide is from Stearn's classic Botanical Latin, where he states How they are pronounced really matters little provided they sound pleasant and are understood by all concerned. This is most likely to be attained by pronouncing them in accordance with the rules of classical Latin pronunciation. So pronounce as Julius Caesar ("yulius kaisar") or Cicero ("kikero") did, and you'll get by well.
Ooops! Hadn't noticed this thread was in an Aroids section! I just use the 'Search new posts' rather than any of the individual sections.
Certainly no problem Michael! I would think a general article on how Latin works phonetically would be best for the majority of plants since there are tons of genera!
