Mark of Minute Particulars has an interesting post about Latin as it really sounded:
The best argument, though, against the "classical" pronunciation is the fact that Caesar's "Veni, vidi, vici," [I came, I saw, I conquered] would sound kinda' wimpy as: "Waynee, weedee, weekee." Try it fast a few times. It's hard not to laugh at that pronunciation. And when I imagine wascally Caesar trying to sound important with his pronouncement, Elmer Fudd's voice always creeps in.Good point. As much as we try to escape our own subjectivities, proclivities and imbecilities, it's well-nigh impossible. At times I've gone to different Civil War battlefields or different historical places such as Lexington Green and I think, "yeah, this is how it really looked". But did it? Can one arrest the trees, which have grown 100 to 200 years older and have such a dominating presence on any landscape? Even the sky, the same sky Christ looked upon, is marred by tracks made by jets.
The crumbly 19th century books I hold in my hand didn't look like that in 1850. They were new and clean and vigorous and lacked that "old book" scent. So too with language. How can one hear "Waynee, weedee, weekee." except through the "ear lens" of Elmer Fudd?
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