The pronunciation of latin in Croatia

Abstract

Confusion reigns in the pronunciation of Latin in Croatia, and young people know neither the classical nor the traditional pronunciation of Latin. Therefore Mate Križman suggests that the article by professor Gortan on Traditional and Classical Pronunciation of Latin, just reprinted in the Bulletin of the Croatian Association of Classical Philologists, should serve as the basis for the dicussion of the problem. Prompted by the article, the author of the present work wonders whether we ought to be ashamed that Latin survives in Croatia in its traditional pronunciation, or rather that the knowledge of classical languages is becoming worse. Since the reprinted article is concerned with conventions about pronunciation, the problem - essentially a linguistic one and therefore independent - is confused with politics. Professor Gortan, with Croatian self-denial and in favour of Yugoslav unity, asserted that Yugoslav member states were not tied to any traditions of Latin pronunciation. But since the matter with the Croats is far different from what he says, it is self-evident why all Yugoslav member states had accepted the classical pronunciation as suggested by the author, except Croatian and Bosnia and Herzegovina. As for the present-day pronunciation of Latin in Croatia, it should be considered whether it is more to the point that the Croats have difficulties because they do not know classical languages. But the concluding question is this: why do we reprint an article with unitarianist leanings today?