Pronunciation of 'ph'

In chapter XVIII of LLPSI, the author pronounces the word 'zephyrus' with [f] sound instead of [pʰ] (or [ph]). If he is using Classical pronunciation, why is that? And how 'ph' should be pronounced, or was pronounced depending on the historical period?
 
 

Godmy

Sīmia Illūstris

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Location:
Bohemia
Well, this is contentious, because it's a Greek word even in Latin (a foreign word to the native Latin phonology).

Historically in archaic and younger Latin the Romans would automatically accept the words with an unaspirated simple "p" sound (ἀμφορεύς or similar became ampulla), later on they would accept the "ph" words with "ph" but in the classical (and later) Latin probably only the upper class educated in Greek would pronounce it as an aspirated "ph" (at the times when the contemporary Greeks would do so somewhere too), the others would treat it as "f" (the word I mentioned was accepted to Latin again as "amphora" with a different meaning). And since we learn the upper class Latin, it's not wrong for you if you pronounce it as "ph" too, but nobody will tear your head off if you do it as "f"...
 

Iohannes Aurum

Technicus Auxiliarius

  • Technicus Auxiliarius

Location:
Torontum, Ontario, Canada
Likewise, theta originally made a hard "t" sound.
 
 

cinefactus

Censor

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  • Patronus

Location:
litore aureo
Well, this is contentious, because it's a Greek word even in Latin (a foreign word to the native Latin phonology).

Historically in archaic and younger Latin the Romans would automatically accept the words with an unaspirated simple "p" sound (ἀμφορεύς or similar became ampulla), later on they would accept the "ph" words with "ph" but in the classical (and later) Latin probably only the upper class educated in Greek would pronounce it as an aspirated "ph" (at the times when the contemporary Greeks would do so somewhere too), the others would treat it as "f" (the word I mentioned was accepted to Latin again as "amphora" with a different meaning).
Are you able make a recording of some words with ph in them for us Godmy?
 

Iáson

Cívis Illústris

  • Civis Illustris

Could you please elaborate on what you said about 'y'. And what is the Latin potential "middle-vowel"?
y represents Greek υ and more educated Romans may well have pronounced it as a front rounded vowel /y/ rather than the Latin back rounded /u/, or Latin /i/.
The 'sonus medius' is a vowel somewhere between u, i and is spelt as either - hence 'optumus' and 'optimus' are both found. It is possible that the emperor Claudius unsuccessfully attempted to introduce the letter Ⱶ for this sound.
 

Iáson

Cívis Illústris

  • Civis Illustris

Since the 'u' sound is rounded and the 'i' sound is not, was 'sonus medius' halfway on this aspect as well?
Its exact realisation is uncertain, and debated. I think Allen (p59) suggests that it was a front rounded vowel, but more open than Greek υ.
 
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