You have heard it said, "The city is pronounced 'Saint Augustíne'and the saint is pronounced 'Agústin'." For once and all, I will here tell you which is better, with incontrovertible proofs provided.
websters gives two pronunciations 'ȯ-gə-ˌstēn and ȯ-ˈgəs-tən 'ȯ-gə-ˌstēn stresses the first syllable and has a long "teen" like Constantine ȯ-ˈgəs-tən stresses the second syllable and has the short "tin" like gelatin
many three letter words ending with -ine seem to stress the penultimate syllable and have a long "teen" NECtarine, PHIListine, HIStame, MAGazine, GASoline
For those claiming ȯ-ˈgəs-tən to be "correct" it is hard to find another -ine word that stresses the penultimate and has the short "tin"
Yet, -ine words in english do not all rhyme.
MEDicine - stresses the antepenultimate, but has a short "tin" and CLEMentine is pronounced by most people with a "TYNE"
in "augustinian", "teen" becomes a "tin", though perhaps some brits pronounce it "augustEENian"
the question shouldn't be "how is Augustine correctly pronounced" by WHY the TWO different pronunciations.
(I've often wondered if ȯ-ˈgəs-tən was a Catholic reaction against what was perceived to be a "protestant pronunciation.)
In the end, i'm going to continue to use ȯ-ˈgəs-tən, until I find a philologically satisfying reason to change.
Wow....you almost converted me...
ReplyDeletewebsters gives two pronunciations 'ȯ-gə-ˌstēn and ȯ-ˈgəs-tən
'ȯ-gə-ˌstēn stresses the first syllable and has a long "teen" like Constantine
ȯ-ˈgəs-tən stresses the second syllable and has the short "tin" like gelatin
many three letter words ending with -ine seem to stress the penultimate syllable and have a long "teen"
NECtarine, PHIListine, HIStame, MAGazine, GASoline
For those claiming ȯ-ˈgəs-tən to be "correct" it is hard to find another -ine word that stresses the penultimate and has the short "tin"
Yet, -ine words in english do not all rhyme.
MEDicine - stresses the antepenultimate, but has a short "tin"
and CLEMentine is pronounced by most people with a "TYNE"
in "augustinian", "teen" becomes a "tin", though perhaps some brits pronounce it "augustEENian"
the question shouldn't be "how is Augustine correctly pronounced" by WHY the TWO different pronunciations.
(I've often wondered if ȯ-ˈgəs-tən was a Catholic reaction against what was perceived to be a "protestant pronunciation.)
In the end, i'm going to continue to use ȯ-ˈgəs-tən, until I find a philologically satisfying reason to change.
Almost had you, eh? The argument from English is not that strong, but the argument from other languages I think is.
DeleteWith either, however, I believe there's enough ammunition to achieve my goal: to end the persecution the "teeners" have lavored under so long.
Thanks for reading, father!