PRONOUNCING DELTA AND THETA

PRONOUNCING DELTA AND THETA

ΔΕΛΤΑ - ΘΗΤΑ

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For students learning ancient Greek using the Reuchlinian method of pronunciation and for students learning modern Greek, ΔΕΛΤΑ and ΘΗΤΑ are similar to the th sound in English. They seem very much alike to the ear, yet they are not identical; they sound different from one another.

Δέλτα, in small case, looks much like the English letter d (δ) but it is not pronounced like the d in dog. It has a softer sound, like the th in this.

To confuse things further, θῆτα is also pronounced like th but not the same as δέλτα. Θῆτα sounds like the "harder" th in theory.

Some people can immediately hear the difference between these two sounds, but many people have difficulty distinguishing them. Here are some English words (American pronunciation) transliterated into Greek which may help the student hear the difference. Transliteration is the method using the letters of one language to substitute as closely as possible the sound of the letters of another language.

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Δ, δ

the - δα

them - δεμ

these - διζ, δηζ or δειζ

though - δω or δο

those - δωζ or δοζ

they - δαι

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Θ, θ

theory - θίρι or θείρη, etc.

theme - θιμ or θειμ

thesis - θίσις or θείσις

Thor - Θωρ or Θορ

Thoreau - Θωρό or Θορώ

The story of the birth of the Gods: Orphic Rhapsodic Theogony.

We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.

Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.

Introduction to the Thæí (the Gods): The Nature of the Gods.

The logo to the left is the principal symbol of this website. It is called the CESS logo, i.e. the Children of the Earth and the Starry Sky. The Pætilía (Petelia; Gr. Πετηλία) and other golden tablets having this phrase are the inspiration for the symbol. The image represents this idea: Earth (divisible substance) and the Sky (continuous substance) are the two kozmogonic substances. The twelve stars represent the Natural Laws, the dominions of the Olympian Gods. In front of these symbols is the seven-stringed kithára (cithara; Gr. κιθάρα), the lyre of Apóllohn (Apollo; Gr. Ἀπόλλων). It (here) represents the bond between Gods and mortals and is representative that we are the children of Orphéfs (Orpheus; Gr. Ὀρφεύς). PLEASE NOTE: Throughout the pages of this website, you will find fascinating stories about our Gods. These narratives are known as mythology, the traditional stories of the Gods and Heroes. While these tales are great mystical vehicles containing transcendent truth, they are symbolic and should not be taken literally. A literal reading will frequently yield an erroneous result. The meaning of the myths is concealed in code. To understand them requires a key. For instance, when a God kills someone, this usually means a transformation of the soul to a higher level. Similarly, sexual union with a God is a transformation.

The story of the birth of the Gods: Orphic Rhapsodic Theogony.

We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.

Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.

SPELLING: HellenicGods.org uses the Reuchlinian method of pronouncing ancient Greek, the system preferred by scholars from Greece itself. An approach was developed to enable the student to easily approximate the Greek words. Consequently, the way we spell words is unique, as this method of transliteration is exclusive to this website. For more information, visit these three pages:

Pronunciation of Ancient Greek

Transliteration of Ancient Greek

Pronouncing the Names of the Gods in Hellenismos

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