pronunciationguide

Pronunciation Guide

Hellenic Gods.Org

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ā - date, pay

ă - Sam, ham

æ or Æ - date, pay

This site is using the grapheme æ or Æ, the ash, to signify the long ā sound (as in the words date or pay) of the letter epsilon in transliterations. The digraph αι (alpha-iota) is represented simply as "ai" in transliterations, which has the identical long ā sound. We are writing them differently to enable individuals to discern whether the letter ε or the digraph ai was used in the original Greek. They are both pronounced the same.

ai - date, pay The digraph αι (alpha-iota) represents in transliterations the identical long ā sound of the other symbol, the ash (æ or Æ). We are writing them differently to enable individuals to discern whether the letter ε or the digraph ai was used in the original Greek. They are both pronounced the same.

aw - talk

a - not, pot, ah

a͞r - bear, swear

ē - bead, seed

ĕ - text, get

e - burn, learn

e͞r - hear

i - bead, seed This website is using the letter i to represent the ee sound, as in the words bead or seed, in transliterations. The letter i is also being used to represent the following digraphs: ει and οι as well as the letter Η (η). All of these are pronounced the same: as the vowels in the words bead or seed. The exception is the letter upsilon [Υ (υ)], which is pronounced exactly the same, but is represented on this site with the letter y in transliterations, to help the student differentiate whether the original Greek word used an epsilon or an upsilon.

ī - sight, high

ĭ - sin, pin

i - dill, fill

ō - hope

oi - soy, boy (oi is not used in transliterations to represent the monopthong omicron-iota, which is pronounced like the vowel-sounds in bead or seed. We are not using the oi in transliterations at all.)

ou - toot, duty, boot; in transliterations used to represent the monopthong ΟΥ (ου)

ow - pout, doubt

o͡r - whore, bore

o͝o - book

oo - toot, duty, boot; in transliterations, this sound is generally represented with the monopthong ou, which takes the place of the Greek ΟΥ (ου).

o - sun, under

ŭ - snub, cub

u - dumb

y - bead, seed This website is using the letter i to represent the ee sound, as in the words bead or seed, in transliterations. The letter i is also being used to represent the following digraphs: ει and οι as well as the letter Η (η). All of these are pronounced the same: as the vowels in the words bead or seed. The exception is the letter upsilon [Υ (υ)], which is pronounced exactly the same, but is represented on this site with the letter y in transliterations, to help the student differentiate whether the original Greek word used an epsilon or an upsilon.

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.