Overview
This topic covers the Latin alphabet used in medical terminology, the traditional rules for reading letters and letter combinations, the division of words into syllables, and the rules that decide which syllable carries the stress. Correct reading and stress are the basis for learning nouns, adjectives and clinical terms.
The alphabet and pronunciation
Medical Latin uses 25 letters: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v x y z. There is no w. The letters k, y, z occur only in words of Greek origin (kinesis, hyoideus, zygomaticus). The vowels are a, e, i, o, u, y; all other letters are consonants. The letters j and v were added later to write the consonantal i and u: before a vowel they are read [j] and [v] (jugularis, vena).
Vowels are read as in most European languages: a [a], e [e], i [i], o [o], u [u], y [i]. Latin vowels keep their quality in unstressed syllables.
Reading of consonants
Diphthongs
The pairs ae, oe, au, eu are diphthongs: one sound and one syllable. If the two vowels are to be read separately, a diaeresis is written (aër). The combinations ph, th, rh, ch are digraphs of Greek origin: each stands for one sound and is not split between syllables.