# C, pronunciation



## Obolensky

How do I pronounce the letter C; at the beginning of words, in the middle of words, at the end of words; are there letters that affect the pronunciation of the letter C?


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## fdb

A very easy question. In Classical Latin it is always /k/.


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## Obolensky

Don't you pronounce the name of the letter "C" as "Che" (Guevara)? How come you use it as an /k/ in words? When the letter K exists?


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## fdb

Are you asking about Latin? Or Spanish?


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## Obolensky

Of course, the letters of the latin alfabet have "names"; I mean when you read them in order you pronounce them in a certain way right? So, why use the letter C as /k/ when you pronounce it "che" (I don't remember the correct phonetics...), and there is this letter K you pronounce "ca[pital]"?


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## fdb

This might help you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_alphabet


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## Obolensky

Thanks! But why did ancient romans use the letter C as the sound /k/ when it existed a letter K with the sound /ka/. It seems to sophisticated. To civilised. To litterate.


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## fdb

k is used only in two words (kalendae and Karthago).


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## Obolensky

This letter C is a mysterium; from what other language in the region does it derive? Not from greek, nor from ethruscian, neither from phenician, or? Arabic? Hieroglyphics?


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## fdb

From Greek Γ.


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## Obolensky

Well, don't you pronounce it "gamma"? But the latin C you pronounce "che" but use it in words as /k/, well close to "gamma".


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## Obolensky

What is the ethymology of the letter C?


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