Purpose: This review includes a selection of published audiotapes and videotapes which may be useful for employing oral Latin and Greek in teaching the classical languages. A few items dealing with the oral reading of poetry and prose literary selections are also included. The Editor invites teachers of Latin and Greek to submit titles and comments on other materials which they have found useful for possible inclusion in a later revision. Send suggestions, corrections, and updates to Jim at jimjohnson@austincollege.edu. Editor, James F. Johnson, Austin College. Reviewers: Beverly Woodrome, Edmond Memorial HS, Edmond, OK; James F. Johnson, Austin College. A special Report byEdith Kovach on NLE's Forum Romanum Videotapes is also linked. For a more comprehensive list of A-V materials available in all areas of classics, see H.V. Bender's surveys in Classical World.
List of Items Reviewed
Works are arranged in categories of primary emphasis. All are audiocassettes unless otherwise noted. Note: (G) denotes Greek subject matter; (L), Latin.
Pronunciation and Reading of Ancient Greek (G), S. Daitz
Pronunciation and Reading of Classical Latin (L), S. Daitz
Recapitulation of Latin Grammar (L), C. Starr
Speaking Greek (G), W.S. Allen et al.
Appella Me I-IV (L), ACL
Comical Situations in Everyday Life (L), C. Starr (w. filmstrip)
Dictation and Readings in Simple Latin (L), C. Starr
First Latin (L), M. Polsky
Fra Jacobus (L) (Videotape)
Latin in Motion (L), D. Salerno
Oral Latin Proficiency Tape (L), R. Williams
III. Text Performance/Oral Reading
A Metrical Exercise Based on Three Poems of Catullus (L), E.
Kovach
A Recital of Ancient Greek Poetry (G), S. Daitz
Aristophanes' Birds (G), S. Daitz
Selections from Catullus and Horace (L), R. Sonkowsky
Selections from Cicero (L), R. Sonkowsky
Selections from Vergil (L), R. Sonkowsky
Vergil Tape (L), E. Kovach
Sources for Purchase of Materials
Current Revision: June 11, 1998
The Pronunciation and Reading of Ancient Greek, by Stephen G. Daitz (G), Jeffrey Norton Publishers (2nd ed., 1984), 2 cassettes w. booklet, AF ($34.95), BC ($34.95)
Professor Daitz begins this cassette series with a brief overview of the history of the Greek language, the development of Greek dialects, reasons for teaching the Attic Greek of the classical period, our sources of evidence about ancient pronunciation, and reasons for seeking to replicate the pronunciation of the ancients. He then carefully introduces and teaches the sounds of the classical Greek language. At points he employs the concept of "phonemic distinction," in which making clear and recognizable distinctions between similar, but contrasting sounds is the goal rather than seeking absolutely precise replication of the original sound. He effectively uses this principle in teaching poetic rhythms (the relative distinction between short and long syllables) and Greek pitch accents (where a particular absolute pitch is not as important as a clearly recognizable distinction between accented and unaccented syllables). He also follows our evidence about ancient pronunciation fully and teaches those Greek sounds, such as aspirated consonants, which differ from English sounds; the tapes include special exercises to reinforce learning these sounds. In teaching the reading of verse, he employs a five-stage process which begins with chanting the verse rhythmic patterns and concludes with an expressive reading of the line with pitch accents, phrasing and interpretation. The five-stage process is somewhat laborious and may not be necessary, provided the words are read with proper vowel length and accentuation, although analysis and understanding of the underlying verse pattern does help the student appreciate the artistry of the poet and is practically useful in the case of doubtful quantities (e.g., in choosing whether to pronounce the word lugros as lu-gros or lug-ros). Daitz demonstrates the reading of various meters in very brief selections from Homer, Aiskhylos, Euripides, and Sappho. Overall this set is an excellent introduction to the sounds of the Greek language; by applying a reasonable balance between accuracy and flexibility, Daitz implements well our knowledge and best guesses about classical pronunciation as elaborated by Allen in Vox Graeca. Recommended. (JJ)
The Pronunciation and Reading of Classical Latin, Stephen G. Daitz (L), Jeffrey Norton Publishers, Inc., 1984, 2 cassettes, AF ($34.95), also avail. from BC
The entire first tape of about one hour in length is devoted to the pronunciation of Latin vowels, consonants and diphthongs in accordance with the "restored classical" pronunciation based by Daitz chiefly on the work of W.S. Allen. The second tape of the same length treats word accent, syllabic quantity, pronunciation of 24 words, and sample readings from Cicero In Catilinam I, Vergil Aeneid I.1-7, Catullus 1, Catullus 101, Horace Odes II.10, and Horace Odes II.14. Daitz' discussion of scansion and how to read the first line of the Aeneid is excellent. He teaches the oral reading of poetry through a five-stage process: rhythm without words (chanted la, la...); rhythm with words chanted; rhythm + words+ accents (chanted); rhythm + words + accents (spoken); and finally rhythm + words+ accents + phrasing and interpretation. Also the text is scanned. This is an excellent resource for beginning levels and for the introduction of poetry. Overall, this set is highly recommended and an excellent value. Editor's Note: Pronunciation of final m in Latin has been a matter of some discussion and controversy. The letter m is a bilabial nasal in the beginning and middle of words (i.e., pronounced with lips together). The evidence suggests that within a phrase final m was subject to weakening and to assimilation with the following vowel or consonant . Before a word in the same phrase beginning with a vowel or diphthong, final m seems to have assimilated to something somewhat like a nasalized n, i.e. with lips almost closing to make the m, but not quite doing so; instead the lips close only so far as to begin the next vowel sound. Likewise, before certain initial consonants (e.g., t, d, c, k, g, q, and n) final m seems to have assimilated and been pronounced like the n in anguish (i.e., a velar nasal). However, at the end of phrases, full stops and most lines of verse and before other consonants, esp. labials (b, p, ph, n), final m was most likely pronounced normally, i.e., as a bilabial nasal as in the middle of a word. Daitz's treatment of final m is to consistently pronounce virtually every final m as if it were a nasalized French n (i.e. nasalized with lips fully apart). Daitz and Sonkowsky on the Latin tapes published by Audio Forum use the fully nasalized final m, although before bilabial consonants they seem to sometimes revert to the m-sound (In fact, it's difficult not to do so.). They do however use the nasalized pronunciation even at the end of phrases and sentences. Actually, there was probably some variation among ancient Roman speakers in their practice of pronouncing final m. Our recommendation is to accept variation in the pronunciation of final m and to tolerate practices ranging from consistent nasalization (as Daitz and his group do) to the traditional pronunciation of final m as English m, and practices in between, including use of a lightened final m with some variation based on assimilation, the practice we believe most supported by the evidence. Verse, of course requires elision or contraction of final m; the concept of the weak, assimilated final m suggests why the m was elided in verse. Recommended. (BW)
Recapitulation of Latin Grammar, Dr. Charles Starr (L), LAB, 5 cassettes w. booklet ($89.50)
This program is intended to reinforce the learning of Latin morphological paradigms. These five cassettes vary from about 9 to12 minutes in length. Dr. Starr covers the five declensions with rosa, dominus, templum, consul, corpus, civis, urbs, manus, dies, mare, and cornu. Adjectives include bonus, vetus, doctior, and fortis on the first tape. The second contains hic, ille, is, ego, tu, se, nos, vos, meus, tuus, suus, noster, vester, quis, qui, nemo, quidam (adj. and pron.), aliquis, nihil, nullus, and alius. The third tape covers selected cardinal and ordinal numbers. Unus, duo, and tres are declined fully. In the remaining tapes the basal verbs amo, moneo, lego, capio, and audio, and the irregular verbs sum, possum, eo, volo, nolo, and fero are partially conjugated in active and passive indicative, active and passive subjunctive, present participles, and some infinitives. It would be more useful if all verb forms were given rather than selected or representative ones, especially for the remediation of students having difficulty. Also the case order of nominative, vocative, accusative, genitive, dative, and ablative is confusing for students who have been taught a different order. Almost all beginning textbooks for American students have the traditional American order of NGDAcAb. (One of the committee members who owns this set would not have bought it had she known of the missing forms and the case order different from that used in her textbooks.) Recommended with caution. (BW)
Speaking Greek, by J.A.C.T. (G), Cambridge University Press, 1981, 1 cassette ($23.95)
This cassette contains a survey of Greek sounds and brief sample readings
by W.S. Allen, author of Vox
Graeca, and a selection of oral performances by David Raeburn and
others of texts from the Reading Greek textbooks published by Cambridge.
Included in these selections is a reading of Odyssey 6.110-185,
Odysseus' initial encounter with Nausikaa. Allen's part of the tape consists
of a cursory survey of Greek vowel, diphthong and consonant sounds followed
by sample readings which illustrate his method of reading Greek prose and
poetry. Despite his having "written the book" on which the restored classical
pronunciation is based, he himself is hesitant to adopt or advocate teaching
some of the distinctive sounds which his research has shown were spoken
by Greeks of the fifth century B.C.E. For example, rather than attempt
the Greek pitch accent, he substitutes the stress accent with which English
speakers are comfortable; in verse, he ignores the accent altogether to
focus on verse rhythms; and he does not pronounce the iota subscript. He
furthermore suggests to teachers that they may want to teach the fricative
pronunciation of theta, phi, and chi, which are less
likely to cause confusion to students than teaching the aspirated sounds
used by the Greeks. Such accommodations to speakers of English is contrary
to the principle of authenticity which is followed in teaching modern languages
and which should be followed in teaching ancient languages as well. Fortunately,
Raeburn and the other readers on the tape (whose readings make up approximately
75% of the tape) do use the authentic practices of the restored pronunciation
and produce some delightful renditions of Greek speech, including simple
but lively dramatic dialogues, adaptations from Socrates' Apology
and Aristophanes' Lysistrata, and the selection from Book 6 of the
Odyssey.
These are all very well done and well worth the price of the tape, if you
teach with the Reading Greek textbook. If not, you will need to
also purchase the Text volume of the Reading Greek course
in order to have all the texts rendered on the tape. The teaching of the
Greek sounds themselves is much better done on Daitz's cassettes, The
Pronunciation and Reading of Ancient Greek. Recommended. (JJ)
Appella Me I-IV (L), ACL, 4 cassettes ($6.30 per tape)
These interviews between a Latin-speaking personality and a Latin/English-speaking interviewer are lively and clever. Each interview is approximately five minutes long. Appella Me I contains interviews with Columbus, Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood, Little Boy Blue, Tom the Piper's Son, and Georgie Porgie. Appella Me II features Hansel and Gretel, Jack and the Beanstalk, Hey Diddle Diddle characters, the Farmer in the Dell, Mary of the Lamb, and Humpty Dumpty. Appella Me III includes Simple Simon, Jack and Jill, the Old Woman of the Shoe, Jupiter, Juno, and Venus. Appella Me IV concludes with Mercury, Apollo, Diana, Minerva, Neptune, and Mars. Although these have enough English to be understood by Latin I students, Latin II-IV should understand more of the Latin used. Many students love these interviews, which are consistently well done and interesting. Teachers should review a few of the Latin words employed in advance. Recommended. (BW)
Comical Situations in Everyday Life, Dr. Charles Starr (L), LAB, 2 filmstrips and 2 cassettes with Latin/English text ($74.50)
The first filmstrip has 17 frames featuring scenarios set in a cafe and a school library; its length is about 8 minutes. The second filmstrip of about 8 minutes' length has 16 frames featuring scenarios in a haunted house and a soccer field. These are suitable for late Latin II and above with some review of vocabulary prior to showing. Students must be accustomed to comprehending Latin aurally. Recommended with reservation about value. (BW)
Dictation and Readings in Simple Latin, Dr. Charles Starr (L), LAB, 2 cassettes of about 20 minutes in length with Latin/English text ($42.95)
Titles of selections include "Salve, Marce," " Ad Theatrum Imus,"
"Cantilena Latina," "Facilius," "Luna Dum in Caelo," "Carmen," "In Tribunali,"
"In Tramine," "Carmen," " In Carcere," "Gaudeamus Igitur," and"Carmen
Circensa." Dr. Starr reads each poem/song once clearly and then reads
it again more slowly for dictation. Students at any level can easily hear
and distinguish the sounds, although vocabulary and grammar are suitable
for Latin II or above. Some people will not be familiar with the tunes
of the short songs. Recommended with some reservation. (BW)
First Latin, Marion Polsky (L), 1987, 1 cassette, ADD ($22.53),
APP ($19.95)
This cassette covers pronunciation, classroom expressions, weather, time, classroom directions, months, cardinal and ordinal numbers, and also includes a few instructional and popular songs such as "Te America" and "Felicem Tibi" with guitar accompaniment. This cassette accompanies First Latin, an introductory Latin course for grades 4-7, but it can also be used to supplement other textbooks at the secondary level. The student activity book and teacher's guide are to be purchased separately. Recommended. (BW)
Fra Jacobus (L), BFA, 1 videocassette ($150)
This 15 minute computer animated cartoon with oral Latin narration and an accompanying Latin/English script is based on the song "Frere Jacques." When Fra Jacobus has trouble waking up to ring the monastery bells for morning prayers, his fellow monks present him with an alarm clock. Animation visualizes each noun, verb, and adjective in the story, and repetition of vocabulary and actions reinforces vocabulary and eases aural comprehension. With the teacher presenting a few vocabulary words in advance, students will be able to comprehend easily. This clever video is suitable for any level of beginning Latin, even collegiate. Recommended. (BW)
Latin in Motion, Dorsey Price Salerno (L), ACL, 1 cassette with handbook, 1987 ($13.75)
This cassette, suitable for beginning and intermediate students, accompanies a teacher's handbook which not only incorporates the tape but also offers additional lesson plans. The tape features Latin and Greek names for boys (nominative and vocative cases) and for girls, greetings, questions, assents, negatives, thanks, days of the week, weather, classroom directions and commands, numbers, and the calendar. Games such as Simonus Dicit and Latin Bingo combine language reinforcement and fun. Brief instructional songs have piano accompaniment. Ms. Salerno also illustrates how to use oral Latin to teach several sample reading passages from popular textbooks. Recommended. (BW)
Oral Latin Proficiency Tape, Rose Williams (L), privately published, 1996 ($19.00)
This cassette with a 10-page text emulates what is done in proficiency-oriented
tapes for modern languages. Procedures employed include "listen and repeat"
and "listen and respond." Sentences are created to allow variation in case,
tense, and gender; topics cover greetings, classroom topics, colors, numbers,
comprehension, and rhythm. The questions make students think while applying
inflectional forms. This is suitable for beginning Latin, middle school
through collegiate. Recommended. (BW)
III. Text Performance/Oral Reading
A Metrical Exercise Based on Three Poems of Catullus, Edith Kovach (L), ACL ($3.25)
Dr. Kovach teaches how to read three of Catullus' poems which employ different meters: Catullus 5, featuring the hendecasyllabic; Catullus 51, the Sapphic stanza; and Catullus 70, the elegiac couplet. The reader must supply a copy of the text. Briefly explaining the meter of the poems, Dr. Kovach offers the listener time to repeat lines. At the end of the exercise for each poem she gives a final expressive rereading of the poem. Recommended. (BW)
A Recital of Ancient Greek Poetry, by Stephen G. Daitz (G), Jeffrey Norton Publishers, 1978, 4 cassettes w. booklet, AF ($59.50), BC ($59.50)
In this four-cassette set, one cassette is devoted to each of the following types of text: (1) selections from Homer's Iliad; (2) selections from Homer's Odyssey; (3) selections from Greek lyric poets, including Sappho, Simonides, Pindar, et al.; and (4) selections from tragedy and comedy, including all four major poets. The selections range in length from very short lyric fragments to selections of about 150 lines from the epics. Daitz chose the texts to reflect the various genres of Greek literature as well as a broad range of poetic rhythms; they are also selections of high interest, drama or significance. Daitz' procedure in presenting each selection is to first recite an English translation of the text and then the Greek text itself. This sequence aids the listener's comprehension of the Greek by giving a preview (or rather, a prelistening) of the "sense" of the text before encountering the Greek original. In playing a selection to a class, the teacher can play both language versions or play only the Greek version. Homeric Greek is represented on the first two cassettes. (N.Daitz inserts the digamma where it seems to have dropped out of the text.) Daitz' style of recitation deserves comment. In his recitation of both English and Greek texts, Daitz employs what might be described as an elevated, declamatory style, in which the voice tends to be projected at a relatively high pitch and volume and maintained thus. In seeking to replicate the original pitch accents of the Greek hexameter, Daitz' recitation comes to resemble the recitative style of opera. Based on our knowledge of ancient Greek text performance, this is probably relatively close to the way Homeric Greek was recited in the classical period, if not in the earlier time of the Homeric bard, when musical accompaniment and perhaps song were used. Daitz' recitation style strikes the contemporary listener as somewhat alien in comparison to the less rhetorical and more subtly expressive narrative style commonly used today. Daitz' careful efforts to replicate the pitch accent and verse rhythms of ancient Greek poetry have led him to depart from the subtle patterns of phrasing and intonation used by English speakers to communicate ideas and emotions, although he does employ changes in volume, pitch, and tempo to convey intensification of emotion or drama. In a recent article (AJP 112, pp. 149ff.), Daitz presents an argument in support of his style of reciting the Homeric hexameter, particularly in regard to the avoidance of pauses within the hexameter line and the regular use of pauses at the ends of lines. Daitz' recitations of lyric and dramatic texts on cassettes 3 and 4 are also done well. His style of recitation is especially well suited to lyric moods and rhythms. Also, in the dramatic dialogues he employs different "voices" for different characters (e.g., Antigone and Creon). He conveys the pathos of Andromache's farewell to Astyanax expecially well, and his recitation of the summoning of the birds (Aristoph. Birds 227-62) is a masterpiece of onomatopoeia and rhythm. We simply can't know for sure how the ancient Greeks recited these texts. Daitz takes a somewhat formal approach to the recitation and carries it off well. Someone else might recite the same texts in a more "natural" style and also be effective in doing so (cf., e.g., the readings on Speaking Greek, reviewed above). Daitz does an excellent job of performing these classic texts in a style that seeks to replicate that of the ancient Greeks. We therefore recommend these tapes with the understanding that this is one very good way, but not the only way, of reciting these texts. (JJ)
Aristophanes' Birds, by Stephen G. Daitz (G), Jeffrey Norton Publishers (1983), 2 cassettes w. booklet, AF ($39.95), BC ($39.95)
This reading of Aristophanes' Birds in the original Greek is a one-man show by Professor Daitz. Daitz, however, compensates for the lack of other readers by varying his voice in portraying different characters. The reading throughout is lively and expressive and probably duplicates well the fast-moving, spirited dialogue that we expect Aristophanes' actors to have used. He handles capably the extended range of Aristophanes' diction and rhythms from everyday speech to lyric sonorities, even breaking into song at appropriate places. Less successful is the attempt to simulate the multiple voices of the Chorus by using electronic echo; the result is clearly artificial, but is a tolerable compromise given the lack of a group of readers to perform these parts. Overall, this is an excellent reading of the Birds, useful both for students studying the Greek original and for anyone interested in performing parts of the play in the original language. Recommended. (JJ)
Selections from Catullus and Horace, Robert P. Sonkowsky (L), Jeffrey Norton Publishers, Inc., 1988, 2 cassettes with booklet, AF ($39.95), BC ($39.95)
These two cassettes of three hours in length feature Catullus' Polymetrics (selections from 1-58), Attis 63, Ariadne and Theseus (selection from 64), and Elegiacs (selections from 69-116). Poems of Horace include Odes from Books I-IV, Epodes II and VII, and Satires I.9. Sonkowsky, using the restored classical pronunciation of Latin, beautifully and dramatically conveys the wide range of rhythms, emotions, word choice, and imagery employed in the poetry of Catullus and Horace. These tapes are useful for Catullus and Horace at secondary or collegiate levels; however, playing selections occasionally or studying one or two of the poems in Latin I and II would show the beauty of the Latin language and poetry to younger students and perhaps whet students' appetites for more. The text has Latin and English on facing pages. Recommended. (BW)
Selections from Cicero, Robert P. Sonkowsky (L), Jeffrey Norton Publishers, Inc., 1984, 2 cassettes w. booklet, AF ($39.95), BC ($39.95)
These two cassettes of almost three hours in length (with accompanying Latin and English text) feature these selections read in the restored classical pronunciation: First Oration Against Catiline (complete); Against Verres II, V.158-163; For Milo, 25-30; On the Manilian Law, 36-48; The Second Philippic, 116-119; Brutus, 139-142 and 313-316; For Archias (complete); Tusculan Disputations I.96-104; The Republic VI.9-16 (The Dream of Scipio); and On Friendship, 20-22. Letters include To Atticus I.2; II.22; III.3; To Terentia F XIV.2; F XIV.1; To Atticus IV.1; and To Marius F VII.3. Poems include On the Consulship II.1-10; Marius II.1-13; and Phaenomena 237-249. In these interpretive readings Sonkowsky effectively conveys the meaning and emotion inherent in the text. This is an excellent reading in Latin of samples of Cicero for secondary and collegiate levels. Editor's Note: Concerning Sonkowsky's treatment of final m, see Editor's Note on Daitz, Pronunciation and Reading of Classical Latin, above. Sonkowsky also employs numerous elisions in his reading of Ciceronian prose. In doing so, the reader is following a practice which seems to have been employed by orators like Cicero as well as his own intuition. The result is a lively, highly energized reading style which students should appreciate. Recommended. (BW/JJ)
Selections from Vergil, Robert P. Sonkowsky (L), Jeffrey Norton Publishers, Inc., 2 cassettes w. booklet, 1985, AF ($39.95), BC ($39.95)
These two cassettes of almost three hours in length (with accompanying
Latin and English text) feature selections from Aeneid I, II, IV,
VI, VIII, IX, XI, and XII; Eclogues I, II, and IV; and Georgics
IV.315-566. Again using the restored classical pronunciation of Latin,
Sonkowsky effectively communicates the phonetic, musical, and dramatic
aspects of these works of Vergil. This is strongly recommended for Vergil
classes at the secondary and collegiate levels. (BW)
Vergil Tape, Edith Kovach (L), ACL ($3.25)
This approximately 15 minute tape begins with an interpretive reading
of Aeneid I.1-11 followed by a metrical exercise using line-by-line
reading of the same text. No text is provided. Students can repeat lines
for metrical rhythm and for thought groups and finally the entire excerpt
as poetry. Dr. Kovach's method makes reading the metrical pattern easy.
This is intended for secondary or collegiate Vergil classes. Recommended.
(BW)
Sources for Purchase of Audiotapes and Videotapes
ACL: American Classical League, TMRC, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056. 513-529-7741; Fax: 513-529-7742
ADD: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., World Language Division, 10 Bank Street, White Plains, NY 10606-1951. Help Desk: 800-266-8855 x5177; K-12 Schools, Orders Call: 800-552-2259; College & Adult, Orders Call: 800-322-1377
AE: Audio Editions, P. O. Box 6930, Auburn, CA 95604. 800-231-4261; Fax: 916-888-1840
AF: Audio-Forum, 96 Broad St., Suite A40, Guilford, CT 06437. 1-800-243-1234
APP: Applause Learning Resources, 85 Fernwood Lane, Roslyn, NY 11576-1431. 516-365-1259 or 800-253-5351; Fax: 516-365-7484
BC: Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, 1000 Brown St., Unit 101, Wauconda, IL 60084
BFA: BFA Educational Media, 2349 Chaffee Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146. 800-221-1274 or 314-569-0211.
CAM: Cambridge University Press, 40 W. 20th St., New York, NY 10011-4211. 800-872-7432
LAB: Labyrinth, P.O. Box 154, E. Northport, NY 11731-0154
Rose Williams, 2601 South 38th, Abilene, TX 79605. 915-692-5299