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pronunciation of _Scipionyx samniticus_
The basic rule for English pronunciation of Latin names is to
try to pronounce them as if they were English words. I remember
my high school Latin teacher insisting, when we encountered the
name Scipio in Cicero, that the proper English pronunciation was
"SIPP-ee-o" (with the first "i" short). Generally in English words
beginning sci- the "sc" is pronounced like "s" (science, scissors,
sciatic, scintilla, scion, etc.) although in a few cases "sk" is
an acceptable alternative. In classical Latin an "sc" before an
"i" would have been pronounced "sk" but in Italian it is "sh," so
"Scipione" would be "shipp-ee-OH-nay." If _Scipionyx samniticus_
is mentioned in English prose, "sipp-ee-OH-nicks samm-NITT-ee-kuhs"
(with "uh" representing a schwa) would seem to be the right
pronunciation; if a Latin pronunciation is wanted, the first
syllable of Scipionyx would be "skee" and "y" pronounced like
German u-umlaut or French u, and the "u" of samniticus would be like
the "u" in "put." The accents would fall on the same syllables.
One report said that the fossil is now in Salerno. Does anyone
know if it is or will be available for public viewing there, or
will it eventually be displayed in a museum elsewhere?
George Pesely, Austin Peay State Univ. peselyg@apsu01.apsu.edu