A question for all you educated guys

[clarkyy23]

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum - a phrase that we are all familiar with and one that I remember shouting during the first half on Saturday (admitedly followed by the words 'my arse !') as for the fifteenth time a Phil Neviile 'pass' ended up in the stands.

But my question is - how is the third word actually pronounced ?

Now I have thought all my life that it is pronounced with short 'i's, as in 'Nissi'. My Dad however (not a blue) believes that it should be pronounced with long 'i's as in NighSigh. He uses Decree Nisi as an example.

As my son has recently had the slogan tatooed down the inside of his left forearm the need to know how to pronounce it properly has become more important. He is already being asked by the un-chosen ones 'what's that written down your arm, mate?'

Any advice will be gratefully received.

And I make no apology for writing a post that did not include the names Moutinho, Milito, Bullard, Tiago, Smith, Fernandez, Arshavin, M'Bia etc ...................Doh !

NI-SI NILL SATIS NISI OPTIMUM= NOTHING BUT THE BEST WILL DO IN LATTIN

 

[jtalent1878]

very different topic,makes a welcome difference

i pronounce it as Nissy, based on the Nil at the beginning.

 

[sarath]

i did latin at school it should be pronounced NILL satis NISSY optimum

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

i think clarky must be latin speaking as judging by his spelling he aint english
concentrate on your english fella before you try the difficult stuff

 

[gordonjblair]

As far as I can ascertain, the use of what I would term capitalised pronunciation of Latin is an English phenomenon based on the sentence structure (where nisi occurs at the end of a phrase, the vowels are capitalised - "decree nIsI" - or nighsigh; where it occurs mid-stream, the pronunciation is left alone - "nil satis nissy optimum").

It would seem that this occurs because modern speakers feel that the original pronunciation sounds funny when found at the end of the sentence. It would be interesting to find out if the same happens with people with different native tongues.

 

[gordonjblair]

...... It would be interesting to find out if the same happens with people with different native tongues.

On second thoughts, it probably wouldn't be very interesting at all

 

[sussex blue]

Well thank you all for your replies - they make very interesting reading and I am glad that the 'Nissy' pronunciation seems to be correct.

Just goes to show what an intellectual bunch the Blues fans are.
Whereas other teams' forums will be full of discussion on how to pronounce the name of their latest Spanish signing, we here are struggling with the complexities of the Classics.

Makes you proud.

That's not to say that I wouldn't like the chance to discuss the pronunciation of our latest signing's name !

 

[gordonjblair]

Well thank you all for your replies - they make very interesting reading and I am glad that the 'Nissy' pronunciation seems to be correct.

Just goes to show what an intellectual bunch the Blues fans are.
Whereas other teams' forums will be full of discussion on how to pronounce the name of their latest Spanish signing, we here are struggling with the complexities of the Classics.

Makes you proud.

That's not to say that I wouldn't like the chance to discuss the pronunciation of our latest signing's name !

I think it's pronounced "Pawl Dik-ov". What do you mean he's already been snapped up?

MOYES OUT

 

[TX Bill]

I'd like to post a comment but the thread specifically stated "educated" so that rules me out.

 

[uknightbreed]

my 2 pennies.

i dont know for certain , but ive always said ne-sigh .

 

[CanadaToffee]

I'd like to post a comment but the thread specifically stated "educated" so that rules me out.

Besides, you say tomato while we say tomahto...

 

[TX Bill]

Besides, you say tomato while we say tomahto...

What's this word you speak of, "tomato?"