Disputatio:Laocoon

Laocoön or Laocoon? Harrissimo 17:56, 27 Maii 2008 (UTC).[reply]

Good question. Since oo in Latin can only be treated as two vowels (unlike oe, which can either be a diphthong or two separate vowels) I don't see any reason to put a diaeresis on it. But others might disagree ... Andrew Dalby (disputatio) 18:15, 27 Maii 2008 (UTC)[reply]

There is an unpublished rule on diaereses (Disputatio Vicipaediae:De orthographia#Diaereses) which is that we should use them. So if we do accept UV's argument about the Gadgets changing poesis to pœsis when ligaturae monstrantur, as well the argument that aeris/aëris need distinguishing, do we need to keep consistency in this case? Should that rule be published? Harrissimo 18:24, 27 Maii 2008 (UTC).[reply]

I'm happy with the rule; I'm just not sure whether, in Latin, a diaeresis is necessary on oo. In English it is necessary, I guess, because otherwise he comes out as Layo-coon to rhyme with Sailor Moon. But in Latin there's no other way to pronounce oo: it has to be two separate vowels.

But I don't mind: if others prefer a diaeresis, fine. Andrew Dalby (disputatio) 19:58, 27 Maii 2008 (UTC)[reply]

FYI: the Loeb edition of the Aeneid uses the diaeresis in the English text, but not in the Latin. Also, en: uses the diaeresis here, but not for Pirithous! (I'm pretty sure the Loeb edition does not use it in the word Pirithoo, which ends one of Horace's odes, but I can't find it just now to see how it handles the English.) IacobusAmor 20:11, 27 Maii 2008 (UTC)[reply]