Names Pronunciation Guide
A guide to the pronunciation guide:
vowels
I bit
i beet
a bat
ei bite
ai bait
e bet
u boot
r Spanish "rr"
j English "y"
' place of emphasis
Saturninus - [se 'tur ni nus] "seTURninoose"
Bassianus - [ba 'si an us] "baSEEanoose"
Titus Andronicus - ['ti tu san 'dro ni kus] "TItoosanDROnikoose"
Marcus - ['mar kus] "MARkoose"
Lucius - ['lu ki us] "LOOkeyoose"
Quintus - ['kwin tus] "QUEENtoose"
Martius - ['mar ti jus] "MARteeyoose"
Mutius - ['mu ti jus] "MOOteeyoose"
Publius - ['pu bli jus] "POObleeyoose"
Sempronius - [sem 'pro ni jus] "semPROneeyoose"
Caius - ['gai jus] "GUYyoose"
Valentius - [wa 'len ti jus] "waLENteeyoose"
Aemilius - [ai 'mi li jus] "ayMEEleeyoose"
Alarbus - [a 'lar b@s] "aLARbes"
Demetrius - [de 'met ri jus] "deMETreeyoose"
Chiron - Normal Roman ['ki ron] "KEEron"; pretentious Roman ['khei ron] "KAYron"
Aaron - not a Roman name, Hebrew pronunciation [a ha 'r\on] "ahaRONE"
Tamora - ['ta mo ra] "TAHmohrah"
Lavinia - [la 'wi ni ja] "laWEEneeyah"
If in doubt speak in an exaggerated Tony Soprano accent.
vowels
I bit
i beet
a bat
ei bite
ai bait
e bet
u boot
r Spanish "rr"
j English "y"
' place of emphasis
Saturninus - [se 'tur ni nus] "seTURninoose"
Bassianus - [ba 'si an us] "baSEEanoose"
Titus Andronicus - ['ti tu san 'dro ni kus] "TItoosanDROnikoose"
Marcus - ['mar kus] "MARkoose"
Lucius - ['lu ki us] "LOOkeyoose"
Quintus - ['kwin tus] "QUEENtoose"
Martius - ['mar ti jus] "MARteeyoose"
Mutius - ['mu ti jus] "MOOteeyoose"
Publius - ['pu bli jus] "POObleeyoose"
Sempronius - [sem 'pro ni jus] "semPROneeyoose"
Caius - ['gai jus] "GUYyoose"
Valentius - [wa 'len ti jus] "waLENteeyoose"
Aemilius - [ai 'mi li jus] "ayMEEleeyoose"
Alarbus - [a 'lar b@s] "aLARbes"
Demetrius - [de 'met ri jus] "deMETreeyoose"
Chiron - Normal Roman ['ki ron] "KEEron"; pretentious Roman ['khei ron] "KAYron"
Aaron - not a Roman name, Hebrew pronunciation [a ha 'r\on] "ahaRONE"
Tamora - ['ta mo ra] "TAHmohrah"
Lavinia - [la 'wi ni ja] "laWEEneeyah"
If in doubt speak in an exaggerated Tony Soprano accent.
Shakespeare's Influence
Saturninus: Shakespeare may have taken this name from Roman history. Shakespeare also could have been influenced by astrological theory which dictated that saturnine men were false, envious and malicious.
Bassianus: The name of a Roman emperor also known as Caracalla.
Titus Pius: Pius refers to Titus’ devotion to his patriotic duty.
Tamora: It is likely Shakespeare got the name from “Tomyris”, a Scythian queen infamous for her cruelty.
Bassianus: The name of a Roman emperor also known as Caracalla.
Titus Pius: Pius refers to Titus’ devotion to his patriotic duty.
Tamora: It is likely Shakespeare got the name from “Tomyris”, a Scythian queen infamous for her cruelty.