I wasn't quite sure where to post this query, but since it pertains to nomenclature, I thought this might be the best forum. In any case this is the first place I'll try.....
My question is simple - how does one really pronounce Attila, in reference to the bird? I know the etymology of the generic name, which is now the common name of that set of particular Neotropical flycatchers, but that alone doesn't really answer my question.
"Attila" is pronounced "uh-TIL-uh" by every single online-pronunciation guide I've come across (including a Hungarian one), and it's certainly the pronunciation I grew up hearing. Given that the bird is named after the infamous Hun, I would have thought the bird name's pronunciation would be identical.
BUT, every commercial bird sound recording I have which has tracks announced at the start (including Costa Rica, Ecuador, and the Birds of SE Arizona and Sonora, MX) pronounces it "AT-ih-luh". When I became aware of this genus of birds years ago, as a result I switched my pronunciation of the bird's name to "AT-ih-luh" until this past fall, when I encountered a bird guide who I respect greatly using the more traditional pronunciation. He justifies that by pointing out what I mentioned above, that the bird is named after the Hun, so why not say it the same way?
Does this pronunciation difference arise from how Attila is pronounced in northern Continental Latin, which I understand is the preferred accent for scientific names? I've learned some Latin pronunciation rules but how they get applied to proper names sometimes is just mystifying to me. Even if it is pronounced differently in Latin, why should that overrule its pronunciation in English, especially since Attila is the common name for this genus?
I know, this whole thing is fairly trivial, but it's driving me nuts. There's an obvious discrepancy here but I find no reference to it anywhere online or in literature. What do you guys think? How do you pronounce Attila and why?
My question is simple - how does one really pronounce Attila, in reference to the bird? I know the etymology of the generic name, which is now the common name of that set of particular Neotropical flycatchers, but that alone doesn't really answer my question.
"Attila" is pronounced "uh-TIL-uh" by every single online-pronunciation guide I've come across (including a Hungarian one), and it's certainly the pronunciation I grew up hearing. Given that the bird is named after the infamous Hun, I would have thought the bird name's pronunciation would be identical.
BUT, every commercial bird sound recording I have which has tracks announced at the start (including Costa Rica, Ecuador, and the Birds of SE Arizona and Sonora, MX) pronounces it "AT-ih-luh". When I became aware of this genus of birds years ago, as a result I switched my pronunciation of the bird's name to "AT-ih-luh" until this past fall, when I encountered a bird guide who I respect greatly using the more traditional pronunciation. He justifies that by pointing out what I mentioned above, that the bird is named after the Hun, so why not say it the same way?
Does this pronunciation difference arise from how Attila is pronounced in northern Continental Latin, which I understand is the preferred accent for scientific names? I've learned some Latin pronunciation rules but how they get applied to proper names sometimes is just mystifying to me. Even if it is pronounced differently in Latin, why should that overrule its pronunciation in English, especially since Attila is the common name for this genus?
I know, this whole thing is fairly trivial, but it's driving me nuts. There's an obvious discrepancy here but I find no reference to it anywhere online or in literature. What do you guys think? How do you pronounce Attila and why?
