How to pronounce augustine

Apologetics Philosophy
#1

This may be a silly question, but how do I pronounce St. Augustine? I’ve heard it pronounced two ways: 'aw gus teen and a 'gus tin – which pronunciation refers to the Bishop of Hippo and the writer of Confessions?

Thank you!

#2

I think either is acceptable, however it has always been my belief that the most Catholic pronunciation is “A’ gus tin.” I know of a “St. Augustine Church” and it is pronounced “A’ gus tin.”
“Aw gus teen” only refers to the city in Florida.

#3

Ah-GUS-tin.

#4

So…

AW-GUS-teen ?

AW-GUS-tin ?

a-GUS-tin ?

#5

a-GUS-tin

is how I’ve heard it lately too. Course I always thought it was AUG-us-teen… so I’m glad to know the correct pronunciation before I embarrass myself in conversation!

It’s like Celtic… if you’re referring to a basketball team in Boston, it’s the SELL-tics… if you’re referring to anything Irish, it’s KEL-tic!

#6

I vote for au-GUS-tin.

#7

Anything from

ow-goose-TEE-neh

to

GUS.

#8

Hey! That’s Saint Gus to you! :slight_smile:

#9

I stand corrected.

#10

uh-GUS-tin

but

aw-gis-TIN-i-an

#11

To me, it doesn’t matter. It’s like the difference, when pronouncing “aunt,” between saying “ant” or “awnt.” I usually go with the latter, mostly because of the phonetic way I pronounce some things

#12

Thank you for all the responses! We have a son on the way and we have been reading the works of St. Augustine and we are considering naming our son Augustine. However, we had to make sure we had the pronunciation correct so we didn’t look like total idiots when people asked us why we named him Augustine and we tried to explain that he was named after St. Augustine – it might help if we could pronounce his name correctly as well as talk about how his life and writings inspired us :stuck_out_tongue: .

#13

'aw gus tin :slight_smile: - in the UK at least. The two you give look as though they may be of Spanish origin.

#14

St. Augustine was founded by the Spanish in honor of Saint Augustine. So not sure if there is a distinction. I say St. Au-Gu-Steen.

I was raised Protestant. My parish priest says Au-Gu-Stin but an episcopal church in our city goes by the name Au-Gu-Stin. So who knows?

#15

and if you are referring to the Famous Glasgow Celtic - first ever Scots-Irish, first ever non-Latin, Football Champions of Europe - then its ‘sel-tic’, (or ‘sellic’ if you are from Glasgow!) :thumbsup:

#16

Protestants: AW-gus-steen.
Catholics: (Saint) aw-GUS-stin.

IMHO.

1 Like
#17

Aw gus steen, Ima gess in. :smiley:

#18

I was just wondering then, why do we say ConstanTEEN for Constantine, and not AugusTEEN for Augustine.

We don’t say ConsTANtin.

We say LiberTEEN, not LiBERtin.

PalesTYNE, not PaLAStin.

Language is a mysterious thing.

#19

I’ve noticed that differentiation in pronunciation between Protestants and Catholics. I wonder why that is? :confused:

#20

I grew up in Florida, where I was extremely familiar with the city of St. Augustine… pronounced, Saint Aw-gus-teen.

I keep hearing Uh-gus-tin now that I’m in the RCC. I frankly can’t see this pronunciation in any manner whatsoever based on the spelling. Is it a Latin vestige?

FWIW, this discussion is the exact reason I despise the English “language”. I can’t wait for the bastardization we know as English to die a fiery death. This is exactly why I want to learn Latin, and why, if I am ever gifted the responsibility of children, they will be polyglots.

e at the end of a word with “ine” = een, in my experience. English… ugh.