“Ay-men” may have been introduced into the Mass post VII, but it had been around in private Catholic devotions (i.e. the Rosary, Sign of the Cross) for much longer.Not so sure…the hand raising at the Our Father and Praise music all have come out of the Southern Evangelical movement. Likewise, “Ay-men” is a pronunciation introduced in the post-VII world. It only looks northern because y’all are too young.
67 is a mere babe in arms
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In fact it is likely that pre-VII English speaking Catholics would have had *more *chance to to say Ay-men than Ah-men since many Catholics didn’t speak at all at Mass. Vocal prayers would have been outside of Mass and therefore most likely in English.
(To the best of my knowledge, no one here is suggesting Ay-men was used with Latin.)
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CB_Catholic
Guest
Are you really suggesting that this pre-Vatican II northeastern Ohioan of Italian ancestry and at the age of 64 is too young to have been taught to say Ay-men? I think you really are misinformed here.Not so sure…the hand raising at the Our Father and Praise music all have come out of the Southern Evangelical movement. Likewise, “Ay-men” is a pronunciation introduced in the post-VII world. It only looks northern because y’all are too young.
67 is a mere babe in arms
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andrewstx
Guest
Too me aymen is distasteful. I was raised in Texas by S Baptist and churches of Christ people. It tended to be more aymin with the southern accents.
I remember being surprised when men with basso profundo voices would boom out from the aymen corners when they agreed with the “praycher”
My first ventures into liturgical churches Lutheran and Episcopal they said ahmen at the end of prayers. I first became Episcopal for peace in my family since they are semi-Protestant. When the family told me I was hell bound for not going to a fundamentalist church I went all the way and converted to Catholicism.
I was shocked to hear aymen just like the fundamentalists say, shocked and surprised.
I remember being surprised when men with basso profundo voices would boom out from the aymen corners when they agreed with the “praycher”
My first ventures into liturgical churches Lutheran and Episcopal they said ahmen at the end of prayers. I first became Episcopal for peace in my family since they are semi-Protestant. When the family told me I was hell bound for not going to a fundamentalist church I went all the way and converted to Catholicism.
I was shocked to hear aymen just like the fundamentalists say, shocked and surprised.
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KendraDZ1902
Guest
So, you think the way someone pronounces a word is distasteful because of their accent? Well, glad we type and not talk on this forum.
Oh, and if you were raised in Texas, you definitely have an accent.
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Morwenna
Guest
Oh, my stars and garters!!!
What is the world coming to?!?
:bigyikes: SHOCKING**!!!** :bigyikes:
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Morwenna
Guest
I’m with you, Kendra.So, you think the way someone pronounces a word is distasteful because of their accent? Well, glad we type and not talk on this forum.
Although, honestly, I think people who feel that certain regional dialects are “distasteful” are really missing out on something. I think it’s fascinating to hear all the different dialects all across America, not to mention those in the UK, Australia, and other English-speaking nations.To me, it’s a delight and a pleasure to hear all the different regional “flavors” of English.
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ProVobis
Guest
“Amen” is one of those universal terms, not strictly English. Its prounciation is important if we want to keep it universal, especially in the liturgy.To me, it’s a delight and a pleasure to hear all the different regional “flavors” of English.
Next: “alleluia.”
“Amen” is one of those universal terms, not strictly English. Its prounciation is important if we want to keep it universal, especially in the liturgy.
Next: “alleluia.”
At least Amen is spelled the same way in languages that use the Latin alphabet. (At least as far as I know.) The same can not be said for alleluia. And I don’t believe all languages accent the same syllables.
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DaveBj
Guest
That’s one of my private peeves. It starts with the Hebrew letter “He”, so it’s “Hallelujah” (with the German “j”).“Amen” is one of those universal terms, not strictly English. Its prounciation is important if we want to keep it universal, especially in the liturgy.
Next: “alleluia.”
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andrewstx
Guest
Not really. I have managed to escape Texas for years at a time, I was in a Franciscan Monastery for 2 years in Illinois living with brothers from all over.So, you think the way someone pronounces a word is distasteful because of their accent? Well, glad we type and not talk on this forum.
Oh, and if you were raised in Texas, you definitely have an accent.
I think I was traumatised by my very abusive step dad, he broke my leg and even shot at me.
He turned me against all things southern and redneckish. He “wus prowyud ta bay backareds”.
No doubt that is why I’m off balance.
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confusedgirl
Guest
I say it like Ah-men and for two reasons. It sounds so much nicer as ah-men and the other being its a hebrew word that became aramaic that became greek that became latin (or something like that) I took choir for 7 years and you eventually come across latin songs. The first rule is that there is absolutely NO dipthongs in Latin. A dipthong is basically a double vowel sound so the perfect example would be the other way of pronouncing amen. It would look something like its: aemen. Both the A and E are pronounced which doesnt exist in latin at all. I know british people and I know that they pronounce most of their A’s as Ah so if your British you’d probably say it the latin way. Well english came from latin and languages to evolve over time. Vowels developed more pronounciations. A has 3 pronounciations which arei call the hard A, the dipthong A, and the latin A. So while technically there can be many ways to pronounce amen I prefer the latin way because I think it sounds better and because I’ve been singing it like that for 7 years and its drilled in my head that way
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ProVobis
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At least they didn’t translate it to something like “Awesome.”
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Bill_Martin
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JamesCaruso
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I tend to go with ah-men. Formerly I went with ay-men in English, and ah-men in Latin, which I had been taught somewhere along the line.
When I began singing in the choir, I was taught that the “English” way (maybe I should say, the high English way) of pronouncing words was preferable when singing because it has more of a prayerful sense or sound and dignity about it. I’m not sure I’m explaining that right. Before that I always thought of the “high English” pronunciation as put on, snobbish, or affected. But as I listened more to the singing I could see that if it was done well it did lend a sense of dignity. Done poorly, it still sounds affected to me, like someone putting on airs.
Anymore, I listen to those around me, and I go with the majority. Among Franciscans, that seems to be ay-men. Among more traditional or conservative Catholics (not that Franciscans are liberal, but they are more laid back), it’s a mix, but a leaning toward ah-men. In the choir, when speaking, not singing, English, it’s usually ah-men.
I don’t think “when in Rome, do as the Romans” is a cop-out. It makes sense to me to fit into the culture wherever I am worshiping, and not to be a meaningless distraction, as neither way is right or wrong.
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eamonnroma
Guest
Whatever you feel most comfortable with
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John_Lazarus
Guest
“Distatsteful”…“street talk”…“evangelical”…“aping”…“post-VII”…
Wow. Just…wow.
Wow. Just…wow.
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AndyP2010
Guest
That would be German not Latin
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Gidge
Guest
I think it’s like potato or po-tah-to, and really doesn’t make much difference as long as you respond “Amen” as a declaration of affirmation to the revealed truths of God.
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freiabereinsam
Guest
I always pronounce it only as “ah-men”. I think it’s the only proper pronunciation (kidding…but I am biased).
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