How do you pronounce it?
zed
zee
or
zeeta
I think either works. It's all the same letter, and makes the same sound, ain't? I bet you'd get all 3 answers if you asked an American, an Angle, or a Greek.
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MovieChat Forums > Z (1969) Discussion > How do you pronounce it?
I think the best (and most suitable) pronunciation is "zee"
It means "He is alive" in greek
I do recall that at the end of the film, the narrator says it means he is alive, but the word zei is more accurately translated as he (or she or it) lives.
To avoid any confusion, I note that the name of the Greek letter Z is, in fact, zeta (pronounced ZEE-tah in modern Greek).
In spanish is "Zeta" and sounds exactly like in greek "ZEH-tah".
But of course it doesn't have any other meaning besides being the name of a letter. Albeit, as a matter of fact "Zeta" is also a rare last name in spanish.
Alright, it goes like this:
The name for the Greek letter 'Z' is 'Zeta'. Pronounced ZEE-ta, not 'ZEH-ta' as has been suggested here.
The 3rd person singular present indicative of 'to live' in Greek is 'Zei'. Pronounced 'Zee'.
So that's how it all fits together. The Greek word for 'he lives' is pronounced exactly like the name for the English letter Z: Zee/Zei. Which is taken from the Greek alphabet letter Zeta.
Greek does not have long 'a' sounds (way, fame, hate, beta, eta, theta). So the fraternity Zeta Beta Tau has, for as long as it's existed, as far as I know, mispronounced its name. Those three letters in Greek would be pronounced ZEE-ta VEE-ta Taf.
Beta in Greek is actually pronounced VEE-ta. Yes, it's a 'V' sound.
Eta is EE-ta.
Theta is THEE-ta. (soft 'th' like thumb or thimble, not hard like this or that).
Etc.
Thus concludes the Greek language lesson for the day.
kala file egrapses. alla ta fraternities kai oloi oi xenoi proferoun ta ellinika kata tin erasmiki profora. opou kathe gramma proferetai xehwrista. den yparxoun difthoggoi i dipdifa fwnienta. an exeis mpei pote se mathima ellinikwn se xeno panepistimio - pou den sto euxomai - etsi proferontai ola...
shareI can't make heads or tails of that. It's all Greek to me!
shareIn Greece everyone pronounces it "zeeta" as is the name of the letter. The director Gavras and the author Vassilikos also pronounce it "zeeta" - at least when they speak in greek. So I believe that is the proper pronunciation.
shareBut then how do you account for "he lives"?
shareThe word for "he lives" starts with a z (zei).
share"Z" is a French movie by Costa- Gavras. The title in French is pronounced 'zed'. Although Costa-Gavras is half-greek, he pronounces it like any frenchman in the interview with the book's author that's on the DVD special features, i.e. "zed". And the movie has always been refered to as "Zed" in French from the day the movie was released (and I saw it back then: what a thrill for the teen I was to see one of the best political and police story movies ever made!). If one wants to be faithful to the original, one should pronoune it like in French. Otherwise, it's just as you like!
shareIn America, I've only heard "zee".
From non-Greek Europeans, "zed".