Here's what I learned about Latin pronounciation in about 10 years of Choir:
That may be a problem. You were probably singing ecclesiastical latin, which is pronounced somewhat differently than classical latin.
"a" in latin is always pronounced : "ah"
"e" : "A" (as in the letter)
"i" : "E" (as in the letter)
"o" : "O" (as in the letter)
"u" : "oo"
a, e, i,o, and u, all had long and short pronunciations. The following are from Anne Mahoney's new addition of Allen and Greenough's
New Latin Grammar.
Long
"a
" like f
ather, short "a" like "ide
a"
Long "e" like a prolonged "
eh?", or
"a" as in "d
ate", short "e" like a clipped
eh? or "e" as in "n
et"
Long "i" like "mach
ine", short like "s
it"
Long "o" like "h
oly," short like "
obey"
Long u like "b
oot" short lke "f
oot"
vowel combinations (ie, iu, aeo, etc) are generally pronounced one vowel at a time, but some, like "ae",
These are diphthongs.
"ae" : "A" as in "laetabitur" (lay-ta-bee-toor)
"ae" was probably pronounced much more like a long "i" in english, rather than a long "a." See e.g. Shelmerdine's introductory latin textbook or the latest edition of "wheelock's latin."
probably "I-oh" would be closer. When you have a dipthong plus a vowel, the vowel is pronounced seperately but not the diphthong.
Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum:
ee-A-soos
nahz-are-A-noos
rex
ee--oo-day-or-room
You have to remember that the latin "I" sometimes was pronounced like a "Y."
Hence: Yesoos.