technical term. The teaching of pronuntiatio  was one of 
     the fundamental tasks of Latin grammatica ; and the 
     manuals of grammar devoted a good deal of detail to this 
     question. It was an accepted and established method 
     whose aim was to inculcate good pronunciation of spoken 
     Latin, to teach the careful distinction of the letters, to 
     separate and modulate words and phrases. Manuals of 
     grammar took care to say clearly that all this training 
     served the ends of teaching writing. At this time, good 
     pronunciation was considered essential. It was indeed 
     essential at that time and was the prerequisite for the 
     teaching of writing. The act of writing silently without 
     intervention of the reading the text aloud, was not yet 
     possible at that period. The beginner did not yet see 
     around him a world strewn with writings and printed 
     texts. He needed clear and disciplined pronunciation of