What does this word mean and how am I supposed to say it?

In the Grand Lodge of New York,

The late eighteenth/early nineteenth-century language of our Ritual contains many words that aren’t often used in the modern vernacular. This can lead to difficulties ranging from simple mistaken pronunciations all the way to an incorrect or incomplete understanding of what a given passage means and what the Ritual is trying to teach us. If only there were a readily available resource where a Mason could easily discover the correct meanings and pronunciations of unfamiliar words in the Standard Work and Lectures of the Grand Lodge of New York! As it turns out, there is such a resource. Did you know that the 2019 printing of the Ritual Book and the forthcoming Monitor each contains an extensive glossary and pronunciation guide? Any Brother who is preparing a portion of our Ritual for performance should look through this section of the book to ensure he knows what he’s saying and how to say it. Here are some words I frequently hear used incorrectly in our Lodges:

August means “inspiring of awe and reverence; worthy of respect as a result of antiquity.” The accent is on the second syllable; when the accent is on the first syllable it refers to the month.

Cavil means “to complain about unimportant details.” The accent is on the first syllable.

Compassionate means “to share the suffering of; have compassion for; sympathize with; pity.” It is differentiated from the adjective form by the pronunciation of the last syllable (kum-PASH-uh-nate).

Excess is “undue or immoderate indulgence; surpassing the usual or proper limits.” The accent is on the second syllable (ek-SESS), which differentiates it from the adjective form.

Fidelity is “the quality of being loyal and faithful to a person, organization or idea.” The accent is on the second syllable (fih-DELL-uh-tee) and the first syllable is not pronounced “fye.”

Fides is a Roman goddess who personified the principles of honesty and good faith. It is pronounced “FEE-dess,” not “FYE-deez” or “fydes.”

Halve means “to divide into two equal parts.” Note that the “L” is silent.

Hitherto means “until now; before the present time.”

Inclemency is “the quality of being stormy, rainy, cold or otherwise unsuitable for outdoor activities.” The accent is on the second syllable (in-CLEH-men(t)-see; pl. in-CLEH-men(t)-seez).

Indite means “to put down in writing; to give literary expression to something.” Not to be confused with the homophone indict, the act of formally accusing someone of a crime.

Ornan the Jebusite is a Biblical figure and owner of a threshing floor on Mount Moriah which he later sold to King Solomon. Jebusites were pre-Israelite inhabitants of Jerusalem. It is pronounced, “or-NAWN thuh JEB-you-site.” He is named Ornan in the Book of Chronicles and Aranuah in the Book of Samuel.

Palliate means “to make the effects of something less painful or harsh; to cover by excuses and apologies.” The accent is on the first syllable (PAL-ee-ate).

Pectoral means “of or relating to the chest. The accent is on the first syllable (PECK-tuh-rul).

Sublime means “extremely good or beautiful; evoking emotions of awe, veneration, adoration.” The accent is on the second syllable (suh-BLIME).

Succoth (soo-COAT) is a Biblical city on the east bank of the Jordan River, north of Jerusalem.

Superficies means “a geometric plane; two-dimensional magnitude consisting of length and breadth, especially when forming the surface of a solid.” The accent is on the third syllable (soo-per-FISH-eez).

Superfluities are “things or amounts beyond what is necessary or needed, especially when immoderate and luxurious.” Not to be confused with superfluidity, a special state of matter in which a fluid has zero viscosity that has only been observed in liquid helium at cryogenic temperatures.

Zeredathah (zeh-ruh-DAH-thuh or zeh-RED-uh-thuh) is a Biblical city on the east bank of the Jordan river, north of Jerusalem; called Zeredathah in the Book of Chronicles and Zarthan in the Book of Kings.

The answers provided here reflect GLNY customs, rules, and ritual. We welcome discussion about how these may differ in your jurisdiction.