PERIOSTRACUM ; off the beaten path:

The word is a combination of the Greek suffix “PERI” meaning “around”, and
the Latin word “STRAGULUM, meaning “blanket or cover”.

In most conchological circles it is pronounced “pear ee AH struh cum”

Classical Latin requires that  the penult syllable be accented if  its
vowel is long; the antepenult gets the accent if the penult is short.

I contend that the penult syllable of periostracum is long, therefore, the
pronunciation should be
“pear ee oh STRAY cum”. Were it so, it would be much easier to write much
lyrical poetry using such rhymes as “ foresake ‘em”, “bake ‘em”, “take
‘em”, “shake ‘em”,”break ‘em”, etc.


Wierd Winston
Fort Worth, Texas