LatinFrench* ItalianSpanishPortugueseEnglish
The letter J did not exist. Pronunciation of words can
only be estimated.		Words starting with the letter "I" gradually changed to "J" - pronounced ZZheeThe letter "J" does not exist, "G" followed by "I" or "E" gives a soft "G" - pronounced JeeWords starting with the letter "I" gradually changed to "J" - pronounced Hota with the "H" more rasping - deeper in the throatWords starting with the letter "I" gradually changed to "J" - pronounced ZZhotaWords starting with the letter "I" gradually changed to "J" - pronounced Jay
I-U-D-E-X - judgeJUGEGIUDICAREJUEZJUIZJUDGE
I-U-S and I-U-R-I-S - justiceJUSTICEGIUSTIZIAJUSTICIAJUSTIÇAJUSTICE
I-U-P-P-I-T-E-R - Jove, Father
From the Greek words
Zeu Pater - Zeus, Father		JÉHOVAH, PČREGEOVA, PADRE with the planet named GioveJEHOVÁ, PADREJEOVÁ, PADREJEHOVAH, FATHER GOD
I-U-L-I-U-S - Julius
From the Greek word
I-O-U-L-I-O-S		JULESGIULIOJULIOJÚLIOJULIUS
I-E-S-U-S - Jesus
From the Greek word
I-H-S-O-U-S		JÉSUSGESŮJESÚSJESUSJESUS

* In Italy, as elsewhere, there are many different spoken dialects. Italian slowly took over from Latin and French as a written language about 400-700 years ago, starting with Dante (1265-1321) in the Tuscan region in Florence.

Because of how the starting sounds for Judge, Justice, Jesus and Julius are pronounced today in these languages, many have thought that "I" written in its place in Ancient Greek or Latin — as in I-U-L-I-U-S CAESAR — was most likely pronounced using the sound of the English "J" or "Zzh" rather than "Y" or "Ee".
The "Y" sound of course is the way most of the other, non-Romance European languages pronounce words that start with the letter "J" (which in Germany is called the letter "Yot").

If so, the "J" or "Zzh" sound may well have been developed by the Romans from the sound of the old Hebrew / Phoenician character "I" (known as Zayin) the 7th letter in the alphabet which the Greeks had changed to the letter "Z". Around 300 BC, the Roman censor Appius Claudius removed this letter as the 7th letter. Rome then created the letter "G" in its place shortly after.
Besides Zeu Pater and Iuppiter, another example of a "Z" word in the Greek language gradually getting a "J" / "G" initial is the Greek word "Z-H-L-O-S" meaning "to be zealous or hot". It was written as "Zelosus" in Latin, later becoming "Jaloux" in French, "Geloso" in Italian, and "Jealous / Zealous" in English. "Zeal of your house has consumed me" John 2:17

Further thoughts on Jesus's name, spelt in Greek as I-H-S-O-U-S. Sep 27, 2010

  1. If spoken by the Jews of Jesus's time in the Koine Greek, perhaps pronounced as ee-ay-soos, with those first two letters "I and H" suggesting a link to the four Hebrew letters "alef, he, yod, he" perhaps pronounced as eeh-yeh and translated as "I Am" in Exodus 3:14 and as "I will be (with you)" in Exodus 3:12. In John 8:58 and Matthew 28:20, the Greek words are: "Ego eimi", perhaps pronounced as ee-go ay-mee.
     
  2. If spoken using its Hebrew / Aramaic equivalent, perhaps pronounced as Y-HOSH-UA, bringing to mind the children crying in the temple "HOSA - NNA" — "Jehovah save us, please" Matthew 21:15 having reference to Psalms 118:25.
     
  3. Lastly, as spoken by newly converted Gentiles in foreign lands, pronounced as Jesus and as Gesu (having a soft "G") meaning "Jehovah, Saviour" (with those four Hebrew letters for Jehovah "yod, he, vav, he" as spoken to Moses in Exodus 6:3) .

**End of Article.