We had no idea this was such a complicated question. Perhaps a little more information about the question would help.

Jerry is rehearsing for a play in which he plays an Anglican priest (those of you who know him can resume reading when you're done laughing). The time is the 1920s and all the characters are English. Someone else, a lay person says, "Ladies and gentlemen - de mortuis nil nisi bonum" and then Jerry says, "Brethren, de mortuis - exactly ..."

So, perhaps the fact that we're all playing English people and the time period makes a difference.

The actors are all Americans and the question came up in rehearsal when the lay person said de mor-TU-is and Jerry said de MOR-tu-is.

Bev and Jerry