The reason "Magdalen" is pronounced "Maudlin" traces back to the 15th century when Magdalen College, Oxford was founded. During that period, English speakers pronounced Mary Magdalene's name more like "Maudelayne," dropping the "g" sound. The college has maintained this traditional 15th-century pronunciation despite the spelling reflecting its Greek origin. This historical pronunciation coincides with the adjective "maudlin," meaning tearfully sentimental or sorrowful, which derives from how Mary Magdalene was depicted in medieval art and from the older pronunciation of her name.