Character Name Pronunciations

[Lylessa Uluki]

We've talked about this in chat, but I thought it would be helpful to have a reference for how to pronounce the names of our characters. Even ones I've thought I was pronouncing phonetically I've gotten wrong, so here goes trying to get them right.

I guess I'll go ahead and start.

Lylessa Uluki = lie-LESS-uh oo-LOO-kee

Rollick = RAH-lihk

Dash = Just like the word

Zee = You can't get any more phonetic

Martin = Standard pronunciation of the name

Kira = KEE-ruh

So... that's the family. I don't think any of my minor NPCs have names likely to baffle anyone, but feel free to ask if there's one you're unsure of.

Anyone else want to venture some pronunciation suggestions?

[Devon]

Ok when me and Lylessa were discussing this... I meant like how we recorded about Stella and her damned peas.

I wanna hear it. I'll still mess this up. Forgive my simple mind.

And I was just yelled at for saying that anyone could understand mine... so here i go..

The capitals are the syllables with a strong accent. no syllables? just a regular tone.

Devon Akula- dev-un ah-KU-lah
Kutlin (Marc Corliss) - kuh-tlihn mahrk kohr-lihs
Mokey- Mo-key... like 'Gimme mo'keys beeotch!'

[Gia Rilan]

Well, I'll post my one character name here...

Gia Rilan-- JEE-uh ri-luhn

Yeah... that's all I have.

[Sir Karsimir]

Krevster is pretty phonetic. Darkheart is Dark + Heart. Gosh!

Aorle... think of Eorle the Young, first Rohirrim King.

A (letter A) - orl (longer version of all).

Really not sure why so many people struggle with that.

[Lylessa Uluki]

Really not sure why so many people struggle with that.

Just hazarding a guess here based on my own difficulties with it, but I suspect it has something to do with the fact the name is very subject to differences in regional accents because of all the vowels.

In my accent and the accent I'm surrounded by every day, which is different from mine, "orl" and "all" sound nothing alike. At all. So trying to use both as a pronunciation key is very confusing for me. I get the similarities between the sounds intellectually, but since they don't really sound very close to my ear, I'm really just trying to shoot halfway between the suggested sounds rather than having a firm idea of how to say it based on them.

By the way, the differences in regional accents thing is not a criticism. Lots of names are like that. For example, consider how people say the name Dawn. It sounds completely different depending on the region the speaker is from, but we don't think anything of it because for English speakers it's a familiar word. Because Aorle is unfamiliar, it causes more of an accent struggle.

I do feel more confident given the Eorle thing. I have a way of pronouncing that which may or may not be right, but which works well enough for my purposes, so I can pronounce Aorle in a similar way and be happy.

[Jenica Sabiny]

"Awl" is what "all" sounds like to me. Like "shawl," or "Paul." Aw instead of oh. Like a load of laundry.

I suspect that's why I have trouble with the name. I thought to myself "wait, how would a British person say this?," and suddenly it sounded like oh. So instead of "awl" it became a sound I'm not sure how to spell phonetically, like how "oil" sounds without the "i." Somewhere between "ah" and "oh."

I still can't say it, though. He will forever be Rail to me in out-loud conversations.

I understand that pretty much no one gets Lanya's or Anga's names "right," as in the way I pronounce them, but I don't really mind. Devon gets a bonus point because he used his Southern accent for the win on Lanya.

Anyway, here's my girls, with the easier ones first:

Jenica Sabiny: JEH-nih-kuh Saw-bih-nee.

Geldenwing: GEL-dihn-weeng.

Angatdan: Awn-GAWT-dawn. When it's just Anga the emphasis is on the first syllable instead.

Lanya Caliope: Lawn-yuh Kahleeohp. I've never pronounced the "e" at the end of her last name but I don't really mind how anyone spells it.

For Ang and Lan, I understand that most people say "Lahnyah" or "Ahngah" instead of "awww." This really doesn't bother me, more amuses me.

[Julen]

Okay, everyone say it with me. Slowly. JEW-len. Yeah, I know. Big surprise.

Most of my NPCs have pretty phonetic names: Kaydee, Rosemary, Thetta... The only exception is Mavelle. Even I don't know how to pronounce Mavelle.

It was the silent "e" in Aorle that confused me. I thought, hey, if it's there it must be doing something...I better pronounce that sucker. But now that I know it's just a magical "e", a sort of silent guardian for the rest of the letters, I can say the name just fine.

[Jenica Sabiny]

But now that I know it's just a magical "e", a sort of silent guardian for the rest of the letters, I can say the name just fine.

Shut up, you braggart!

[Drake]

Yeah, the Eorle the Young reference clicked the pieces into place for me. It was one of those "ahhhhhhh" moments. Still can't quit thinking of Eeyore when I see the name though (long story).

Mine

Drake Istalii= DR-ake (sounds like rake). I-stall-e-e. I like IT without the T, stall and e-e you should get.

Angren Paur I'Draugagar= IN-grin (there's something IN your GRIN), POW-er, E-DRAW-guh-gar. E (the letter), Draw you get, guh like duh, and gar sounds like scar.

[Blood Ravenous]

I was saying Aorle as if the A and the O were the same sound. Like, "oar-l" I was very, very wrong. Lol.

I have the way to pronounce my character's names in their profile, actually. (Everyone should do it! Especially if you have both a Y and an X in your name.)

Ryxa Liorysei: RYEk-sa Lee-oh-RYE-say (rye like rye bread)

I guess I'll also do my characters that are on hiatus.

Coinneach: I'm still confused about him. The first site I saw the name on had this pronunciation, but I have seen different websites with different pronunciations! KOIN-nyuch. Nyuch like that weird laugh. You know those Celtic people. But I still don't know. So you can call him Coin, (like the word) or just say it however you want.

Asiona Peterson: Ahz-ee-OH-nah Peter-son.

Raishel Munden: RAY-shell MUNd-en

[Jenica Sabiny]

I was so, so getting Ryxa wrong. I was saying it like Rick-suh.

Dammit!!!

[Frug]

Camulous = Cam-you-luss

Belatucadrus = Bell-at-ooh-kad-russ

Zhou Lei = ask ming because I don't rightly know.

Rest are obvious.

[Dorcas Tansy]

Zhou Lei = Joe Lay.

Yeah, it's that simple. Not the soft "zh" sound as in "vision," but straight up "j" as in "Joe."

[Sir Karsimir]

I was saying Aorle as if the A and the O were the same sound. Like, "oar-l" I was very, very wrong. Lol.

Actually, that is helpful. More A-oar-l for anyone who still struggles.

Who knew this would be such hard work?

[Blood Ravenous]

Zhou Lei = Joe Lay.

Yeah, it's that simple. Not the soft "zh" sound as in "vision," but straight up "j" as in "Joe."

Hah... I'm gonna have Ryxa call him Joe now. (She probably thinks that's the spelling, too)