Pronouncing the unpronounceable

[Stevil2001]

And is "Mon-El" of the Legion of Super-Heroes pronounced "Mon-El" or "Moan-El"? Pretty sure I got that wrong for decades!

What is the answer? I've always gone with a short o, which kind of makes sense given that "Mon" is short for "Monday," though I'm actually using a different o than the one in "Monday."

And a lot of people seem to think Eridani (possessive form of Eridanus) should be "air-ih-don-ee" or "air-ih-dan-ee" when it's actually "eh-rid-ah-nee."

Embarrassingly, I wrote a whole book set on 40 Eridani A II thinking it was pronounced "er-ih-dan-ee" (and "er-ih-dan-us"). At a planetarium, I asked an astronomer to show me the star, and he corrected my pronunciation. But I've studied Latin for years-- I should have known better!

 

[Greg Cox]

Sometimes the author doesn't get the final call here. Apparently Terry Brooks, author of the bestselling "Shannara" fantasy series, originally imagined it to be pronounced "SHAN-ara," but after millions of readers insisted on pronouncing it "Sha-NAR-a," he eventually conceded defeat.

Which makes me wonder: how is it pronounced on the new TV version?

 

[Christopher]

Embarrassingly, I wrote a whole book set on 40 Eridani A II thinking it was pronounced "er-ih-dan-ee" (and "er-ih-dan-us"). At a planetarium, I asked an astronomer to show me the star, and he corrected my pronunciation. But I've studied Latin for years-- I should have known better!

Yeah, I figured that, given that you had the alternate-timeline characters refer to the Vulcans as "Eridanians," which is hard to pronounce unless the stress is on the third syllable. I would've gone with "Eridanites" myself.

Sometimes the author doesn't get the final call here. Apparently Terry Brooks, author of the bestselling "Shannara" fantasy series, originally imagined it to be pronounced "SHAN-ara," but after millions of readers insisted on pronouncing it "Sha-NAR-a," he eventually conceded defeat.

Which makes me wonder: how is it pronounced on the new TV version?

I think it's "Sha-NAR-a." I always figured it was "SHAN-ara" from the title The Sword of Shannara, because that fits the meter of the title better. However, for the TV series' title The Shannara Chronicles, I think the "Sha-NAR-a" pronunciation fits that meter better.

 

[Greg Cox]

What is the answer? I've always gone with a short o, which kind of makes sense given that "Mon" is short for "Monday," though I'm actually using a different o than the one in "Monday."

My understanding is that it was supposed to be "MOAN-El," but I know I always pronounced it with the short o as a kid. Don't think I found out the correct spelling until the subject came up in DC letters column once.

 

[Christopher]

My understanding is that it was supposed to be "MOAN-El," but I know I always pronounced it with the short o as a kid. Don't think I found out the correct spelling until the subject came up in DC letters column once.

It's pronounced "Kira."

 

[Idran]

This just reminded me of a great anecdote; once, someone wrote a letter in to Gary Gygax (in Dragon Magazine, I think), asking how "flind" was meant to be pronounced. Tongue-in-cheek, he responded (in text) "it rhymes with wind".

 

[JD]

As I understand it, the comic-book character "the Sub-Mariner" was supposed to be pronounced "Sub-Mare-Inner" (as in "Mariner"), but that didn't stop generations of comic-book fans from pronouncing it "Sub-MarEEner" (as in "submarine").

And is "Mon-El" of the Legion of Super-Heroes pronounced "Mon-El" or "Moan-El"? Pretty sure I got that wrong for decades!

I've been wondering about Sub-Mariner for ages, thank you for finally answering that for me.
I've been pronouncing Mon-El like monster.

 

[Avro Arrow]

It's still acceptable, like saying giga- with a soft initial g; it's just a less common but not incorrect variant.

Wait a minute... so "jiggawatts" is actually acceptable?? I had no idea!

And a lot of people seem to think Eridani (possessive form of Eridanus) should be "air-ih-don-ee" or "air-ih-dan-ee" when it's actually "eh-rid-ah-nee."

Um, er, well. Guilty. I don't think I've ever heard it spoken, so I've been pronouncing it as "air-ih-dan-ee" in my head for years. Didn't know it was wrong till just now.

Actually, I *may* have heard it spoken... isn't Babylon 5 in the Epsilon Eridani system? Did they pronounce it correctly there, and it just didn't sink in?

 

[Idran]

Wait a minute... so "jiggawatts" is actually acceptable?? I had no idea!

In fact, Bob and Bob got that pronunciation on BTTF because that's how one of their technical advisors pronounced it.

 

[Stevil2001]

It's pronounced "Kira."

I don't get it?

 

[Christopher]

Actually, I *may* have heard it spoken... isn't Babylon 5 in the Epsilon Eridani system? Did they pronounce it correctly there, and it just didn't sink in?

I think they got it wrong too.

I don't get it?

Not a Supergirl viewer, I take it. Kara's boss Cat Grant insists on calling her "Kira."

 

[Greg Cox]

I think they got it wrong too.



Not a Supergirl viewer, I take it. Kara's boss Cat Grant insists on calling her "Kira."

Which Closed-Captioning renders as "Kee-ra."

 

[Stevil2001]

Not a Supergirl viewer, I take it. Kara's boss Cat Grant insists on calling her "Kira."

I watched the first two or three and then lost track of it. I'm not very good at watching television.

 

[Christopher]

Which Closed-Captioning renders as "Kee-ra."

Kee-Ra, Princess of Power?

 

[JonnyQuest037]

In NYC, you can tell the residents from the tourists by how they pronounce "Houston Street."

It's pronounced "HOUSE-ton," not like the city in Texas.

I live in New Jersey, not far from Passaic (pronounced "Pass-AY-ick"). An ex-roommate of mine, not native to the area, pronounced it "Pass-EE-ack."

And is "Mon-El" of the Legion of Super-Heroes pronounced "Mon-El" or "Moan-El"? Pretty sure I got that wrong for decades!

It's definitely "MON," as he got his name from "Monday," the day of the week his ship was found.

It's pronounced "Kira."

Man, I wish they'd drop that joke. It doesn't work and is needlessly confusing.

But then, I've always pronounced Supergirl's given name as "CARE-uh," so every time I hear the CBS show use "KAR-uh," it's like nails on a chalkboard.

Kudos to The Flash for teaching me how to pronounce "Eobard Thawne," though!

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

I say dip-LOD-er-cus, you say DIP-lo-DOCK-us, let's call the whole thing off!
(Apologies to Cole Porter, but SOMEBODY had to say it!)

 

[JD]

.

But then, I've always pronounced Supergirl's given name as "CARE-uh," so every time I hear the CBS show use "KAR-uh," it's like nails on a chalkboard.

This drives me crazy too. Most of the other versions I've seen pronounce it the first, and I've seen the name used in other places and they've always pronounced it that way too.

 

[Enterprise1701]

Can anyone here from Ireland tell me how to pronounce "Padraig Daniels" (insofar as my American accent will allow)?

http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Padraig_Daniels

 

[DonIago]

I'm reasonably sure Padraig is pronounced roughly as "Pad-rick". Almost Patrick.

I've known a couple of medieval reenactment folks who had that as their name. Also a coworker, and lots of folks stumbled over it.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

I'm reasonably sure Padraig is pronounced roughly as "Pad-rick". Almost Patrick.

I've known a couple of medieval reenactment folks who had that as their name. Also a coworker, and lots of folks stumbled over it.

I believe it's Por-Rick (no, I have no idea why!), at least according to Irish friends and relatives. But it is the Irish version of Patrick (and the source of Paddy as a nickname).