Pronunciation guides

[Epsilon IX]

I don't know if anyone else thinks it would be a good idea to have pronunciation guides in the appendices of the novels for some of the alien characters (a fair number of the characters in the Titan range of novels immediately spring to mind!). For example, they could show in italics how to pronounce the character's name in the Dramatis Personae part of the appendix, in the same way one can find such guides in a book on learning foreign languages or on Dinosaurs, for example.

What's your opinion?

 

[William Leisner]

What makes you think the authors know how to pronounce half those words, either?

 

[Deranged Nasat]

I think it's more fun to choose your own pronounciation in cases where it isn't clear. I suppose it might also be fun for someone to list a few examples of names with uncertain pronunciations and we could have all have a shot at it . Or not; I'm in a rather whimsical mood tonight...

 

[Dark Gilligan]

Worf is actually pronounced Throatwarbler Mangrove.

 

[Therin of Andor]

I don't know if anyone else thinks it would be a good idea to have pronunciation guides in the appendices of the novels for some of the alien characters

So create a webpage, and update it as you encounter new "correct" pronunciations.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I don't know if anyone else thinks it would be a good idea to have pronunciation guides in the appendices of the novels for some of the alien characters (a fair number of the characters in the Titan range of novels immediately spring to mind!). For example, they could show in italics how to pronounce the character's name in the Dramatis Personae part of the appendix, in the same way one can find such guides in a book on learning foreign languages or on Dinosaurs, for example.

What's your opinion?

I think that would be quite nice. Except...

::cue PAD joke...::

In all seriousness, though, I would be interested in such a guide.

 

[JD]

Me too. It turns out that there are alot of names I was certain I was pronouncing correctly, that I was actually totally slaughtering.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I'd love to see someone try the Romulan names from the Rihannsu books, as well as the names of some of the sillier Diane Duane aliens - there was one where every letter had an a'p'o's't'r'o'p'h'e. WTF?

I remember an interview many years ago with (i think) Howard Weinstein, where they were talking about a time he was asked how to pronounce an alien name for an audiobook version of one of his novels. His answer was that he didn't know. And he's the author!

Recently I read Ringworld, I'd always assumed Louis Wu was "Loo-wee", like Louis Theroux. The last book calls him "Loo-iss". 3 and a half books of getting it wrong...

 

[Christopher]

I'm pretty sure there was a bit in one of the first two Ringworld books where someone addresses Louis in a way that's spelled "Loo-ee" in the text. I remember that about the later book saying "Loo-iss." I figure Niven himself forgot the pronunciation over the decades, or changed his mind. It's hardly the only inconsistency among the various Ringworld books.