Pronunciation

[Wamba the Fool]

In a recent thread a commenter punned "Nale" with "nail," and after my initial confusion I realized that all this time I've been pronouncing Nale "Nah-lay," and not "nail."

So, playgrounders, how do YOU pronounce Nale? Is there an official reference that clears this up one way or another?

[Zevox]

How did you not notice you were mispronouncing it almost 400 comics ago (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0367.html) when there was an extensive joke involving rhyming it with the words "nail" and "jail?" :smallconfused:

Zevox

[Wamba the Fool]

How did you not notice you were mispronouncing it almost 400 comics ago (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0367.html) when there was an extensive joke involving rhyming it with the words "nail" and "jail?" :smallconfused:


That... is a great question. Perhaps I shall plead insanity in lieu of Thog. :smallredface:

[Souhiro]

Well, since I'm an evil spaniard from the vile Spain, I pronouce it as "nalae"

[Ancalagon]

Here's the guide from "a few years ago".


EE-lin
HAY-lee
vahr-SOOV-ee-us
DUHR-kon
ROY
BELL-karr
ZYE-kon
NAIL
sa-BEEN
THOG
YIK YIK
ZIZ-di-tree
HILL-gee-ya
DOOR-oo-kon

[hamishspence]

Here's the guide from "a few years ago".

I tend to pronounce it EE-lan rather than EE-lin- exactly as if it were the word that is associated with style, flair, and so on.

[Ancalagon]

I tend to pronounce it EE-lan rather than EE-lin- exactly as if it were the word that is associated with style, flair, and so on.

Me as well. But note the guide given is in english. It's not written in the international phonetic alphabet so you do have some variation. Especially in Elan the "i" and "a" can blend somewhat. But I'm more on the "a"-side as well...

[Swordpriest]

I tend to pronounce it EE-lan rather than EE-lin- exactly as if it were the word that is associated with style, flair, and so on.

Exactly. EE-lin is harder to say, in my opinion. Then again, I think that the Giant has an accent of some kind -- where I come from, that Roland Itiative joke makes no sense, because "Roland" is pronounced "RO-land", not "RO-lin." In fact, I've never heard Roland pronounced as Rollin'. So, as far as I'm concerned at least, it's EE-Lan. However, I've always said "Nale" as "Nail" to myself.

[Mauve Shirt]

For me, "Nale" rhymes with "nail", and "Elan" is pronounced "EE-lahn".

[Mordaenor]

Interesting. I always thought the accent was on the second sylable...
"eh-LAHN"

[Nakun]

EE-lan for me. The trouble I had was trying not to say it like Ellen...

[Xykeb Zraliv]

EE-lan for me. The trouble I had was trying not to say it like Ellen...

This. I don't know how long I pronounced that way before coming to the startling conclusion that it sounded exactly like a certain girl's name...

And, well, as for Nale, I always pronounced it like "nail", and was quite pleased to learn that I was actually saying it correctly.

[Kish]

Then again, I think that the Giant has an accent of some kind
Everyone has an accent of some kind. That's kind of the definition of an accent.

[mago]

i personaly pronounce nale like nail with a slightly stonger "e" at the end.

[dps]

Everyone has an accent of some kind. That's kind of the definition of an accent.

Not if they're mute.

[Swordpriest]

Everyone has an accent of some kind. That's kind of the definition of an accent.

True, you can semantically nitpick my statement in order to try to make a point of some kind (God knows what). However, if you weren't on the lookout for a way to make a mountain out of a molehill, you could simply assume that I meant "an accent that pronounces words differently from the dictionary-listed pronunciations of such common words and names as elan, Roland, and so forth." :smallsigh:

Sometimes I feel like every post on here needs a 3-page disclaimer in triplicate attached to it. :smallsigh:

[Kish]

Sometimes I feel like every post on here needs a 3-page disclaimer in triplicate attached to it. :smallsigh:
Sorry, I didn't realize you actually seriously consider your accent "standard."

[Goosefarble]

Okay whoa, back the hell up here. Elan is pronounced eelin? I've been saying "ehh-lan". My world has just turned upside down.

[Project_Mayhem]

*Definately* eh-LAN. Otherwise I agree with the Giant :smalltongue:

[Gift Jeraff]

I have always, and will always, pronouce Elan like "Helen" without the H, although the official pronunciation is pleasant to my ears.

[Innis Cabal]

Sorry, I didn't realize you actually seriously consider your accent "standard."

That to, is how accents work.

[La Chatte Noire]

Not if they're mute.

But then you get into accents within sign languages. Word orders and all.

[Marnath]

But then you get into accents within sign languages. Word orders and all.

Exactly. If you have a busted finger, do you "speak" with a lisp?


However, if you weren't on the lookout for a way to make a mountain out of a molehill,

Why not? It's fun! O.o

[Francis Davey]

But then you get into accents within sign languages. Word orders and all.

I can vouch for that. When I learned British Sign Language, my teacher signed using a particular dialect which (in BSL terms) was a bit obscure. Occasionally deaf people would be rather surprised by signs I used and it could certainly make them smile.

We were aware of this because signed interpretation on the TV and signing in videos we saw was obviously different (signs formed a little differently or a sometimes different signs used) so we knew we were learning a non-standard dialect.

[Bogardan_Mage]

where I come from, that Roland Itiative joke makes no sense, because "Roland" is pronounced "RO-land", not "RO-lin." In fact, I've never heard Roland pronounced as Rollin'.
While I can't comment on The Giant's accent, I always assumed it was just a fairly strained joke in general. I didn't think any accent actually pronounces "Roland" as "Rollin" but if you slur it enough it's a passable knock-knock.

[Amarsir]

While I can't comment on The Giant's accent, I always assumed it was just a fairly strained joke in general. I didn't think any accent actually pronounces "Roland" as "Rollin" but if you slur it enough it's a passable knock-knock.
The "D" is going to be a strain no matter what, but an American pronunciation of it works pretty well. (As opposed to a French or German one, which wouldn't.)

Here's an audio pronunciation:
http://inogolo.com/audio/Roland_958.mp3

[Morph Bark]

Ha, interesting to see that list. I mentally kept pronouncing most right, except I thought of Elan as "EY-lan", but that's just using non-English pronunciation, I guess.

[Bogardan_Mage]

The "D" is going to be a strain no matter what, but an American pronunciation of it works pretty well. (As opposed to a French or German one, which wouldn't.)

Here's an audio pronunciation:
http://inogolo.com/audio/Roland_958.mp3
Well yeah, that's kind of what I thought. It just goes to show that just because a joke doesn't work perfectly in one accent, doesn't mean it does work perfectly in another.

[turkishvan2]

I used to pronounce nale with a stronger "E" sound at the end, until strip 367,when I simply pronounced it "nail" for the sake of that joke. And from then on it was "nail" for me.

[Bongos]

The Giant's list is missing some new ones;

Originally Posted by The Giant

EE-lin
HAY-lee
vahr-SOOV-ee-us
DUHR-kon
ROY
BELL-karr
ZYE-kon
NAIL
sa-BEEN
THOG
YIK YIK
ZIZ-di-tree
HILL-gee-ya
DOOR-oo-kon

now we have:

Jirix
O-chul
Tarquin
Malack
Enor
Gannji

just to name a few...

[Darakonis]

The Giant's list is missing some new ones;
now we have:

Jirix
O-chul
Tarquin
Malack
Enor
Gannji

just to name a few...

Here are my guesses:

JYE-rix
oh-CHOOL
TAR-kwin
muh-LAK
EE-nor
GAN-jee

Peace,
-Darakonis

[Marnath]

Here are my guesses:

JYE-rix
oh-CHOOL
TAR-kwin
muh-LAK
EE-nor
GAN-jee

Peace,
-Darakonis

I agree with most of those, although I think of it as Jeer-ix and Mah-lack myself.

*edit: I was never taught to spell phonetically, so I might have that different than the sound I'n actually thinking of.

[Conuly]

However, if you weren't on the lookout for a way to make a mountain out of a molehill, you could simply assume that I meant "an accent that pronounces words differently from the dictionary-listed pronunciations of such common words and names as elan, Roland, and so forth."

Well, the dictionary doesn't use IPA either. The dictionary assumes that if you have, say, a schwi where certain dialects use a schwa (which is the issue here - I certainly say Roland with an ih-sound in that second syllable, and I don't say the d very distinctly either) you won't have to be told.