How do you pronounce...? [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

Alefiend

2013-06-21, 12:13 AM

zlefin

2013-06-21, 12:15 AM

I'd have to do some looking up to make truly sound determinations, but i'd guess ixitxachitl would use the rules for Aztec pronunciation, or mayan, something around there anyways.
Here's my guesses, I don't know the characters to show pronunciation properly. I'll use caps for long vowels.
icks-i-tsa-chi-tul
mEr-mix-i-kuss
Not sure about the other one, but it sounds like some of the sounds made when rocks get tossed into bodies of water.

It would be good if all monster manuals included the names in phonetic or international phonetic so they could all be pronounced.

Gildedragon

2013-06-21, 12:20 AM

bleep-d(r)ool-pool+p

icksy-tsa-cheat+l : evokes nahuatl morphology

Meer-me-csick-us : evokes ancient greek morphology

Coidzor

2013-06-21, 12:21 AM

Blipdoolpoolp and Ixitxachitl? It feels like sea critters get a free pass on silly names. Myrmyxicus is another one that just makes my brain shut off.

Blipdoolpoolp is onomatopoeic with bubble sounds as vocalized by a human voice-box, was my understanding. It's less speech and more sound effect.

Tvtyrant

2013-06-21, 12:33 AM

Interesting. Thanks for the help everyone, I think I will just change the Kua-Toa goddesses name. Glurple or something.

SiuiS

2013-06-21, 12:34 AM

My IPA is a little rusty, so I'll spell these out using good ol' phonics and regular English. Capital letters are the stressed syllable.

blip - dool - POOLP (the L in -poolp can be silent if you like)

Icks -it- ZATCH - it'll (like the contraction of "it will")

mur - MIX - eh - cuss

You're welcome. ^__^

These.

Honestly, I read Blipdoolpoolp and thought "what are you, kidding? It's pronounced exactly like it's spelled!" For a few minutes. Blip. Dool. Poolp.
Bleeyip-dewel-poo-ulp.

Blipdoolpoolp is onomatopoeic with bubble sounds as vocalized by a human voice-box, was my understanding. It's less speech and more sound effect.

Yeah, it's very deep blue and rounded. Totally onomatopoeia.

Tvtyrant

2013-06-21, 12:37 AM

These.

Honestly, I read Blipdoolpoolp and thought "what are you, kidding? It's pronounced exactly like it's spelled!" For a few minutes. Blip. Dool. Poolp.
Bleeyip-dewel-poo-ulp.

Yeah, it's very deep blue and rounded. Totally onomatopoeia.

I can sound out Blippys name, I was hoping it was something quicker and less silly to say. I am using Kua-Toa pretty hard in my campaign, but I don't want to sit there repeating Blip dool pulp 20 times an hour.

Jeff the Green

2013-06-21, 12:45 AM

Blipdoolpoolp and Ixitxachitl? It feels like sea critters get a free pass on silly names. Myrmyxicus is another one that just makes my brain shut off.

Ixitxachitl is based on Nahuatl (spoken by e.g. the Aztecs), and in standard orthography 'x' is pronounced the way 'sh' is pronounced in English, and 'tl' is pronounced like the 'll' in Welsh words like 'Llewellyn,' sort of a breathy 'hl' that doesn't exist in English orthography. 'Ch,' 'a,' and 'i,' are pronounced like in Spanish. So it'd be something like "eesh-eet-SHA-cheell."

Yes, that means they're pronounced 'Meshico" and 'Teshas'

TuggyNE

2013-06-21, 05:52 AM

Yes, that means they're pronounced 'Meshico" and 'Teshas'

Hate!

Hate hate hate!

You have earned my lasting ire, Jeff the Green. Just kidding, but that's seriously disturbing!

Amphetryon

2013-06-21, 06:59 AM

It's pronounced "Throat-warbler Mangrove."

Oryan77

2013-06-21, 10:25 AM

This covers most everything.

D&D Pronunciation Guide (http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?151-D-D-Pronunciation-Guide)

The Viscount

2013-06-21, 11:01 AM

Yes, that means they're pronounced 'Meshico" and 'Teshas'

Texas is not actually derived from Nahuatl, but from Caddo. As such, it's properly pronounced "Tehas." As such, the correct pronunciation is retained in Spanish, but not in English. I would guess the x stems from Spanish transliteration.

thethird

2013-06-21, 11:21 AM

Ixitxachitl is based on Nahuatl (spoken by e.g. the Aztecs), and in standard orthography 'x' is pronounced the way 'sh' is pronounced in English, and 'tl' is pronounced like the 'll' in Welsh words like 'Llewellyn,' sort of a breathy 'hl' that doesn't exist in English orthography. 'Ch,' 'a,' and 'i,' are pronounced like in Spanish. So it'd be something like "eesh-eet-SHA-cheell."

Yes, that means they're pronounced 'Meshico" and 'Teshas'

Wait? :smallconfused: No that's not how it works.

Mexico is pronounced Mehico (Mejico in Spanish), and Texas is pronounced Tehas (Tejas). During the 18th century most names that used 'x' in Spanish switched to 'j', because it is a better representation of the sound. Still several words (mostly words that name/describe places) remain in Spanish that use the 'x' and the old pronunciation. Using 'Meshico' is an error, a common one (because that is how 'x' is pronounced in other words) but an error.

Sorry, the Spanish in my had to intervene.

And Ninja'ed

Gildedragon

2013-06-21, 11:50 AM

Meshico would be correct when dealing with the name of the city of tenochtitlan or its inhabitants
X in Spanish has a number of possible sounds: cs, h, s (as in Xotchilmilco), and sh

Unusual Muse

2013-06-21, 11:59 AM

I can sound out Blippys name, I was hoping it was something quicker and less silly to say. I am using Kua-Toa pretty hard in my campaign, but I don't want to sit there repeating Blip dool pulp 20 times an hour.

You could always have her followers refer to her by an indirect honorific, such as "The Lady" [of the Deep] or "The Squidmistress" or "The Squishy One."

It's pronounced "Throat-warbler Mangrove."

Okay... Win. :smallsmile:

RogueDM

2013-06-21, 12:16 PM

It's pronounced "Throat-warbler Mangrove."

I'll second that win.

Waker

2013-06-21, 12:33 PM

It's pronounced "Throat-warbler Mangrove."

Motion carried.

I would concur with using titles as opposed to just saying the name. Especially if it is Kuo To speaking, since a worshipper is likely to show respect by not casually throwing around a deity's name.

Kuulvheysoon

2013-06-21, 12:49 PM

Wait? :smallconfused: No that's not how it works.

Mexico is pronounced Mehico (Mejico in Spanish), and Texas is pronounced Tehas (Tejas). During the 18th century most names that used 'x' in Spanish switched to 'j', because it is a better representation of the sound. Still several words (mostly words that name/describe places) remain in Spanish that use the 'x' and the old pronunciation. Using 'Meshico' is an error, a common one (because that is how 'x' is pronounced in other words) but an error.

Sorry, the Spanish in my had to intervene.

And Ninja'ed

Agreed. You might be thinking of of the LL sound (regionally, it can be pronounced as "sh")

Rhynn

2013-06-21, 12:59 PM

It's pronounced "Throat-warbler Mangrove."

Raymond Luxury Yacht [throht-wawr-bler mang-grohv]

Deophaun

2013-06-21, 02:30 PM

Blip.
Itchy.
Muhr.

At some point, I just give up trying.

Jeff the Green

2013-06-21, 05:31 PM

Texas is not actually derived from Nahuatl, but from Caddo. As such, it's properly pronounced "Tehas." As such, the correct pronunciation is retained in Spanish, but not in English. I would guess the x stems from Spanish transliteration.

Ah, my Spanish teacher was in error there.

Wait? :smallconfused: No that's not how it works.

Mexico is pronounced Mehico (Mejico in Spanish), and Texas is pronounced Tehas (Tejas). During the 18th century most names that used 'x' in Spanish switched to 'j', because it is a better representation of the sound. Still several words (mostly words that name/describe places) remain in Spanish that use the 'x' and the old pronunciation. Using 'Meshico' is an error, a common one (because that is how 'x' is pronounced in other words) but an error.

Sorry, the Spanish in my had to intervene.

And Ninja'ed

No, Mexico is still Meshico, at least originally. It comes from the Nahuatl "Mexihcatl," and in Nahuatl 'x' is pronounced 'sh.' The Spanish butchered it.

thethird

2013-06-21, 05:34 PM

but Mexihcatl is not Mexico... that's like saying that London is Londinium...

Razanir

2013-06-21, 05:55 PM

It's pronounced "Throat-warbler Mangrove."

Motion carried.

Playground Law § 1.π ¶ e

Blipdoolpoolp is henceforth to be pronounced "Throat-warbler Mangrove"

Jeff the Green

2013-06-21, 05:57 PM

but Mexihcatl is not Mexico... that's like saying that London is Londinium...

...we need a color for glibness. SeaGreen?

Razanir

2013-06-21, 06:03 PM

...we need a color for glibness. SeaGreen?

First I'd need to know quite what glibness is...

EDIT: I also made a thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15478390) in Friendly Banter about this. So far I know sarcasm, mod action, secrecy and thog speak

Unusual Muse

2013-06-21, 06:20 PM

First I'd need to know quite what glibness is...

Allow me to elucidate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/glibness.htm).

TuggyNE

2013-06-21, 09:17 PM

...we need a color for glibness. SeaGreen?

I remember seeing someone use that color for something else recently, but I forget exactly what it was! Really annoying.

Thurbane

2013-06-21, 09:23 PM

Dragon Mag 93 had an article "Ay PronunseeAYshun Gyd" that covered a lot of the common difficult to pronounce names in (A)D&D...

Coidzor

2013-06-21, 09:23 PM

I remember seeing someone use that color for something else recently, but I forget exactly what it was! Really annoying.

I believe some people use it as a self-signature for their handle such as Siuis.

Razanir

2013-06-21, 09:40 PM

Allow me to elucidate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/glibness.htm).

Looking it up in online dictionaries, is it similar to snobbishness? And if it's not, we should add a color for snobbishness. SandyBrown, perhaps?

Gildedragon

2013-06-21, 09:49 PM

Olive far posher than orange. It is more leather and fancyness.

TuggyNE

2013-06-21, 10:47 PM

I believe some people use it as a self-signature for their handle such as Siuis.

That may well be, but that wasn't the use here. It was actually rather clever. Maybe it had something to do with lawyers or tempting fate???

Edit:
Looking it up in online dictionaries, is it similar to snobbishness?

Not really; it's the quality of being able to fluently and convincingly say whatever is most appropriate to the situation in order to accomplish your goals. (That's why it's a bonus to Bluff.) A lot like having a silver tongue, but more slippery and less extraordinarily charming.

Razanir

2013-06-21, 10:59 PM

That may well be, but that wasn't the use here. It was actually rather clever. Maybe it had something to do with lawyers or tempting fate???

Edit:

Not really; it's the quality of being able to fluently and convincingly say whatever is most appropriate to the situation in order to accomplish your goals. (That's why it's a bonus to Bluff.) A lot like having a silver tongue, but more slippery and less extraordinarily charming.

So in short, it's being manipulative?

Jeff the Green

2013-06-21, 11:05 PM

So in short, it's being manipulative?

It can me. The sense I was going for was more 'not exactly the truth, but clever enough to be overlooked."

TuggyNE

2013-06-21, 11:20 PM

So in short, it's being manipulative?

Skillfully so.

Like the old joke, "The most important quality a salesman can have is honesty: it will get you more sales than anything else! So once you can fake that, you're made in the shade."

JustPlayItLoud

2013-06-21, 11:50 PM

Per the AD&D 2nd edition Monstrous Manual ixitxachitl is pronounced
ish-it-SHACH-itl.

The Viscount

2013-06-22, 01:11 AM

First I'd need to know quite what glibness is...

EDIT: I also made a thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15478390) in Friendly Banter about this. So far I know sarcasm, mod action, secrecy and thog speak

YOU FORGET MODDOKH TEXT? MODDOKH WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING YOU LOVE!

It's best not to think about all the things we're mispronouncing due to translation. Then we'd have to think about Los Angeles, Des Moines, Amarillo, Detroit, etc.

thethird

2013-06-22, 04:24 AM

...we need a color for glibness. SeaGreen?

Took me a while to understand an intent but fair enough.

For the record, as someone who is bilingual and lives in a bilingual country and whose father does maps for a living, people should refer to places as the people who live in those places do. Even if it is wrong, or whatever, but when asking for directions it is a great deal to pronounce it as the locals so they can understand you.

Jeff the Green

2013-06-22, 04:27 AM

Took me a while to understand an intent but fair enough.

For the record, as someone who is bilingual and lives in a bilingual country and whose father does maps for a living, people should refer to places as the people who live in those places do. Even if it is wrong, or whatever, but when asking for directions it is a great deal to pronounce it as the locals so they can understand you.

Oh, I definitely agree. You do have the problem of the small population of native Nahuatl speakers, though, as they would pronounce it 'Meshico,' or something very close to it. And then trying to choose between the two gets into the messy politics of colonialism.

CRtwenty

2013-06-22, 04:32 AM

Oh, I definitely agree. You do have the problem of the small population of native Nahuatl speakers, though, as they would pronounce it 'Meshico,' or something very close to it. And then trying to choose between the two gets into the messy politics of colonialism.

To the victor go the naming rights?

Jeff the Green

2013-06-22, 04:37 AM

To the victor go the naming rights?

Like I said, messy politics of colonialism.

nyjastul69

2013-06-23, 10:53 PM

In module D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth Blipdoolpoolp is referred to as the 'Sea Mother'.

Tvtyrant

2013-06-23, 11:17 PM

In module D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth Blipdoolpoolp is referred to as the 'Sea Mother'.

That works for me! She is freaky (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/prodigyduck/media/Blibdoolpoolp-001-sized.jpg.html).

I am thinking I am going to have to practice saying the names to get them right... My pronunciation has never been the best.

nyjastul69

2013-06-23, 11:39 PM

In the module her name is spelled Blibdoolpoolp and is pronounced blibbb-doool-pooolpp. Don't know if that helps any. I missed the pronunciation bit when I first skimmed it, along with the spelling.

Edit: The covers of D2 (http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/modpages/modscans/d2first.html) and D1-2 (http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/modpages/modscans/d1-2.html) kinda have images of her.

Coidzor

2013-06-24, 12:21 AM

That works for me! She is freaky (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/prodigyduck/media/Blibdoolpoolp-001-sized.jpg.html).

I am thinking I am going to have to practice saying the names to get them right... My pronunciation has never been the best.

Not only do you need a bag for her head, you need some rubber bands while you're at it, aye.

nyjastul69

2013-06-24, 12:27 AM

That works for me! She is freaky (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/prodigyduck/media/Blibdoolpoolp-001-sized.jpg.html).

I am thinking I am going to have to practice saying the names to get them right... My pronunciation has never been the best.

Where is that image from? I've liked her since first reading about her in D1-2. Digging that out of the archive was a trip down memory lane. :smallcool:

Gildedragon

2013-06-24, 12:39 AM

lsfreak

2013-06-24, 12:54 AM

For the record, Spanish x was pronounced "sh" (as were j and soft g, though they were the azure sound first, though orthography changes have masked which was which originally). If I'm not mistaken, the shift to an h-like sound was after the name Mexico stuck.

My knowledge of languages has butchered my common-sense pronunciation. I'd pronounce Ixitxachit and Myrmyxicus roughly like they'd be pronounced in Mayan and educated Latin, respective: [mʏr.'myk.sɪ.kʊs], roughly ee-shee-CHAH-cheet and mür-MÜHK-sick-uss (or mirr-MEEK-sick-uss).

EDIT: Woops, missed that Ixitxachit is in fact Ixitxachit[I]l. That's not pulled from a real language I don't think, then, as the only languages I know of with both ch tx are Mayan, which don't have tl. Still, reasonable enough to go with [i.ʂi.'ʈʂa.tɕitɬ].