Pronounciation.

[TroubleBrewing]

This is sort of a bizarre question, but how do you pronounce "Ioun Stone"? I've always thought it was "Yoon" stone but I've also heard "Eye-oon" stone.

[Callin]

Eye On Stone

[Forrestfire]

I've always pronounced it "eye-on" as well.

[Morcleon]

I've always said it as "Eye-oon", since "Eye-on" is reserved for the word "ion". :smallsmile:

[Talya]

Also, pronunciation. (I'm not correcting the spelling, so much as the implied incorrect pronunciation that goes with the incorrect spelling.) :smallwink:

[BowStreetRunner]

I don't currently have access to the book "Morreion" by Jack Vance, which is where the Ioun stones first appeared. But if someone has a copy handy they might check to see if it mentions the correct pronunciation.

[TuggyNE]

This is sort of a bizarre question, but how do you pronounce "Ioun Stone"? I've always thought it was "Yoon" stone but I've also heard "Eye-oon" stone.

I assume it's the latter, more or less. Stress on the second syllable, of course; it's less "EYE-oon" stone and more "eye-OON" stone.

[nyjastul69]

I've always pronounced it eye-on. I typically put the emphasis on the wrong syllable though. I think this comes from reading most polysyllabics before ever having heard them spoken though. I used to pronounce chimera with the typical 'ch' sound, as in cheek. It was years before I learned it was a harder 'k' sound. I now pronounce ioun as eye-oun. But why not yoon or eye-own? It's a weird word.

[Fax Celestis]

Aye like the vote, oon like in moon.

[Alefiend]

I don't currently have access to the book "Morreion" by Jack Vance, which is where the Ioun stones first appeared. But if someone has a copy handy they might check to see if it mentions the correct pronunciation.

It doesn't. All it does is spell IOUN in all caps.

[Morcleon]

It doesn't. All it does is spell IOUN in all caps.

That's obviously intending it to be an abbreviation. So the proper pronunciation is, in fact, "eye-oh-you-en". :smallbiggrin:

[Snowbluff]

I pronounce a short i and a long o before an n.

[Vhaidara]

So "i" as in "in", "o" as in "so" and "n" as in "nitwit"?

[Snowbluff]

Darn it. I am not good at describing this. I just pronounce it like it has been romanticized. EE-on.

[Spore]

I am going with that one: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ion

[Vhaidara]

So you pronounce it like the word "eon"?

Also, try actually pronouncing it the way I thought you were saying it was pronounced. I entertained myself with it for a few minutes.

[Remmirath]

I've always pronounced it eye-OON, but I could also see ee-OON. I expect if I had read it before I heard it I would have gravitated more towards the ee-OON pronunciation, but such was not the case.

[Snowbluff]

So you pronounce it like the word "eon"?

Also, try actually pronouncing it the way I thought you were saying it was pronounced. I entertained myself with it for a few minutes.
Yeah, but with a long o. EYE-yoon just sounds dumb. It doesn't roll off the tongue at all. You don't say EYE-o when talking about Io, right?

It is pretty funny.

[Novawurmson]

Throw my hat in the ring for eye-OON.

[(Un)Inspired]

I've always pronounced it such that it rhymes with goon. I-ouuuuuun (goon)

[RobD]

I always pronounced it "ee-o-wen," but I don't know why.

[Selein]

Io (as in the moon) connected with an "oon" sound making the word 3 syllables.

[Ravens_cry]

Hmm, thinking about it, I'd say I pronounce it like 'I own' as in, 'I own that Ioun stone' just with less of a gap between the words.

[Duke of Urrel]

The word seems to be intended to look and sound foreign. So you can really choose to pronounce it any way you like. People who speak the Common Tongue probably don't pronounce "Ioun" correctly. They pronounce it "as in the Common Tongue," which is to say, incorrectly, as English speakers mispronounce foreign words that they encounter in print.

I like the idea that the vowels in "Ioun" should be pronounced as in Latin: "ee-Oh-oon." I would also suggest pronouncing the initial 'i' as a consonant, that is, as a 'y'. So "Ioun stone" would be pronounced like "yone stone."

[Kalaska'Agathas]

I'd pronounce it [ˈaɪ.uːn], for those familiar with IPA.

AYE-oon (as in the affirmative "Aye," and "Moon," with the stress on the first syllable), for those who are not.

But that's just my pronunciation.

[Bakkan]

I pronounce it EE-oon.

[Deophaun]

Yeah, but with a long o. EYE-yoon just sounds dumb. It doesn't roll off the tongue at all.
Which is why you place the emphasis on the second sylable, so it's eye-YOON.

You don't say EYE-o when talking about Io, right?
Yes, just as you would pronounce the name of the Greek goddess with the exact same spelling. Not as you would pronounce the hawaiian hawk.

[Snowbluff]

Which is why you place the emphasis on the second sylable, so it's eye-YOON. Even worse.


Yes, just as you would pronounce the name of the Greek goddess with the exact same spelling. Not as you would pronounce the hawaiian hawk.
"La aquila" is incorrect, because it sounds horrible. Hawk is good. Ioun is a made up word, and "eye-oon" is a hideous pronunciation. This isn't about mechanical correctness, it's about aesthetics.

[Deophaun]

Even worse.

"La aquila" is incorrect, because it sounds horrible. Hawk is good. Ioun is a made up word, and "eye-oon" is a hideous pronunciation. This isn't about mechanical correctness, it's about aesthetics.

So Ee is right out, because of how horrible it sounds.

[Snowbluff]

So Ee is right out, because of how horrible it sounds.
That's your prerogative, but nothing you had said when you quoted me pertained to what I said. I posted what I was considered aesthetically with the romantic pronunciation (ignoring the u, of course). It's bad enough the word ends in a consonant.

Honestly, I would feel better if you would apologize for the argument that implied my ignorance on the matter.

[Deophaun]

That's your prerogative, but nothing you had said when you quoted me pertained to what I said. I posted what I was considered aesthetically with the romantic pronunciation (ignoring the u, of course). It's bad enough the word ends in a consonant.
And I posted what I considerdered aesthetically analogous to nails on a chalk board.


Honestly, I would feel better if you would apologize for the argument that implied my ignorance on the matter.

I would feel better with a private jet filled with the Dallas cheerleader team. Alas, it seems we must both get used to disappointment, as I do not appologzie to people who insult themselves with inferences they choose to draw from my writing.

[TuggyNE]

Ioun is a made up word, and "eye-oon" is a hideous pronunciation. This isn't about mechanical correctness, it's about aesthetics.

Why is that? No, seriously, what's wrong with it? I consider myself to have at least an average appreciation of euphony in English (/Common), and it seems entirely sensible to pronounce it that way.

[RedWarlock]

Yeah, but with a long o. EYE-yoon just sounds dumb. It doesn't roll off the tongue at all. You don't say EYE-o when talking about Io, right?

Sez you. :smalltongue:

I actually do say both of them that way.

Ioun == Eye-YOON

Io == EYE-oh

Edit: And just so you know: This is from someone with a high fluency in English, has studied French, Japanese, and has a high familiarity in germanic, greek, and latin verbiage. 'Roll of the tongue' doesn't mean anything to me, since I can make almost any word flow pretty easily, and my friends often look to me to determine the natural flow of unfamiliar words. (They still make jokes that I insist for svirfneblin as spoken. It's not that hard to say, most people just don't even try!)

[molten_dragon]

This is sort of a bizarre question, but how do you pronounce "Ioun Stone"? I've always thought it was "Yoon" stone but I've also heard "Eye-oon" stone.

I pronounce it EYE-oon. It being a made-up worth that (as far as I know) has only been used in print by the writers, there probably isn't a right pronunciation.

[CRtwenty]

I pronounce it "Eye-On" myself, like the word "Ion".

[ahenobarbi]

Ee (eel) - O (long) - oo (moon) - n (night) /iːɒuːn/.

[BWR]

I've varied a bit. Mostly 'AI-oon', but sometimes 'EE-oon' creeps in.

[Anadoru]

Yeah, but with a long o. EYE-yoon just sounds dumb. It doesn't roll off the tongue at all. You don't say EYE-o when talking about Io, right?

It is pretty funny.

Actually, as an Astronomy student I am compelled to point out that Io is pronounced EYE-o.

EDIT: On topic, I've always said eye-on, though having read the thread I'm now agreeing with EYE-oon, largely because it sounds more exotic (if exotic is the right word to use).

[danzibr]

I always pronounced it EYE-on, but now that I think about it, it should probably be EE-own.

[Karnith]

The mothership lists the correct pronunciation as EYE-oon. (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnDArchives_FAQ.asp)

[nyjastul69]

The mothership lists the correct pronunciation as EYE-oon. (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnDArchives_FAQ.asp)

Too bad the mothership didn't exist when I was 13. :smallwink:

[hymer]

@ Karnith & the Mothership: Obviously that whole list is utterly confused and useless. Pronounce herb 'erb'? Do you know what Eddie Izzard says to that? There's a ****ing 'H' in it!

Anyway, I'll take the OED's authority over that list any day (KWEE-rass? Come again? Oh, you mean kwee-RASS, I see).

[jedipotter]

I have always pronounced it ''ooh-ne''. But I also say ''Hal-bread'' for Halbred, and say Io as I-O (like the moon).

[Talya]

I pretend they don't exist.

[Vhaidara]

Yeah, but with a long o. EYE-yoon just sounds dumb. It doesn't roll off the tongue at all. You don't say EYE-o when talking about Io, right?

It is pretty funny.

*looks awkwardly back and forth*

I kind of do pronounce Io that way...

[Zweisteine]

*looks awkwardly back and forth*

I kind of do pronounce Io that way...

Dictionary says 'ī-ō (EYE-oh) or 'ē-ō (EE-oh). So everyone is right.

Also, eye-'oōn (eye-OON).

[Silverbit]

Until recently, I pronounced it EYY-ÜN. I'm not sure why. At present I pronounce it EYE-OUN (to rhyme with boon). This is from someone who pronounced Smaug as it's spelt for 10+ years.

[Snowbluff]

I would feel better with a private jet filled with the Dallas cheerleader team. Alas, it seems we must both get used to disappointment, as I do not appologzie to people who insult themselves with inferences they choose to draw from my writing.Well, I understand your level of civility. Honestly it is my bad. I posted on very little sleep.


Actually, as an Astronomy student I am compelled to point out that Io is pronounced EYE-o.

EDIT: On topic, I've always said eye-on, though having read the thread I'm now agreeing with EYE-oon, largely because it sounds more exotic (if exotic is the right word to use). Io is the dragon god. I pronounce like the Italian 'io,' which refers to oneself. So, no. Not everyone is correct. :smalltongue:

Why is that? No, seriously, what's wrong with it? I consider myself to have at least an average appreciation of euphony in English (/Common), and it seems entirely sensible to pronounce it that way. The 2 other languages that I have dipped my toes are Japanese (too much subbed anime and weaboo-ism in high school) and Italian. In Italian, some rules are their mostly because things sound wrong when you do them. So it's not English euphony, despite it being my native tongue. For English, I was a in choir in highschool, and having to annunciation the n while singing would be terrible.

I also dislike ee-o-oon. Too many vowel sounds next to each other.

[Anadoru]

Io is the dragon god. I pronounce like the Italian 'io,' which refers to oneself. So, no. Not everyone is correct. :smalltongue:

Oh, I see: I automatically assumed it was the moon you were talking about. Sorry about that :smallredface:

[Snowbluff]

Oh, I see: I automatically assumed it was the moon you were talking about. Sorry about that :smallredface:

To be fair, they are both gods in less than common usage. I usually pronounce one differently so I don't mix them up, when I am not being weird about how words sound. I name a lot of my characters after moons and planets, so it's important when I have a cleric named Io who worships Io. :smalltongue:

[Fax Celestis]

To be fair, they are both gods in less than common usage. I usually pronounce one differently so I don't mix them up, when I am not being weird about how words sound. I name a lot of my characters after moons and planets, so it's important when I have a cleric named Io who worships Io. :smalltongue:

That's an interesting naming convention. I tend to name my wizards after medications (Xanax the Enchanter with his odd calm emotions focus, for instance).

[SiuiS]

I am apparently a minority, in that I use a long e sound for the I, much like a weird version of the name Ian.

[Somensjev]

i always pronounced it "eye O un" (think like you shortened the 'oo' on toon) with emphasis on the o

[BowStreetRunner]

The correct pronunciation depends upon your race.

Ioun

Common: eye-OON
Elven: YOON
Dwarven: eye-ON
Halfling: EYE-oon
Gnome: EYE-on
Orc: eye-OWN
Goblin: SHY-nee
Draconic: eye-oh-YOU-en
Gnoll: ih-OWN
Giant: EE-on
Drow: ee-OON

[Somensjev]

The correct pronunciation depends upon your race.

Ioun

Common: eye-OON
Elven: YOON
Dwarven: eye-ON
Halfling: EYE-oon
Gnome: EYE-on
Orc: eye-OWN
Goblin: SHY-nee
Draconic: eye-oh-YOU-en
Gnoll: ih-OWN
Giant: EE-on
Drow: ee-OON


may i please sig this? :smallamused:

[Fax Celestis]

The correct pronunciation depends upon your race.

Ioun

Common: eye-OON
Elven: YOON
Dwarven: eye-ON
Halfling: EYE-oon
Gnome: EYE-on
Orc: eye-OWN
Goblin: SHY-nee
Draconic: eye-oh-YOU-en
Gnoll: ih-OWN
Giant: EE-on
Drow: ee-OON


TIL: I'm a halfling.

[Snowbluff]

I guess I am know? Doesn't look right.


That's an interesting naming convention. I tend to name my wizards after medications (Xanax the Enchanter with his odd calm emotions focus, for instance).
Saves time, right? Most of my characters are War-like, so they get names from Mars (Deimos, Phobos, Mars, Ares, Timor, and Metus). The character for my avatar is called Phobos Venomcry. :smallsmile:

[BowStreetRunner]

may i please sig this? :smallamused:

Knock yourself out. :smallcool:

[Somensjev]

done
and according to that list i pronounce it most similarly to a dragon, but maybe i have an accent or something..? (i do, however, think like a goblin)

[Snowbluff]

done
and according to that list i pronounce it most similarly to a dragon, but maybe i have an accent or something..? (i do, however, think like a goblin)

Looks a little big. Spoiler that.

I guess I use a combination of drow and orc. And that's terrible. I need to come up with something that's between orc and drow.

[Rijan_Sai]

My 2c:

I generally use the Dwarven pronunciation. (It may be closer to "I-yawn*, though")

*Admit it, you yawned!

[BowStreetRunner]

My 2c:

I generally use the Dwarven pronunciation. (It may be closer to "I-yawn*, though")

*Admit it, you yawned!

I think that's Mountain Dwarf as opposed to Hill Dwarf. :smallwink:

[thompur]

I've always said EYE-oon, myself.

Here is another one that I've heard pronounced many different ways:

Otyugh

I've been pronouncing it OH-tee-yugg for 35 years.
I've heard others recently say OH-tee-oo or OH tee oof.

[Illarion]

I've always said it "eye-own"

I don't see how that is orcish though.

[LadyLexi]

I have always heard it as pronounced the same as Ion.

[nyjastul69]

The correct pronunciation depends upon your race.

Ioun

Common: eye-OON
Elven: YOON
Dwarven: eye-ON
Halfling: EYE-oon
Gnome: EYE-on
Orc: eye-OWN
Goblin: SHY-nee
Draconic: eye-oh-YOU-en
Gnoll: ih-OWN
Giant: EE-on
Drow: ee-OON


Well posted! Yououn winoun the threadoun. I'll have to keep my ioun you.

[BowStreetRunner]

I've always said it "eye-own"

I don't see how that is orcish though.

Simple. If I'm an orc and I want the shiny, then 'I own' the shiny and you better not have a problem with that. :thog:

[The Trickster]

My partymates and I have always said "Eye-on".

But some of them pronounce paladin as puh-lad-in, instead of pal-ah-din. So who knows.