Qarr the Unpronounceable One

[Thant]

Yesterday I was talking about some OotS theories with my friends and wanted to make some point about Kubotas plans against the Order, but when I was about to mention Qarr I stopped in place and started thinking...more thinking...more thinking (at this point my jaw started breakdancing)...more thinking (people looking at me with "is he always like that or he needs some help?" look) more th$%^!@*&...and then my brain just restarted itself:smalltongue: The thing is - how do you pronounce his name (Qarr)? I mean really, how? Kju-ar? Kjej-ar? Kjej-arrr? Kjuejarrrrr?!?! I haven't got a clue. It's no big deal (we had a good laugh), but I just don't want to refer to him as "a small fiend with big friends and red speech bubbles that helps Kubota" all the time:smallbiggrin: So post your answers!

[Spiryt]

Eh, maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I've never had any problems...

It's just "kw" sound like in "quanity" and then "arr".

[Emperor Ing]

I'd think it's pronounced "car"

[Johel]

In french, "Q" is like "K", so I got no problem with it.

Just pronounce
[KaR]
or
[kAr]
depends where you wanna put the tone.

[Thant]

Tnx. I was just thinking in Terry Prachett manner and thought that answer may not be that simple (Qarr = [Kar])

[Sir_Norbert]

Yes, I think that because it's written with Q it shouldn't just be pronounced K. But it isn't QU either. I pronounce it as [x], that is, the sound of "ch" in "loch" or German "Achtung". It's more.... fiendish.

[Xallace]

I always figured it was pronounced "Char," since when transliterating Chinese Q is pronounced CH, and I've never see a lone Q outside of those instances. Or Star Trek TNG.

[factotum]

I just go with "kwar" too. It's about as close an English pronunciation as you'll find to that word, anyway (since English rules state that Q is always followed by a U, one can't necessarily assume the pronunciation would be the same as the more correctly English "Quar").

[Kurald Galain]

Tnx. I just was thinking in Terry Prachett manner and thought that answer may not be that simple (Qarr = [Kar])

Well, it's certainly easier to prounce than WxrtHltl-jwlpklz...

[R.O.A.]

intersting. before I read this I hadn't even considered anyone would pronunce it other then 'Kw- aRR'

[Greg]

I pronounce Qarr as Kar - as I would Qatar.

[Fiery Diamond]

I pronounce it "car." In English, "Q" by itself very rarely appears. However, Q pronounced as K does happen in English. Look at the word plaque. It's "plak."

I do like the idea of pronouncing it like the sound in loch, though. That does make it sound demonic.

-Fiery Diamond

[Manga Shoggoth]

I just go with "kwar" too. It's about as close an English pronunciation as you'll find to that word, anyway (since English rules state that Q is always followed by a U, one can't necessarily assume the pronunciation would be the same as the more correctly English "Quar").

As indeed would anyone who has visited, for example, Quarr abbey on the Isle of Wight.

The pronunciation here comes via Quarry.

[Lissou]

I pronounce it as "car" (or Kar, or Char(acter)).
The w sound is how Us are pronounced. When having a Q and no U, you only pronounce the Q. Think "Iraq". It's pronounced like "Irak" would be. Same with Qatar.
Not many English words have a Q without a U (actually, mostly foreign words used in English, most of which are countries or something), but those that do pronounce it like a K.

I never realised Qarr's name could be pronounced any other way... And I really don't understand where the "w" comes from for those who pronounce it.

(It is to note that both Qatar and Iraq are originally written in arabic, so you can't argue that English just kept the original spelling. They turned it into English spelling, to be pronounced by English native speakers.)

[Sir_Norbert]

(It is to note that both Qatar and Iraq are originally written in arabic, so you can't argue that English just kept the original spelling. They turned it into English spelling, to be pronounced by English native speakers.)
Um, not really. English spelling of Arabic loanwords is a transliteration of the Arabic script -- it does correspond to the original spelling. In this case Q stands for a voiceless uvular plosive in the original Arabic, but English doesn't have that sound as a distinct phoneme so we just pronounce it as K.

You could argue from that that Qarr is meant to be pronounced with a uvular plosive, but (1) Qarr doesn't look especially like an Arabic name, and (2) even if it's more correct, I can't pronounce a uvular plosive either :P So I'll continue using [x], but I have more sympathy with those who pronounce it [k] than with those who say [kw].

[Haleyintraining]

I think k (like kite)-w (like wax)-arr (like a pirate). K-w-arr. Qarr.

[Mauve Shirt]

I think it's "Karr".

[Draz74]

[x] (as in loch) would probably be written as Kharr. And maybe it's my Russian-speaking background, but I don't think that sounds especially fiendish at all.

I've imagined it's probably just pronounced like Carr. Though Quarr is more fun. And I actually like the Chinese "ch"-sound theory; though it's probably not intended (or he would be written as "Charr"), we did first hear his name from a Southern/"Asian" source.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Kw-arr. The Q on it's own still makes a Kw-sound in English. Check a Scrabble dictionary if you don't believe me.

[Mc. Lovin']

"Koo-warr" is how I go with it. Seems to be one of the more easy ones to pronounce (Over "Eee-lan" or my version, "Eh-lan")

[Lissou]

"Koo-warr" is how I go with it. Seems to be one of the more easy ones to pronounce (Over "Eee-lan" or my version, "Eh-lan")

Sounds like "couard", the French word for coward. Come to think of it, sounds like "coward" as well.

I think the Giant would have put a U or something if we were supposed to pronounced it with one... It would have been clearer. But I guess there is no way to be sure.
I mean, unless he tells us in the forums or makes it obvious in a comic.

I think it's just that he thought using a Q looked more neat than using a K or C. More unusual, too. But eh, what do I know?

[Ceric]

I've always said Kwar. Like a regular Qu, and without dragging out the r's.

[Thant]

"Koo-warr" is how I go with it. Seems to be one of the more easy ones to pronounce (Over "Eee-lan" or my version, "Eh-lan")

Interesting, there's a word in my native language that's pronounced like that ("Koo-warr") and it means cookbook:smallsmile: heh who knows, maybe in some OotS strip far, far away in the future Belkar and Qarr participate in a cooking duel...something like: "Ladies and gentlemen, PC's and NPC's, welcome to the greatest chef contest in the southern lands - Azurian Gourmet-o-cide! In the left corner from the plane of Abyss comes Qarr the Stranglypronounced One! His specialty - Heretic Blood Soup of Twelve Demons - and dark expertise in cuisine powers that may give him an edge over his opponent! And in the right corner, from the city where the sky is always grey, the halfling that's showing that size does matter...-HEY! You want to be on the menu too?...ungh, khm, that size doesn't matter when it comes to cooking, comes Belkster the Kidney Harvester! His family's trademark - Mama Bitterleafs Secret Ingredient - is sure to win the day! Light the cauldrons and may the tastiest plate win !":smallbiggrin:


p.s. - mmmmm...cookbook...gwahaghaha

[disorder]

In my mind, his name sounds like "car", but with a bit of a pirate accent to the "arrrr" part.

[David Demola]

I just go with "kwar" too. It's about as close an English pronunciation as you'll find to that word, anyway (since English rules state that Q is always followed by a U, one can't necessarily assume the pronunciation would be the same as the more correctly English "Quar").

Actually, English has a word without the Qu. It is "Qat".

The greatest word for Scrabble ever. But that's a sidenote.

That "Q" is pronounced like a "K"

Hope that helps!

~Dave

[Jayabalard]

Kw-arr. The Q on it's own still makes a Kw-sound in English. Check a Scrabble dictionary if you don't believe me.Lots of words don't follow that general rule, especially ones borrowed from other languages. A fiendish name in my book qualifies as a non-english word.

A couple of quick counter examples: Qur'an, Iraq, Qatar, Qat all are pronounced as a 'K' sound, not with a "kw" sound; these are all english spellings of foreign person/place/thing names (very relevant to Qarr). There are other words, like plaque

In general, english words where Q has a k sound are borrowed either from Arabic, French of Spanish.


Q, which is rarely seen in a word without a U next to it in English, is the second most rarely used letter in the English language. The Q represents a voiceless velar plosive, contrary to the belief that it represents a labialized voiceless velar plosive. If this were the case, there would be no need for the "U" at the end.

It seems pretty clear to me that if his name was "Kwar" then it would be spelled "Quarr" instead, it must be pronounced with a "K" instead of a "Kw"

[JellyPooga]

Am I the only one reading this thread, almost laughing out loud at the thought of all these people sitting in front of their computers, frown on face, making funny noises in an attempt to get it right?

Playgrounder: :smallannoyed: "koo-arrrr!! :smallmad: carrr. :smallconfused: kw-a-arrrrr?! :smallamused: kwar?...

Playgrounders Mum/Partner/Significant Other: :smallyuk: "What, by all the gods, are you doing dear?" :smallconfused:

Playgrounder: :smallredface: Ummm....never mind

No offence to all you guys...the thought just amused me! :smallwink:

(and for the record, I pronounce it "kaar")

[AceOfFools]

Um, not really. English spelling of Arabic loanwords is a transliteration of the Arabic script -- it does correspond to the original spelling. In this case Q stands for a voiceless uvular plosive in the original Arabic, but English doesn't have that sound as a distinct phoneme so we just pronounce it as K.

You could argue from that that Qarr is meant to be pronounced with a uvular plosive, but (1) Qarr doesn't look especially like an Arabic name, and (2) even if it's more correct, I can't pronounce a uvular plosive either :P So I'll continue using [x], but I have more sympathy with those who pronounce it [k] than with those who say [kw].

That's how I hear it in my head, although I can't pronounce it properly either.

Borrowing phonemes that don't exist in the language your writing is a good way to make something sound different. Klingon, for example, has several.

Mixing such phonemes from several languages and using them in a language that otherwise lacks the character of the language makes your fictional language sound very different. It's also less work than coming up with something that fits a particular language that wouldn't exist in a fantasy setting anyway. Especially one where everyone speaks English, but uses Asian names.

I'm guilty of doing this with names in fictitious languages in games, particularly names. I'm pretty sure that was the idea with Qarr.

[Warren Dew]

You could argue from that that Qarr is meant to be pronounced with a uvular plosive, but (1) Qarr doesn't look especially like an Arabic name, and (2) even if it's more correct, I can't pronounce a uvular plosive either :P

It looks arabic to me - or at least more arabic than chinese. Just make a "k" sound, but instead of closing the back of the tongue to the soft palate, close the throat further back, where the "ch" sound in "loch" is made. Alternatively, make the "ch" sound in "loch", but close the throat completely.

It sounds pretty close to a "k", though.