Pronouncing 'Acererak'

[Dust]

Thread title basically sums up the question. I find myself stumbling over the demilich's name pretty constantly, and when I do manage to include all of the syllables, I end up sounding like I've got a pretty thick, slurred accent.

Is it 'Uh-kurr-urr-ak?'?

[dsmiles]

Don't expect much response. I don't think anyone else can say it either.

Personally, I think the first syllable is more like the A sound in "apple."

[thompur]

I always pronounced it "ah-SEHR-ur-ak".

[Rixx]

We usually use "Ass-sir-RARE-ack"

[SurlySeraph]

I always pronounced it "ah-SEHR-ur-ak".

This is what I go with. I doubt there's an official answer, though.

[Dr Bwaa]

I've always assumed it was obvious. I guess not, given that no one else has said my pronunciation yet. My group says "ace-er-AIR-ak."

[WinceRind]

Thread title basically sums up the question. I find myself stumbling over the demilich's name pretty constantly, and when I do manage to include all of the syllables, I end up sounding like I've got a pretty thick, slurred accent.

Is it 'Uh-kurr-urr-ak?'?

I say it this way:

A-see-re-rakh, with emphasis on the first a.

[Moriato]

Acer E-rack?
Ace Re-rack?
Acre E-rake?

Just call him Bob

[Unrest]

/ə'særəræk/ ? Second /æ/ longer than the first, and making these trilling r's helps add more menacing quality? (In normal language, try saying "a certain rack" replacing "tain" with a reduced vowel like "eh")

Just a blind guess.

[arguskos]

This is what I go with. I doubt there's an official answer, though.

A-ha, and you'd be wrong! There is an official answer, or as close as it gets, in the Dragon Compendium (yet another reason to love that book). It's given as "a-SER-ur-@k". The @ symbol is like the "a" in "Fat".

[Greensleeve]

Acer E-rack?
Ace Re-rack?
Acre E-rake?

Just call him Bob

Bob it is!

[Erom]

We usually use "Ass-sir-RARE-ack"

I agree mostly with Rixx: Ass-ser-RARE-ack

[Logalmier]

/ə'særəræk/ ? Second /æ/ longer than the first, and making these trilling r's helps add more menacing quality? (In normal language, try saying "a certain rack" replacing "tain" with a reduced vowel like "eh")

I have no idea what you just said.

[Edge]

I go with Ass-ser-ruh-rak.

[Swordguy]

I know of at least a few TSR employees (Jon Pickens, Kim Mohan) who pronounced it:

Eh - SEHR - ur - rack

According to Jon, the first syllable could be switched out, depending on the regional dialect of the speaker, for

Ah - SEHR - ur - rack

Either was considered correct. This is consistent with a Dragon Magazine I recall, though not the offhanded issue number.

EDIT: And there we go! Compendium instead of Magazine, but still...

[BobTheDog]

Acer E-rack?
Ace Re-rack?
Acre E-rake?

Just call him Bob

Bob it is!

Hey, I resent that!

Being Brazilian makes it very easy to pronouce Acererak, though I doubt it sounds anything near what you USAers would use...

[SurlySeraph]

I'm surprised no one's suggested pronouncing it "Aw-sheet-ruhn-AW-ay" yet.

[Dr Bwaa]

/ə'særəræk/ ? Second /æ/ longer than the first, and making these trilling r's helps add more menacing quality?

This is interesting. I kind of like it, but I can't make it flow with the front-stress though On the other hand, trying to did lead me to an entertaining pronunciation with all hard consonants: /əkə'rəræk/ ("uh-KURR-ur-ak")

I'm surprised no one's suggested pronouncing it "Aw-sheet-ruhn-AW-ay" yet.

That would be a fair bit more appropriate, wouldn't it?

[Cahokia]

I personally go with ah-SEHR-err-ack.

[Logalmier]

Aw-sheet-ruhn-AW-ay

Gesundheit.

Sometimes I feel that WoTC really needs to come out with a pronunciation guide sourcebook...

[Starbuck_II]

Thread title basically sums up the question. I find myself stumbling over the demilich's name pretty constantly, and when I do manage to include all of the syllables, I end up sounding like I've got a pretty thick, slurred accent.

Is it 'Uh-kurr-urr-ak?'?

"Ass-re-rak" is how I do it naturally.

[tahu88810]

"Ah-cur-err-rah-ck"

[Fax Celestis]

"Acer-ee-rack."

[Elfin]

I always pronounced it "ah-SEHR-ur-ak".

This is how I pronounce it as well.

[Heliomance]

I pronounce it a'-SERR-err-ack

[Mando Knight]

I know of at least a few TSR employees (Jon Pickens, Kim Mohan) who pronounced it:

Eh - SEHR - ur - rack

According to Jon, the first syllable could be switched out, depending on the regional dialect of the speaker, for

Ah - SEHR - ur - rack

Either was considered correct. This is consistent with a Dragon Magazine I recall, though not the offhanded issue number.

EDIT: And there we go! Compendium instead of Magazine, but still...

Huh. My gut instinct on pronouncing it was "right."

[JBento]

My group just calls it "that sadistic bastard", though sometimes we pronounce that as "AH (as in apple)-TCHE-REH-RAHK"

[Morph Bark]

I've always gone with "ah-SEY-REH-rak".

A c before an e is spoke like an s, after all.

[Lord_Gareth]

I pronounce it, "You see a floating skull."

[dsmiles]

"Aw-sheet-ruhn-AW-ay"

My new personal pronunciation.