Proper Pronunciation of all D&D words!

[Ripzerai]

which is it?
PAL-a-din?
or
Pal-AD-in

PAL-a-din.

 

[Ripzerai]

Based on the bulette error, I wouldn't be surprised if the folks at TSR just got it wrong.

And yes, David Cook admitted that he didn't at first realize the word had another pronunciation. The quote about how pronouncing it with a soft 'g' is illegal was an in-joke to that effect, as other folks at TSR clued him in.

 

[Oryan77]

*cough* Planescape Lingo Note the correct prounounciation of the name of our fair city, fines for misprounounciation are 30gp per incident as proven before the Sigil Advisory Council.

I actually listened to those for the first time 2 days ago, it was interesting. There were a couple that I didn't believe were pronounced correctly. That is fan created right?

Based on the bulette error, I wouldn't be surprised if the folks at TSR just got it wrong.

That's something that has always puzzled me. I don't understand why people always compare a "D&D" word as being pronounced incorrectly because "that's not how you say it in french/dutch/german/russian/ect". The same thing with the whole Sigil debate and it being a word in the dictionary. We are talking about words from a fantasy setting, not a French culture from planet Earth or an 'English' dictionary.

Personally, if TSR/WotC says a word is pronounced a certain way in their fantasy world, then I'm not going to tell them they are wrong unless they contradict themselves. But then again, I'm the guy that doesn't understand why everyones impersonation of a Dwarf is always Scottish and Humans are always English.

I'm more interested in compiling a list of pronunciations from official D&D sources...not what fans assume it is for whatever reasons they come up with in their logic. After completing an "official" list, then it's up to the individual to use whatever version he prefers. I wasn't intending on this thread to be a discussion on "right or wrong". I just wanted to see if there are sources from the guys that stuck those words in our D&D books

 

[Ripzerai]

I actually listened to those for the first time 2 days ago, it was interesting. There were a couple that I didn't believe were pronounced correctly. That is fan created right?

No, it actually used to be on the WotC site. And yes, it does contradict the earlier pronunciation guide from the Outer Planes Appendix in places.

Sigil the city is indeed named after sigils the glyphs, but it's its own thing now.

 

[Oryan77]

If anyone can provide a link to a statement from a TSR/WotC creator giving proof on the real way to say Bulette or any other words, that would be great. Then I can change the above list and add in the explanation/source.

 

[Oryan77]

No, it actually used to be on the WotC site. And yes, it does contradict the earlier pronunciation guide from the Outer Planes Appendix in places.

Sigil the city is indeed named after sigils the glyphs, but it's its own thing now.

As far as I know, Sigil was never nicknamed "The city of seals" or "The city of magical symbols". It's called "The Cage" or "The city of doors". I also have never read anything comparinng the city Sigil to seals or magic symbols...so why would the city be named after the word in the dictionary? Maybe it has been called "Sij-il" before in official sources, but I've never seen it....but I have heard it called "Sig-il" in an official Planescape source, so that's what I'll use

 

[Huw]

(Warning 1: I'm British so my phonetic guides might be a bit different)
(Warning 2: These are my pronunciations, not necessarily official ones)

Aasimar: AR-see-mar
Aasimon: AR- see-mon
Acheron: ACK-eron (this has been in another thread)
Baator: Bar-tor (like the capital of Mongolia )
Bulette: boo-LAY
No, no, no! boo-LET
Coup de grace: koo-duh-grass
Herb: ERB
No! HERB
Ixitxachitl: iks-it-ZATCH-i-til or ik-zit-zah-chih-tull
This looks vaguely Nahuatl, so I'd go for ish-it-shatch-itl.
Melee: MAY-lay
No! may-LAY. It's French
Styx: STICKS
Tiefling: TEEF-ling (tief=German "deep" or "abyssal")
Xaositects: kay-OS-i-tects (X=Greek Chi, i.e. "Chaositects")

 

[Pbartender]

Aasimar: AR-see-mar
Aasimon: AR- see-mon
Baator: Bar-tor

Sounds Piratey. Yar!

On a side note, I think I'm going to start spelling the name of the City of Doors, "Siggle" (Rhymes with giggle!)... It'll make it a lot easier for my players to pronounce right.

 

[Ripzerai]

As far as I know, Sigil was never nicknamed "The city of seals" or "The city of magical symbols". It's called "The Cage" or "The city of doors".

David "Zeb" Cook has admitted to naming it after sigils or glyphs. I think the interview isn't online anymore, but basically he said what I said - it was an error on his part where he mispronounced it.

Keep in mind, I'm not telling you that you should change your pronuciation guide accordingly; that's not my goal at all. I'm just correcting a misapprehension on your part: it is named after the English word.

I also have never read anything comparinng the city Sigil to seals or magic symbols.

Have you ever read Faction War? Look in page 37:

"Here's the dark of it: Before the legendary wizard was entombed in the gem, he prepared a gargantuan spell woven directly Into the essence of Sigil. In other words, he literally turned the city into a sigil, one that he hoped to use to strike the Lady down."

 

[Aloïsius]

Actually, I think YOU'RE wrong. Well, I don't really know if you are or not, but I've always pronounced it Koo de Grah. [de like den without the 'n']

Go-go too many different ways to pronounce things.

Koo duh Grass. I'm french. It's an approximation. I can record it, if you want ?