Core book reprintings - Pronunciation

[SpuneDagr]

Awright, in the reprinted core books, how about an end-all be-all pronunciation guide for this stuff (mostly the monsters). I want them to put in friggin' WRITING that "drow" is pronounced like cow, not crow. I want to know where the emphasis is to be placed on the word "illithid." But mostly, I want to know that I've been pronouncing everything correctly all these years. Wizards! Throw me a line!

Anyway, should I email somebody over there with this suggestion, and who should that be?

SpuneDagr

 

[GnomeWorks]

...I want them to put in friggin' WRITING that "drow" is pronounced like cow...

...

...is it?

 

[Mark]

Anyway, should I email somebody over there with this suggestion, and who should that be?

Excellent idea. Please do. And if you do not get a quick and satisfactory reply, alert the masses and we'll all send in our agreement.

Personally, I see no reason why they can't add a pronunciation key along with the names... ESPECIALLY Monsters that are often made up completely. And none of this, "Well, we asked everyone in the office and they said..." We need them to go to the source (eariler editions' authors.) We don't want it done incorrectly just because they can't pick up a phone and call Gygax, dammit!






I really do think it would be a nice addition...

 

[HellHound]

Yeah!

My goodness! We can't have people running around pronouncing things the way they like willy-nilly! Imagine the people who dare to pronounce "Lich" as "leek" or "lick"! They must be taught the error of their ways...

Or, what I mean to say is:

Why not let people pronounce it as they please? I like Drow as Crow better than Drow as Cow. Thus they are "Droe" in my games. Why bother with a pronounciation guide to restrict people's imaginations even more?

(Don't mean to come off aggressive here, I just think it's interesting to read other people's pronounciations on the various threads devoted to the topic over the years - Some are quite cool)

 

[SpuneDagr]

Naturally, anyone can pronounce this stuff any way they want to. It is nice to have a standard, though.

Does anybody know who I could contact about this? Should I write The Sage? What is his email address, anyway?

 

[GnomeWorks]

Re: Re: Core book reprintings - Pronunciation

Personally, I see no reason why they can't add a pronunciation key along with the names... ESPECIALLY Monsters that are often made up completely.

I'll agree with you on the second point. How are you supposed to pronounce "Yrthak", anyway? But other monsters, ones that have slightly more common letter groupings that aren't completely illegible to non-gamers, we don't need a pronunciation guide. Pronounce it however you want, it makes no difference.

And none of this, "Well, we asked everyone in the office and they said..." We need them to go to the source (eariler editions' authors.) We don't want it done incorrectly just because they can't pick up a phone and call Gygax, dammit!

...because, personally, I'd like to see Gygax do something more productive with his time than answer questions like: "How do you pronounce drow?"

(Now, I'll feel really dumb if Col. Pladoh sees this thread and answers that question... )

I really do think it would be a nice addition...

I do not. I can see some benefit for specific campaign settings, like FR - it's a specific world, thus should have a certain way of pronouncing things. But in general? There is no need.

 

[SpuneDagr]

Re: Re: Core book reprintings - Pronunciation

...

...is it?

That is PRECISELY my point! Nobody seems to know the answer!

 

[2WS-Steve]

I like Drow as Crow better than Drow as Cow. Thus they are "Droe" in my games. Why bother with a pronounciation guide to restrict people's imaginations even more?

**high-fives Hellhound for being a drow as crow fan**

I mean, how can you conjure fear with something that rhymes with cow and sow? Although I suppose all the teasing drow must have gotten in junior high could explain their vindictive demeanor...

 

[Stalker0]

And I proudly call one of the top undead lords a Lick

 

[GnomeWorks]

Re: Re: Re: Core book reprintings - Pronunciation

...

...is it?

That is PRECISELY my point! Nobody seems to know the answer!

Actually, that was a failed attempt to be sarcastic...

Just use whatever pronunciation you think is best. It's not a matter of being right or wrong - it's a matter of making everything fit together and make sense.