reanjr
First Post
Deadguy said:That is, of course, quite true. However I have found that taking the time to spell out a name can save confusion later on. I have seen occasions when players dig up a note of an NPC months later, read what they transcribed and have the DM go 'huh?' Players by no means always hear a name right - you quickly relaise that everyone has subtle differences in accent that can obscure a name.
As a side note: as DM, always say the names of NPCs out loud to yourself when you create them. If you struggle to say the name when you come to it in your notes, chances are your players will too. And worse, a mispronounced name can ruin an otherwise good NPC (as the ref who included 'Aurochbalaenus' found out when he mangled it, and found the poor fellow named 'Orrible-anus' everafter!
Pronouncing it Orrible-anus would just be wrong by English standards (assuming the orrible is pronounced like horrible). In English, multisyllabic words are prnounced with a single primary stress and alternating secondary stress. Orrible-anus would only be a proper pronunciation if the original were something like Auroch Balaenus or Auroch-balaenus. You really can't help those who cannot pronounce their native tongue.