How do you pronounce 'melee?'

[Desdichado]

I pronounce it maladaladingdong because who cares how it's supposed to be pronounced?

You do, if you want people to know what it is you just said.

 

[Wulfram]

Usually Meh-lee. Meh-lay might happen if I'm thinking of it as a french word rather than an RPG word

 

[Allenchan]

When playing fantasy roleplaying games, I say MEE-lee, because it is then a game term meaning hand-to-hand combat.

Me personally:

"The sword is a MEE•LEE weapon."
"The thief disappears in the chaotic MAY•LAY!"

But now I'm gonna be all self-conscious about it, and say MAY•LAY until I forget.

Cheers, -- N

Ditto this. MAY-LAY as a descriptive word, and used in every-day life. MEE-LEE as a game term.

"I don't have ranged weapons, I'm specialized in MEE-LEE, so I've got to get close to participate in the MAY-LAY"

 

[Theroc]

Where does this "Real word vs RPG word" distinction come from?

 

[TarionzCousin]

I pronounce it correctly.

Au contraire.

Coup de grace I pronounce "coo de graa".

It seems that nearly everyone pronounces this one incorrectly. In French, gras (pronounced "gra")means "fat." Mardi Gras is "Fat Tuesday." So you are making a "cut of fat."

<snip>

Vec-na.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Honestly, I pronounce it exactly as it's spelled; M--short E--L--long E. Equally honestly though, who cares? Most folks will understand you no matter which of the two common ways you say it. Maybe the French care, maybe not. Maybe the English care, maybe not. Me, I live in a nation where we pronounce words differently from our parent nation just to be contrary and where half the written language bears no relationship to its spoken form. (To be fair, English English is like that too.)

You do, if you want people to know what it is you just said.

Joking, dude.

It seems that nearly everyone pronounces this one incorrectly. In French, gras (pronounced "gra")means "fat." Mardi Gras is "Fat Tuesday." So you are making a "cut of fat."

Yeah, my soon-to-be DM pronounces that S and he prides himself of his 'proper' pronunciation skills. I'm waiting for an opportune moment to break the truth to him.

 

[TarionzCousin]

Yeah, my soon-to-be DM pronounces that S and he prides himself of his 'proper' pronunciation skills. I'm waiting for an opportune moment to break the truth to him.

Save yourself. He's correct. Coup-de-grace should be pronounced "Coo de grahs."

 

[Vorput]

I'm amused by how many responses this thread has gotten!

Also: May-lay

 

[Imperialus]

I typically use the french pronunciation... Mostly because the french are kind enough to add all the nice little accents to their letters as cues.

In the case of Melee the french spelling is Mêlée.

The ê is pronounced as a longer eh sound... Try drawing out the E in Festival.

the é is pronounced almost like an ay. Think Clay

The last e is silent.

In other words
Meh-Lay. The Meh is a little bit drawn out and soft while the Lay is quite sharp.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Die you scum sucking villian! Or roll dice for surprise (if DMing)!

:d