Proper Pronunciation of all D&D words!

[Oryan77]

I thought it might be helpful to compile an official mega list of proper pronunciation for D&D names. So I'm asking the Enworld community to help out

I've seen lots of threads on how to pronounce words, but I don't think I've seen anything compiled together with actual sources. Please direct me to a site that has an official list if I am wrong. I know I've read posts by Monte Cook where he said the Planescape's City of Doors is pronounced "Sig-il" and not "Sij-il", but I can't find the source for that in order to show people. So I'd like to make this thread the place to go to prove our friends wrong.

If you have proof on how to pronounce a D&D word that people have trouble with, please post your findings here and I will add it to the list. You must be able to provide the source of your proof. It could be an article from a magazine or book, an official website posting, or whatever.

For now, as I think of words, I will add them to the list (feel free to suggest words to add). But I won't put the pronunciation after the word until I can show proof that that is the way it is pronounced.

Also, I don't have access to these books, but if you do, can you type up the pronunciations that it lists and post it here?

- "Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd" by Frank Mentzer in Dragon #93 (Jan. 1985)
- For help pronouncing words and names specific to the Forgotten Realms setting, see the Forgotten Realms box and the trilogy of Forgotten Realms deity books.
- For help pronouncing the names of the various tanar'ri and baatezu types, see MC8 Outer Planes Appendix.

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Sources:

- Dictionary
- http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnDArchives_FAQ.asp

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Aarakocra: a-rah-KO-krah
Aasimar:
Aasimon:
Acheron:
Arquebus: AR-keh-bus
Baatezu: bay-AH-teh-zu or BAH-teh-zu
Baator:
Bardiche: bar-DEESH
Bulette: boo-LAY
Catoblepus: kuht-OH-bleh-puhs, also kah-TA-ble-pus
Chatkcha: CHAT-k-cha (thri-kreen throwing weapon)
Chimera: ky-MAEE-ruh, or ky-MAIR-ruh (rhymes with "care of")
Chitin: KITE-in
Coup de grace:
Cuirass: KWEE-rass
Drizzt Do'Urden:
Drow: DRAU (as in drowsy; rhymes with now and how)
Dweomer: DWEH-mer (rhymes with "hem her"), or DWIH-mer; sometimes DWEE-mer
Falchion: FAL-chun
Geas: GEE-ass, or GYASS (both with a hard "g")
Genasi:
Gygax: GY-gaks
Halberd: HAL-berd, (not HAL-bread)
Herb: ERB
Ioun: EYE-oon
Iuz: YOOZ or EE-uz
Ixitxachitl: iks-it-ZATCH-i-til or ik-zit-zah-chih-tull
Lich: LITCH (as in ditch), *not* LIKE or LICK
Lycanthrope: LY-kun-throhp, LY-kan-throhp (like lichen rope/my tan rope)
Lycanthropy: ly-KAN-thruh-pee
Mage: MAGE (as in age), *not* MADGE (as in badger)
Melee: MAY-lay
Otyugh: AHT-yuhg
Sahuagin: sah-HWAH-gin
Scythe: syth (rhymes with tithe)
Sigil:
Styx:
Svirfneblin: svirf-NEB-lin
Tanar'ri: tah-NAHR-ree
Tarrasque: tah-RASK
THAC0: either THAK-oh, or THAKE-oh
Tiefling:
Vargouille: var-GWEEL
Vrock: vrahk
Wyvern: WIH-vern (as in did learn), or WHY-vern
Xaositects:
Yggdrasil:
Ysgard:
Zaknafein: zack-NAY-fee-in

 

[Crothian]

In the Dragon Compendium Vol 1 they have a very nice 4 pages of double columned pronunciation guide.

 

[LostSoul]

Bulette: boo-LAY
Drow: DRAU (as in drowsy; rhymes with now and how)

I don't care what they say, it's Boo-let.

I've always pronounced drow to rhyme with row. Which gets me strange looks when I play with different people.

 

[resistor]

Bulette: boo-LAY

That's horrible, even by the fakey French phonology. If it were meant to be boo-LAY, it should be spelled "bulet." As written, it's boo-LET.

 

[Hairfoot]

I don't care what they say, it's Boo-let.

I've always pronounced drow to rhyme with row. Which gets me strange looks when I play with different people.

Agreed on both counts. I can't imagine where "boo-lay" comes from. The "-ette" part specifically denotes the pronunciation. Otherwise they would be "bullet".

The drow thing alone will invite a flame war, so I'm steering clear of this thread from now.

EDIT: beaten to the punch by registor.

 

[Oryan77]

In the Dragon Compendium Vol 1 they have a very nice 4 pages of double columned pronunciation guide.

Is there anything wrong with copying that list and posting it online or would that be illegal? I don't own that magazine but it would be great if some bored Enworlder typed it all out for us

I've always pronounced drow to rhyme with row. Which gets me strange looks when I play with different people.

I used to pronounce Drow the same way until I met a guy a couple years ago that pronounced it like cow. For some reason, the cow version stuck in my head and I now say it that way. I didn't even do it intentionally.

 

[Starman]

I know I've read posts by Monte Cook where he said the Planescape's City of Doors is pronounced "Sig-il" and not "Sij-il", but I can't find the source for that in order to show people. So I'd like to make this thread the place to go to prove our friends wrong.

Hmmm...my sources say that either pronunciation is correct.

 

[Oryan77]

Hmmm...my sources say that either pronunciation is correct.

Oh! I remember where I got the info. It's from one of the Planescape books. It might actually be on the cd that came with Player's Primer to the Outlands. I remember a character commenting about primes pronouncing it Sij-il and he said that only a clueless berk will pronounce it that way...something like that.

 

[Pbartender]

THAC0: either THAK-oh, or THAKE-oh

You've got that one wrong...

It should be pronounced "AHB-soh-leet".

 

[Thunderfoot]

Coup de grace:
KEW - DAY - grah (French in origin)

Styx:
STICKS /single syllable/ (Greek in origin)