Dune Word Pronounciations


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Streaksy
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by Streaksy »

Speaking of that word. :P Hard to be mature when you read in Dune (only hours ago) "the scene glowed a faggot grey". (Or something VERY similar. It was that exact context). I think it was when Leto was looking out over the landing field while Paul was asleep on the conference table and Leto was feeling very mortal and dwelling on the hunter-seeker thing.

I agree with the Chani pronounciation. At first I said it as Channy. I was young. They say "Stilgar" emphasising the -ar, like he's an evil wizard. Stilga, I say. The good thing about books is you can have the pronounciations that seem right to you. The movies and speaky games and audiobooks are even slightly disillusioning. =/
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A Thing of Eternity
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by A Thing of Eternity »

That is absolutely true, if FH was asked how to pronounce something I'm sure he's saying, here's how it's intended, but pronounce it however the hell sounds good to you!

I don't remember the line about glowing a "faggot grey" though, I'll have to look that up! :lol: Faggots generally glow red or orange from my experience. :wink:

Which ties to why I find the word offensive - frankly it's the single worst slur I've ever come across as far as what it's actual meaning is. (for those who are not aware, a faggot is a bundle of stick for use in a fire - homosexuals are called this because that is what people thought of them, something to feed a fire - literally).
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Streaksy
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by Streaksy »

A Thing of Eternity wrote:That is absolutely true, if FH was asked how to pronounce something I'm sure he's saying, here's how it's intended, but pronounce it however the hell sounds good to you!
I like to think so. =D I like writing and I've never considered how I would react if someone said they pronounce something differently than how it was intended and asked how I felt about it. Kind of a weird thing to ask yourself. I'd say "go ahead, it's all valid", but I'd look at my stuff in a different way. Sorta. Anyway..
A Thing of Eternity wrote:I don't remember the line about glowing a "faggot grey" though, I'll have to look that up! :lol: Faggots generally glow red or orange from my experience. :wink:
HAH yep
A Thing of Eternity wrote:Which ties to why I find the word offensive - frankly it's the single worst slur I've ever come across as far as what it's actual meaning is. (for those who are not aware, a faggot is a bundle of stick for use in a fire - homosexuals are called this because that is what people thought of them, something to feed a fire - literally).
Really? Gawd. I thought a faggot was a game bird for some strange reason. (It's a dish too.)

I'm just looking for the line now...
Streaksy
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by Streaksy »

To the east, the night grew a faggot of luminous gray, then seashell opalescence that dimmed the stars. There came the long, bell-tolling movement of dawn striking across a broken horizon.

It was a scene of such beauty it caught all his attention.



It's when Leto has just found out about that Hark message about the killing blow coming from a loved one, and Hawat's urging him to at least consider Jessica. So, yeah, it's when Pauls asleep in the conference room and Hawat tried to resign for not finding the hunter-seeker trap, followed by strategy council meeting where Stilgar popped in. I think...?
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Freakzilla
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by Freakzilla »

Omphalos wrote:
Freakzilla wrote:I love my dead, gay son!

Name that movie...

Heathers. Kurt & Ram's repressed homosexual suicide pact.
:clap:
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SandChigger
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by SandChigger »

(I wonder if they have that on Netflix. I've only seen it once, years ago, but remember it being a hoot.)

In Fremen, to represent FH's pronunciation, you have to spell Chani as Tsheini. (Sietch should also just be sitsh, unless you're going to pronounce the "e", but I haven't been consistent in the greetings... :oops: )
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merkin muffley
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by merkin muffley »

When I heard Frank Herbert's intended pronunciations, I switched to them (I started saying Chani like Dick Cheney, for example)... and now I regret it, because I like it better the way it was in my head. But I would really have to try to switch back, because I really made an effort to get the pronunciation "right." Now I realize that doesn't matter.

I'm kind of annoyed that I think of it as "Cheney" now.
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by SandChigger »

Meh. Go with whatever works for you. If someone doesn't understand you (if you're lucky enough to have someone to discuss the books with face-to-face or over the phone... I miss my TEG! :tissue2: ... and get to say the words aloud), they'll ask.

Or just think you stupid and laugh behind your back.

Basically I oppose any move toward "Well, this is THE RIGHT WAY because this is how FH said it!" silliness and the eventual "My Dunedick is bigger than yours!" stupidity it would lead to. Let the little McDune sucky-fucks waste their time with that shit. :roll:
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by Nekhrun »

SandChigger wrote:I miss my TEG!
Any word on how he's doing?
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by SandChigger »

Not for a while... :(
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Freakzilla
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by Freakzilla »

I had no idea "graben" was a real word until I read this article: http://news.yahoo.com/ethiopias-magneti ... 01541.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In geology, a graben is a depressed block of land bordered by parallel faults. Graben is German for ditch or trench. Graben is used for both the singular and plural.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graben" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/graben" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So, I've learned two things today.

This and what an uphill gardener is.

:dance:
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ULFsurfer
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by ULFsurfer »

Was curious how "axolotl" is pronounced and got this for the 1st youtube hit..

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trang
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by trang »

Chani is "Cha knee" to me, always will be. Harkonnen is " har ko nen" to me always will be.

Axlotl is "axe lot el" to me.
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ULFsurfer
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by ULFsurfer »

I think the Mexicans say it differently. Then again they're not Tleilaxu!

I'm sure the Tleilaxu language/dialect must sound as revolting as their looks.
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JustSomeGuy
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by JustSomeGuy »

ULFsurfer wrote:I think the Mexicans say it differently. Then again they're not Tleilaxu!

I'm sure the Tleilaxu language/dialect must sound as revolting as their looks.
Axolotl
as with other words derived from Nahuatl, the “x” is pronounced as “sh”: roughly “Asholotl” instead of “Aksolotl”
I still pronounce it "Aksolotl." Also, I don't think Mexicans are all that revolting.
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lotek
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by lotek »

Freakzilla wrote:
This and what an uphill gardener is.

:dance:
are those the ones that only garden when the weather's nice ? :p
Spice is the worm's gonads.
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ULFsurfer
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by ULFsurfer »

JustSomeGuy wrote:
ULFsurfer wrote:I think the Mexicans say it differently. Then again they're not Tleilaxu!

I'm sure the Tleilaxu language/dialect must sound as revolting as their looks.
Axolotl
as with other words derived from Nahuatl, the “x” is pronounced as “sh”: roughly “Asholotl” instead of “Aksolotl”
I still pronounce it "Aksolotl." Also, I don't think Mexicans are all that revolting.
The only thing I find revolting about Mexicans is that they are slowly killing off those poor little axolotls..
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JustSomeGuy
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by JustSomeGuy »

:lol:

Are you sure? Those things are out there, man, but I wouldn't want to kill them off. Just watched the video again. Good stuff. Those axolotls are cute, yet creepy.
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by jakoye »

Streaksy wrote: Yueh: Surely it's Yoo-Eh, not Yoo-Ee
I agree, always "Yoo-A" for me.
Streaksy wrote: Gesserit: I thought the G was said normally, not like a J
I always saw it as a "J" and the rest sort of sounds like "desert", just more drawn out and the "rit" at the end.
Streaksy wrote: Muad'Dib: I thought it was dib, not deeb, but at least that one makes sense
"Deeb" for me. Not sure if I've subconciously changed how I hear that pronounciation based on the movies. It could've been that my 16-year-old self would've agreed with you on "dib".
Streaksy wrote: Sietch: Seetch
For me, I always dropped the "i" sound and muted the "e" sound, so in my head it goes something like "Setch", with the first part sounding exactly like the word "set", not "see".
Streaksy wrote: Tabr: Taber
Yes, always "Taber", sounding like "Tabber" or "dabber".
Streaksy wrote: Irulan: Ih-roo-l'n, emphasising the U, not the A
I always heard it as both the "u" and the "a" being present, but both relatively restrained: "Ear-roo-lahn". I guess I'm adding an extra "R" at the beginning there! :)
Streaksy wrote: Caladan: Only emphasising the first A, not the middle
"Cal-lah-dan" for me. Reminds me of that "Calgon, take me away" commercial. I guess that's what Jessica said after Dune! ;)
Streaksy wrote: Giedi Prime: Jee-edd-eye prime. A bit like Jedi. Wouldnt be surprised if it was among the things Lucas ripped off from Dune
Well I guess I'm inconsistent, because I pronounce this "G" like a "G" instead of a "J". So "Gee-dee" for me, with the "G" being hard, like in the word "guillotine".
Streaksy wrote: Piter: I thought it was a sonanym of Peter. Just a different spelling. I'm prolly wrong there.
I always heard this as "pitter", as in "pitter-patter".
Streaksy wrote: Thufir: This was before I knew that -ir was said as -eer. Thought it sounded like Thoofer.
I think we hear this one the same. I thought it was "Thew-fur".

Streaksy wrote: Harkonnen: Only the "hark" emphasised, and the rest said with underplayed vowels. Can't see why the O would be so drawn-out.
I emphasize the "Har" part, then just say "konin", with no elongation of the "o" sound. "konnen" sounds like a German word to me and I took German in high school, so that's why I pronounce it the way I do. I think they use "Hark-ohh-nen" in the movies?
Streaksy wrote: Rautha: Rawtha
I've always loved this particular name. I pronounce it "Raw-eww-thuh". It sounds so sinister to me! Definitely a name for a villain!
Streaksy wrote: Suk: Suck, not Sook/Suke
Heh, no, no going to the "Suck school" and becoming a "Suck doctor" for me. It was always "Sook" in my head with the "Soo" sounding just like "Sue".

As for "axlotl", it's always been "axe-odel" (as in "yodel") to me. Looking at the word again, that's probably not correct, as I'm completely ignoring the first "l". Probably more correctly pronounced "axe-lah-toll".

Interesting topic and curious to see how others pronounce these fairly unusual names. Just reminds me once again what a genius our Frank was, to come up with such intriguing names such as these!
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Re: Dune Word Pronounciations

Post by jakoye »

Freakzilla wrote:Straight from the horses mouth: http://usul.net/books/sounds.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Listening to Freakzilla's link to FH's own pronunciations... boy was I off on some of them! :)

Alia: Frank says "Ah-lee-uh". I always heard it as "Al-ya". Weird!

Atreides: Frank uses more syllables, saying "Ah-tray-uh-dees". I always heard it in my head as "Ah-tree-dees". Wow, such a HUGE difference!

Bene Gesserit: Frank says "Benny Jess-ur-it". I agree with the second part, but the first word I pronounce "Beh-nay", drawing out the second syllable.

Chani: Frank says "Chain-ey" (like Dick Cheney). I always heard it as "Chan-eye". I like my pronunciation better. ;)

Fedaykin: Frank says "Feh-die-kin". I say "Fey-duh-keen".

Ghanima: Frank says "Gah-nee-mah". I say "Gah-nih-muh".

qanat: Frank says "Cuh-knot". I always thought of it as "qu-aunt" (but one syllable).

Tleilaxu: I'm not even gonna try to phoneticize how Frank is pronouncing this! For me, the "T" was always silent and the word sounded like "Lay-lax-oww".

Well, I'm not going to change my pronunciations now that I've heard Frank's, but it is a little surprising I was so far off. I'd probably pronouce the words differently if I had first read the book at, say, 35 instead of 15 (or whatever it was). But however wrong they are, I'm stuck with my pronunciations because they are part of my experience of the book and the book would change for me if these words were pronounced any other way (even the "right" way).
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