148 replies to this topic

[ThePrincess]

I would LOVE to see a pronunciation key (i.e. pruh-nuhn-see-ey-shuhn kee) of the popular and important character names and places... maybe in the form or likeness of a glossary / index? From talking with friends who have read the series to listening to the tapes, it seems like everyone has a different way of pronunciating certain names. I think it'd be great to have GRMM's official "say" on the matter via a pronunciation key and what better place than "The World of Ice and Fire" !! :)

Edited by ThePrincess, 09 October 2006 - 03:50 PM.

[Ava Augusta]

I agree, my boyfriend and I have been arguing over the pronunciationg of Daenerys as we both want to give the name to our next daughter.

[Werthead]

I think GRRM has said he doesn't want to do this as everyone has their own ideas on it, aside from a few that I think annoy him (Jaime is 'Jay-Me' for example, not 'Jay-m'), and he doesn't want people to feel like they have to correct themselves.

[ThePrincess]

Ava Augusta, on Oct 9 2006, 17.12, said:

I agree, my boyfriend and I have been arguing over the pronunciationg of Daenerys as we both want to give the name to our next daughter.

haha... yes, that's one of the main argumentative names I think - My boyfriend and I pronounce it differently as well!

Werthead, on Oct 9 2006, 18.32, said:

I think GRRM has said he doesn't want to do this as everyone has their own ideas on it, aside from a few that I think annoy him (Jaime is 'Jay-Me' for example, not 'Jay-m'), and he doesn't want people to feel like they have to correct themselves.

I can understand how that makes sense (re: not wanting to ruin ppls contrived pronunciations) ... but then again what about the books on CD/tape? How that reader chooses to pronounce the names essentially has the same effect. It's actually the taped version that got me asking "How is that REALLY pronounced? Is that REALLY what GRRM wanted him to read? Or am I just totally way off base in thinking it's pronounced differently? "

lol!!!

So anywho, it was merely a suggestion. But ultimately it's up to "the man" himself (and maybe an editor or two)... who am I to argue with his reasoning?! :)

[IceWolf]

ThePrincess, on Oct 9 2006, 22.21, said:

haha... yes, that's one of the main argumentative names I think - My boyfriend and I pronounce it differently as well!
I can understand how that makes sense (re: not wanting to ruin ppls contrived pronunciations) ... but then again what about the books on CD/tape? How that reader chooses to pronounce the names essentially has the same effect. It's actually the taped version that got me asking "How is that REALLY pronounced? Is that REALLY what GRRM wanted him to read? Or am I just totally way off base in thinking it's pronounced differently? "

lol!!!

So anywho, it was merely a suggestion. But ultimately it's up to "the man" himself (and maybe an editor or two)... who am I to argue with his reasoning?! :)

I think GRRM's attitude is right.  It's fantasy, it's not like a historical novel with Welsh or Latin pronunciations,

IceWolf

[Ser Herold]

I think a pronunciation key would be nice. GRRM may not want to have people correct themselves, but he is the author and if he has a certain way he pronounces his character's names and he released a pronunciation key, then the readers would know how to say the names correctly and there wouldn't be arguments over pronunciation.

By the way, I'm curious as to how others' and myself's pronunciation of Daenerys compare. I pronounce it                 Dey-near-is (  <---- That may not tell u how i say it since I'm not good with making pronunciation keys, but the way I pronounce it it can be divided into 3 words: Day Near Is [now combine them and that's how I say it])

Edited by Ser Herold, 28 November 2006 - 06:00 PM.

[Gerold Hightower]

De (like den, just without the trailing n) - Nerris, with middle syllable stressed.

Dotrice has most of the names right (as far as such a statement makes sense). His pronunciation of Brienne is horrible, though. And he pronounces Petyr "Pe-Tire"

BTW, there are already threads on this.

[Brother of the Night Watch]

I pronounce it Da-nare-es.

And im sure in a thread i read somewhere Brienne should be pronounced Bree-eny. Or somesuch. I just prefer using me own way of pronouncing them.

[Lyanna Stark-Targaryen]

That would be excellent.  My friends and I always argue about how things are pronounced

[Shari Stark]

I have always pronounced Daenerys day - NAIR - iss

I think it would be really cool to have a pronunciation guide, and know exactly how George Martin pronounces his names. :)

[SergioCQH]

Shari's pronunciation is the correct one.

[Bronn Stone]

SergioCQH, on Jan 19 2007, 13.58, said:

Shari's pronunciation is the correct one.

My recollection is that GRRM says it more like Duh-neer-iss

[disaster]

This is probably the wrong pronunciation, but when I'm reading, in my head "Brienne" is pronounced
"bry-EN" because since this character is often mistaken for a male, I think it's somehow appropriate that her name be similar to a male name-- "BRY-an", but shifting the emphasis from the first sylable to the second makes all the difference.

Brother of the Night Watch, on Dec 2 2006, 14.55, said:

I pronounce it Da-nare-es.

And im sure in a thread i read somewhere Brienne should be pronounced Bree-eny. Or somesuch. I just prefer using me own way of pronouncing them.

[Caledonian Wildling]

I never really thought of Brienne as sounding similar to Bryan. The idea in my head was around the BREEN sound.

Daenerys for me is Dan-air-es.

I never really worry about the 'correct' pronunciation because thats the magic for me, every person reads and experiences the books differently.

[Shooting Star]

In Italy we say simply DA-EN-ERIS, but i think that in english day - NAIR - iss is right.
And "Brienne" we say BREE-EN.

This is a interesting conversation in my opinion  ;)

Edited by Shooting Star, 21 December 2008 - 02:50 PM.

[Sandor's Lady]

I'd be interested in seeing pronunciation guides for all the Targaryens, myself.  

I pronounce Targaryen just like it's spelled: "TAR-gar-yen," but I have friends who pronounce it "tar-GARRY-en"  

and I've always pronouced Daenerys as "Day-NAIR-iss" and Dany as "Day-nee." ( I figure, if it was "danny" it would have 2 Ns.)  But Khal Drogo at one point addresses her as Dan Eris, so I'm not sure.  

I'm also not sure about Aemon, Aegon, etc.  I always say "AY-mon" and "AY-gon,"  but that doesn't make sense if Aegon is called Egg.  Should they all be "Emmon" and "Eggon"?  (And if that is the case, would that make Daenerys "Den-air-iss"?)

And how about Tyrion?  I say "TEER-ion", but I have a co-worker who says "TY-rion"

I think I may be the only American who thinks of Catelyn as "CAT-e-linn" instead of "CATE-linn"  ;)


Oh, so many questions!  I have yet to listen to the audiobooks - partly 'cause I have heard mixed reviews of the readers, and partly because I was spolied by Jim Dale and the Harry Potter books.  :P   I guess we'll find out who's pronounced which way when the series comes out.

[Shooting Star]

Sandor's Lady, on Dec 23 2008, 01.25, said:

And how about Tyrion?  I say "TEER-ion" [...]

I think I may be the only American who thinks of Catelyn as "CAT-e-linn" instead of "CATE-linn"  ;)

In Italy we say like you: "TEER-ion and CAT-linn, in the second case whitout the middle "e".

[beak]

Didn't GRRM throw us a bone with Dany?.. I remember(i think) from the first book Khal Drogo tried to say her name, but it was spelled differently (so as to stress accent, i think) ever since thats how i've pronounced it, very similar to shari

[TempestBrewer]

The only thing I remember is that I heard that GRRM pronounces it tar-gar-ee-een.  Weird.

[Irri_pleases_her_khaleesi]

Caledonian Wildling, on Dec 21 2008, 12.47, said:

I never really thought of Brienne as sounding similar to Bryan. The idea in my head was around the BREEN sound.

Daenerys for me is Dan-air-es.

I never really worry about the 'correct' pronunciation because thats the magic for me, every person reads and experiences the books differently.

This is right I think.  At one point, Drogo speaks to Daenerys calling her "Dan Ares, Moon of my Life."

That is GRRM's version of a pronunciation guide.  Having her barbarian husband pronounce the name phonetically.