148 replies to this topic

[Cylas Stouttree]

Ygritte - Yig-REET
Targaryen - Tar-GAIR-yen
Maester - MAY-ster
Lysa - LEE-sa
Edmure - ED-myur
Catelyn - KAIT-lin
R'hllor - Ruh-LOHR
Tyroshi - Ti-ROSH
Lys - LEEZ
Lysene - Lih-ZHEEN
Melissandre - Mel-ees-AHN-dre (the r is more guttural)
Davos - DAH-vohs
Asshai - Ahs-SHY
Theon - THAY-on

Edited by Cylas Stouttree, 03 March 2012 - 12:54 PM.

[Jon Flowers]

Names taken from real life, like Melisendre (mel-i-sond) for example or those with obvious phonetic pronunciations (at least to english speakers) like Edmure (ed-myoor) are simple enough, but I do wish he would clarify some of the others.  It would be nice at least to point out how he wants certain vowel combinations pronounced, particularly the oft used ae, whether that is subject to change based on the letters surrounding it and whether or not it changes based on the language in which the name is given.  The situation with which we're left kind of leaves me with the impression that the names are mostly arbitrary, sometimes chosen based on how they sound or look and are almost never based upon their meaning (meaningless names are a huge pet peeve for me in real life).

[LadyOlennaTyrell]

Brienne is Bree-en, with or without rolling the 'r' in the French fashion. This is another one where I don't really get how there's an alternative, especially as it's an existing French name. Ygritte is also a French name (even more popular than Brienne).

I'm sorry, but what you're saying is not accurate :
First of all, French doesn't roll 'r's, I'm sorry. Italian and Spanish do, French doesn't, not since the Eighteenth century, except in a very few regions.
Second, Brienne sounds french, but it's not a french name, it never was.
As for Ygritte, it looks like a french medieval name. No one bears that kind of name now. It's a little bit farfetched to say that's "more popular" than Brienne. Like all GRRM's names, it's a deformation of actual names, but Ygritte is no more a french name than Eddard is an english one.

[mor2]

It is hard to believe that a full langue was made for the novel(close enough), but there is still no real Pronunciation Key... :/

Edited by mor2, 12 May 2012 - 06:12 PM.

[Mediumjon Umber]

John Lee has the right idea. In the audiobook he pronounces Brienne as BRAAAAAAIN!!!!
Didn't know he was a zombie though...

[Arya Nymeria Stark]

I have to say I had the same issue with the Harry Potter books (before the movies). I remember pronouncing Hermione's name as HER-mee-own, before hearing it in the movies as her-MY-oh-nee. BUT, once I started watching the movies, I grew accustomed to saying her name their way.

The only names I really said differently were Catelyn (as the way we know it in this world, vs. KAT-lyn) and Ilyn Payne (pronouncing it as EYE-lin, not IH-lin).

HOWEVER, like the Harry Potter names, I've grown used to pronouncing them as said on the show.

[KhaleesiDany]

Jon Flowers, on 01 March 2012 - 08:55 AM, said:

Names taken from real life, like Melisendre (mel-i-sond) for example or those with obvious phonetic pronunciations (at least to english speakers) like Edmure (ed-myoor) are simple enough, but I do wish he would clarify some of the others.  It would be nice at least to point out how he wants certain vowel combinations pronounced, particularly the oft used ae, whether that is subject to change based on the letters surrounding it and whether or not it changes based on the language in which the name is given.  The situation with which we're left kind of leaves me with the impression that the names are mostly arbitrary, sometimes chosen based on how they sound or look and are almost never based upon their meaning (meaningless names are a huge pet peeve for me in real life).

I believe somewhere he said we can pronounce the names however we like, so I would say yes, you are right, the pronunciation is somewhat arbitrary.

But I got a laugh out of you saying "obvious phonetic pronunciation" and your examples, because I say Melisandre "mel-is-AHN-druh" and edmure "ed-murr-aye".

Arya Nymeria Stark, on 10 June 2012 - 01:15 AM, said:

I have to say I had the same issue with the Harry Potter books (before the movies). I remember pronouncing Hermione's name as HER-mee-own, before hearing it in the movies as her-MY-oh-nee. BUT, once I started watching the movies, I grew accustomed to saying her name their way.

The only names I really said differently were Catelyn (as the way we know it in this world, vs. KAT-lyn) and Ilyn Payne (pronouncing it as EYE-lin, not IH-lin).

HOWEVER, like the Harry Potter names, I've grown used to pronouncing them as said on the show.

The alternative to GRRM letting us choose our own pronunciation, is to do what JKR did for having so many people ask her how Hermione's name was pronounced. There's a part in Goblet of Fire where Hermione teaches her date how to pronounce her name.
"Herm-eye-oh-nee"
"Herm-own-ninny."
"close enough"
Hermione is a real Greek name, though, so it's more important the readers knew how to pronounce that than that we get these random fantasy names "correct" whatever that means.

Edit: I want to add that I think there is no pronunciation key because there are several languages in the books, so my interpretation was that the pronunciation varies from region to region.

I like this thread because I like reading everyone's completely arbitrary pronunciations which are usually so different from mine own.

Edited by KhaleesiDany, 12 June 2012 - 02:55 PM.

[Azureguy]

Ava Augusta, on 09 October 2006 - 04:12 PM, 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.

DUH-NAER-EASE

[Tetrarch42]

Any consensus on "Ygritte"? I pronounce it "ig-ritt" but that seems off to me.

[Jaqen H'ghar in a box]

Does it really matter? As long as you are close, we all know what you're talking about.

[Lyra040]

I actually found myself pronouncing Daenerys "DA-NEAR-EES" and Viserys "VIE(rhyming with TIE)-SEER-EES" when I first began reading ASoIaF.  And until starting A Storm of Swords, after hearing how they pronounce most of the names on the HBO series and how my friends pronounce them, I have begun pronouncing Daenerys "DUH-NARE-US", Catelyn "CAT-LIN", and Lysa "LIE-SA".

Tetrarch42, on 10 August 2012 - 05:26 PM, said:

Any consensus on "Ygritte"? I pronounce it "ig-ritt" but that seems off to me.

Personally, I pronounce Ygritte with a long E, kind of like "EEE-GRIT".  And (correct me if I'm wrong), but Rose Leslie (the actress who plays Ygritte in the t.v. show) clarifies in an interview that the pronunciation oh Ygritte on the show is "EE-GRIT".  Although, I don't always look at the show's pronunciation to be the exact way to say the names, especially when there are so many variations from so many readers!

[Florina Stark]

Daenerys is actually something closer to "Day-neir-rees" btw.

[Lylor]

I too pronounced Jaime as James without the S.

I was disappointed the ae wasn't pronounced like eye like classical Latin either.

Edited by Lylor, 16 August 2012 - 04:15 PM.

[TheMysteriousOne]

My pronounciations
Daenerys-I started saying Day-nair-is but then when I said it fast in my mind, I figured that De-nair-is is better.
Viserys-Vih-sair-is
Aerys- Air-is
Targaryen- Tar-gair-ee-yen
Cersei-Sir-say
Sansa- Sawn-suh
Arya- Are-yuh
Aegon- Ay-gone
Aemon- Ay-mawn
Rhaegar-Ray-gar

Edited by TheMysteriousOne, 27 October 2012 - 10:02 PM.

[Nezzer]

The one i'm most confused with is Tyrell. In the show it's said in three different ways:
Tie-RELL - like Davos says
TEE-roll - like Loras says
Tee-RELL - like most people say

Tee-RELL sounds much better than the rest in my ears, and since it's the most used one, I belive it's the most correct one. I just find it weird that show!Loras can't pronounce his own surname

[Florina Stark]

I think in the case of Tyrell, both Tie-Rell and Tyr-ell (like Tyr the norse God) can be correct.

Other ways i say junk:

Targaryen = Tar-gary-en
Catelyn = CAT-EL-YN (yeah its three syllables in my mind)
Cersei = Ser-see
Jaime = Jamie. (srsly, i cant muck this one up. Its basically my name with the i in a different spot.)
Ygritte = Yee-grit
Viserys = Vis-er-rees
Aegon = Ay-gon

[Waarg]

Many of the pronunciations in the show sound better than the way I heard it in my head. I used to have some very awkward pronunciations for Eddard (ED-DUHRD), Tyrion (TIE-REON), Catelyn (CAT-UH-LEEEEEN), and Cersei (SERS-EYE). Oh yeah, and my pronunciation of R'hllor was waaaaaay off. (I think I used to say some nonsense like HURR-AH-LORE).

The only pronunciation in the show that I don't like is the pronunciation of Davos. In my head he will always be DAVE-OHS.

Also, how do you all pronounce "Dany?" I always said DAY-KNEE because it's supposed to be a nickname for Daenerys, but other people have pronounced it like Danny.

Edited by Waarg, 02 November 2012 - 04:29 PM.

[Nezzer]

Waarg, on 02 November 2012 - 04:22 PM, said:

Many of the pronunciations in the show sound better than the way I heard it in my head. I used to have some very awkward pronunciations for Eddard (ED-DUHRD), Tyrion (TIE-REON), Catelyn (CAT-UH-LEEEEEN), and Cersei (SERS-EYE). Oh yeah, and my pronunciation of R'hllor was waaaaaay off. (I think I used to say some nonsense like HURR-AH-LORE).

The only pronunciation in the show that I don't like is the pronunciation of Davos. In my head he will always be DAVE-OHS.

Also, how do you all pronounce "Dany?" I always said DAY-KNEE because it's supposed to be a nickname for Daenerys, but other people have pronounced it like Danny.

I've never thought of pronouncing Dany any way other than Danny.

[TheMysteriousOne]

Waarg, on 02 November 2012 - 04:22 PM, said:

Many of the pronunciations in the show sound better than the way I heard it in my head. I used to have some very awkward pronunciations for Eddard (ED-DUHRD), Tyrion (TIE-REON), Catelyn (CAT-UH-LEEEEEN), and Cersei (SERS-EYE). Oh yeah, and my pronunciation of R'hllor was waaaaaay off. (I think I used to say some nonsense like HURR-AH-LORE).

The only pronunciation in the show that I don't like is the pronunciation of Davos. In my head he will always be DAVE-OHS.

Also, how do you all pronounce "Dany?" I always said DAY-KNEE because it's supposed to be a nickname for Daenerys, but other people have pronounced it like Danny.

When I read AGOT I pronounced Daenerys as Day-NAIR-is, but afterwards when I said it out loud, D'NAIR-is and I always said Dany like Dah-nee

[AsharyaTarstark]

Daenerys: Day-near-rees
Arya: Are-yuh
Cersei: Sir-see
Jaime: Jay-mee
Brienne: Bree-inn
Targaryen: Tar-gah-ree-yen
Viscerys: Vis-seer-rees
Tyrion: Tear-ree-yohn
Tywin: Tie-win
Kevan: Kev-vin
Catelyn: apparently its Cat-lyn
Theon: Thee-ohn
Ygritte: E-grit
Tyrek: Tie-reck
Maester: May-stir
Asha: Ah-shuh
Ashara: Uh-shar-ruh

Can't think of anymore.