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| Pronounce My Character's Name? https://archive.holyworlds.org/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=1083 |
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| Author: | Delantare [ September 30th, 2010, 11:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Pronounce My Character's Name? |
Greetings, The main character in my story is named Zacce Nalum. My concern is that people will mispronounce his name, since I'm not entirely sure how I came up with the pronunciation. (I've had the name in my head for many many years  ). So my question is, just by looking at his name, how do you pronounce it, and do you have any difficulty trying to say it?
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| Author: | Evening L. Aspen [ October 1st, 2010, 1:22 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
On first glance, I would pronounce it "zah-kay nah-lum" or maybe "nay-lum". I would pronounce the "cce" at the end of the first name as a long /a/ because that's how it's done in Latin. What kind of pronunciation are you going for? I don't think I have a problem pronouncing it, unless I'm pronouncing it wrong in which case that would be a problem. 
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| Author: | Airianna Valenshia [ October 1st, 2010, 8:18 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
Yeah, the only Latin I know comes from my Animal Husbandry books, so I don't know enough to know how to pronounce "cce". My guess is, neither does the rest of the population. "nah-lum" is how I would pronounce the last name, but honestly, as a reader, if the name is really difficult to pronounce, I'd just cheat and call them Zac in my mind. Then I'd wait till I heard someone else pronounce it and copy off them. I'd look at it and say "e at the end makes the vowel say its name" (I've been helping little ones with too much spelling recently). I'm sure you don't want it pronounced this way, but here it goes, "Zay-k". |
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| Author: | Arias Mimetes [ October 1st, 2010, 10:29 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
I'd probably pronounce his first name as Zac, until I heard a different pronunciation that sounded more accurate. His last name looks like "nay-lum". It could be "nah-lum", but I'd be more likely to use the first pronunciation. |
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| Author: | Delantare [ October 1st, 2010, 10:35 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately, no one had his first name right, which was what I figured would be the case (I've gotten people mispronouncing it before). Nalum is pronounced NAY-lum. How about if I spell it "Zace". How does that change the pronunciation to you? |
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| Author: | Arias Mimetes [ October 1st, 2010, 10:47 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
Then I would probably think "zace" (rhyming with space). Which, I almost thought at first, but not something I'd likely remember. |
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| Author: | PrincessoftheKing [ October 1st, 2010, 11:31 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
Zacce makes me think Za-Kay, and I would pronounce zace like Arias did. How do you want it to be pronounced? |
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| Author: | Airianna Valenshia [ October 1st, 2010, 3:10 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
Yep, I'm with the girls, I'd pronounce it Zace, rhyming with space. |
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| Author: | Delantare [ October 1st, 2010, 3:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
Arias Myles wrote: Then I would probably think "zace" (rhyming with space). Which, I almost thought at first, but not something I'd likely remember. Ok, thank you. That is indeed how I've wanted it pronounced. Now I just need to reprogram myself to think of "Zace" for the character instead of the old spelling. :P |
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| Author: | Airianna Valenshia [ October 1st, 2010, 4:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
Yeah, I wouldn't have gotten Zace out of the first spelling. |
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| Author: | Andrew Amnon Mimetes [ October 2nd, 2010, 4:33 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
I would have thought the following: Zacce Nalum ZAH-chee NAH-loom But that's incorrect, you say...oh well. I really like the name, by the way. eruheran |
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| Author: | Elanhil [ October 2nd, 2010, 5:33 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
eruheran wrote: I would have thought the following: Zacce Nalum ZAH-chee NAH-loom But that's incorrect, you say...oh well. I really like the name, by the way. eruheran That's exactly what I was thinking, bro. But now I definitely think of Zace as rhyming with space. |
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| Author: | Calenmiriel [ October 10th, 2010, 8:58 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
I like it! Of course, I can be partial to fantasy names that stat with "z". XD I'm just kidding around!  I've had the same fear as you when it came down to having the reader pronounce the name you so creatively came up with...So, if there is a fear I would do what some fantasy writers do and add a pronunciation key. For instance, Christopher Paolini has one in the back of each of his books. (Which I found very helpful at times.) 
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| Author: | Evening L. Aspen [ October 10th, 2010, 7:34 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
I like the second spelling best. It's easier to figure out how to pronounce it. One of the dangers, I think, we fantasy writers tend to fall into is creating tongue-twisting names (not that Zace is one). I agree with Calenmiriel about have a pronunciation guide, but I would recommend putting it at the beginning of the book. Most readers won't read the pronunciation guide until after they've read the book, and by then they've spent 300 pages mispronouncing words. I like the name, Zace, by the way. |
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| Author: | Kiev Shawn [ October 11th, 2010, 6:58 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pronounce My Character's Name? |
I like the second spelling best as well. Cool name, by the way. Pronunciation guides are great. I said the word "bisonbeck" like Biz-un-beck. My dad claimed it was bye-son-beck, and he was right. So, I like pronunciation guides, as they spare one from teasing. Plus you say the word the right way. 
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