Pronunciation Assistance [Archive] - Wizards Community

Pronunciation Assistance [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Undying_Councillor
08-25-06, 05:14 AM Hey guys,

Hoping you could help me with the pronunciation of the Drow House Baenre. I have heard Ban-eer and Ban-ray. Is either (or neither correct)?

Thanks for your help
Faraer
08-25-06, 06:53 AM Bob Salvatore and Elaine Cunningham have varied slightly in the pronunciation they give. 'Baen' is either bah + en or a diphthong, becoming more like bane. 're' is either reh or ray or somewhere in between.
Undying_Councillor
08-25-06, 08:10 AM Many thanks for the assist. Much appreciated
Lord Karsus
08-26-06, 01:17 AM -I've always said "Ben-Ray" myself.
BurgerKing
08-26-06, 10:43 PM I pronunced it as Bane-Ree. Rhymes with Bee.
Max the Immortal
08-27-06, 04:50 AM I pronounce it Bane-ruh (second syllable with a schwa).
Red_Wizard
08-27-06, 04:38 PM lol, i alway's had it as Bay- on- Rah. So many variations :P
Crust
09-01-06, 02:16 PM I tend to pronounce it Bay-en-RAY or Bay-en-REE.
The Axeman
09-03-06, 04:27 AM This is totally wrong but I pronounce it "brah-nay".

Yes retarded I know.

The proper form is probably more like "bayne-ray" or "bayne-ree"
Carolan
09-03-06, 04:47 PM whilst we are here how exactly do you pronounce
Drizzt
Piwafwi
Gwenhyvar

I dont think I've ever heard anther person say them out loud
Cli' San Aquanova
09-03-06, 06:17 PM This is totally wrong but I pronounce it "brah-nay".

Yes retarded I know.

The proper form is probably more like "bayne-ray" or "bayne-ree"
I can't quote the source or specific post, but I've heard that that is indeed the official pronunciation ("bay-n-ree").

I used to pronounce it "bay-n-ray," myself.

-C'SA
420
09-03-06, 06:32 PM whilst we are here how exactly do you pronounce
Drizzt
Piwafwi
Gwenhyvar

I dont think I've ever heard anther person say them out loud
Well, here's how I say them:

Drizzt - Just like it looks, 'Driz' with a slightly longer 'z' sound and end with a breathless 't' sound (I think the "breathless t" has a specific name in anouther language.)

Piwafwi - "Piwa-fui" or "Piwa-phooey" (only quicker than the word phooey)

Gwenhyvar - "Gwenivar" you can try a shot 'h' sound in there but it tickles my nose.

Then again, I don't think I can pronounce the word "pronounce" correctly.

-420
Faraer
09-03-06, 07:53 PM Bob says DRIST and GWEN-uh-veer. Presumably Pih-WAF-wee.

I posted 'official' Baenre above (I could dig up citations if you want).
Zanan
09-04-06, 05:13 AM Baenre ... most often I called them /BENN-re/ (the "e" in both syllables sound the same, i.e. rhyme with Ben, the second is very short).

Gwenhwyvar ... is actually the (original) Welsh name of the wife of King Arthur, Guinevere (which might explain Bob's pronunciation). Does not exactly suit a black panther, as gwên means white, fair, and (g)wyf means smooth, yielding. Pronunciation would be something like /GWEN-wy(wai)-var/, though my Welsh is not that good ...
Cli' San Aquanova
09-04-06, 10:22 AM I posted 'official' Baenre above (I could dig up citations if you want).
Do please. I'm so darned confuzzled on the matter I wouldn't mind. I just heard that the official way to say it was "bane-ree," despite what one would initially think.
Faraer
09-04-06, 11:37 AM OK, these boards seem to have been incompletely archived. Here's (http://boards.wizards.com/rpg/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=170;t=001 944) a link, but it's down.

But I promise you it's as I say, and neither Bob nor Elaine has ever given 'ree'.
Gemcaster
09-05-06, 11:25 AM Ive allways pronounced it Bah-en-ra
NecroticBanana
09-07-06, 10:38 PM has anyone ever heard of someone pronouncing the word drow with a long o sound? kinda like droo? i had a friend who kept talkin about droo and i was like WTF is a droo?, she said you know, a dark elf?.. i said "oh you mean DROW!" thus lead to a long winded argument.
Zanan
09-08-06, 04:03 AM has anyone ever heard of someone pronouncing the word drow with a long o sound? kinda like droo? i had a friend who kept talkin about droo and i was like WTF is a droo?, she said you know, a dark elf?.. i said "oh you mean DROW!" thus lead to a long winded argument.

Well, that usually comes from analogies, e.g. crow. Why would you say "drow" (rhyming with cow) if you have a word that works - in writing and pronunciation - nigh 100% the same, e.g. crow? Because it is a name! If the designer says that the word in his or her world sounds like *insert author's choice*, so be it. Given that a straight "Drow" in spoken German will sound even worse than drow rhyming with crow, you may see the point. Many names of Faerûnian deities sound quite differently from the actual words written in the books.

One of my favourite choices ... butcher. Usually, the but- part of the word rhymes with "but". Yet, an English football player of the mid-late 80s, Terry Butcher did not sound like butcher, but the "u" actually ryhmes with the "u" in Faerûn or the "ou" in you. Hope you get my point.
GothicDan
09-09-06, 03:58 PM There's also the fact that English is not a phonetic language.

Thought sounds like caught.

Bough doesn't sound at all like though.

Though doesn't sound like thought!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Undying_Councillor 08-25-06, 05:14 AM	Hey guys, Hoping you could help me with the pronunciation of the Drow House Baenre. I have heard Ban-eer and Ban-ray. Is either (or neither correct)? Thanks for your help
Faraer 08-25-06, 06:53 AM	Bob Salvatore and Elaine Cunningham have varied slightly in the pronunciation they give. 'Baen' is either bah + en or a diphthong, becoming more like bane. 're' is either reh or ray or somewhere in between.
Undying_Councillor 08-25-06, 08:10 AM	Many thanks for the assist. Much appreciated
Lord Karsus 08-26-06, 01:17 AM	-I've always said "Ben-Ray" myself.
BurgerKing 08-26-06, 10:43 PM	I pronunced it as Bane-Ree. Rhymes with Bee.
Max the Immortal 08-27-06, 04:50 AM	I pronounce it Bane-ruh (second syllable with a schwa).
Red_Wizard 08-27-06, 04:38 PM	lol, i alway's had it as Bay- on- Rah. So many variations :P
Crust 09-01-06, 02:16 PM	I tend to pronounce it Bay-en-RAY or Bay-en-REE.
The Axeman 09-03-06, 04:27 AM	This is totally wrong but I pronounce it "brah-nay". Yes retarded I know. The proper form is probably more like "bayne-ray" or "bayne-ree"
Carolan 09-03-06, 04:47 PM	whilst we are here how exactly do you pronounce Drizzt Piwafwi Gwenhyvar I dont think I've ever heard anther person say them out loud
Cli' San Aquanova 09-03-06, 06:17 PM	This is totally wrong but I pronounce it "brah-nay". Yes retarded I know. The proper form is probably more like "bayne-ray" or "bayne-ree" I can't quote the source or specific post, but I've heard that that is indeed the official pronunciation ("bay-n-ree"). I used to pronounce it "bay-n-ray," myself. -C'SA
420 09-03-06, 06:32 PM	whilst we are here how exactly do you pronounce Drizzt Piwafwi Gwenhyvar I dont think I've ever heard anther person say them out loud Well, here's how I say them: Drizzt - Just like it looks, 'Driz' with a slightly longer 'z' sound and end with a breathless 't' sound (I think the "breathless t" has a specific name in anouther language.) Piwafwi - "Piwa-fui" or "Piwa-phooey" (only quicker than the word phooey) Gwenhyvar - "Gwenivar" you can try a shot 'h' sound in there but it tickles my nose. Then again, I don't think I can pronounce the word "pronounce" correctly. -420
Faraer 09-03-06, 07:53 PM	Bob says DRIST and GWEN-uh-veer. Presumably Pih-WAF-wee. I posted 'official' Baenre above (I could dig up citations if you want).
Zanan 09-04-06, 05:13 AM	Baenre ... most often I called them /BENN-re/ (the "e" in both syllables sound the same, i.e. rhyme with Ben, the second is very short). Gwenhwyvar ... is actually the (original) Welsh name of the wife of King Arthur, Guinevere (which might explain Bob's pronunciation). Does not exactly suit a black panther, as gwên means white, fair, and (g)wyf means smooth, yielding. Pronunciation would be something like /GWEN-wy(wai)-var/, though my Welsh is not that good ...
Cli' San Aquanova 09-04-06, 10:22 AM	I posted 'official' Baenre above (I could dig up citations if you want). Do please. I'm so darned confuzzled on the matter I wouldn't mind. I just heard that the official way to say it was "bane-ree," despite what one would initially think.
Faraer 09-04-06, 11:37 AM	OK, these boards seem to have been incompletely archived. Here's (http://boards.wizards.com/rpg/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=170;t=001 944) a link, but it's down. But I promise you it's as I say, and neither Bob nor Elaine has ever given 'ree'.
Gemcaster 09-05-06, 11:25 AM	Ive allways pronounced it Bah-en-ra
NecroticBanana 09-07-06, 10:38 PM	has anyone ever heard of someone pronouncing the word drow with a long o sound? kinda like droo? i had a friend who kept talkin about droo and i was like WTF is a droo?, she said you know, a dark elf?.. i said "oh you mean DROW!" thus lead to a long winded argument.
Zanan 09-08-06, 04:03 AM	has anyone ever heard of someone pronouncing the word drow with a long o sound? kinda like droo? i had a friend who kept talkin about droo and i was like WTF is a droo?, she said you know, a dark elf?.. i said "oh you mean DROW!" thus lead to a long winded argument. Well, that usually comes from analogies, e.g. crow. Why would you say "drow" (rhyming with cow) if you have a word that works - in writing and pronunciation - nigh 100% the same, e.g. crow? Because it is a name! If the designer says that the word in his or her world sounds like insert author's choice, so be it. Given that a straight "Drow" in spoken German will sound even worse than drow rhyming with crow, you may see the point. Many names of Faerûnian deities sound quite differently from the actual words written in the books. One of my favourite choices ... butcher. Usually, the but- part of the word rhymes with "but". Yet, an English football player of the mid-late 80s, Terry Butcher did not sound like butcher, but the "u" actually ryhmes with the "u" in Faerûn or the "ou" in you. Hope you get my point.
GothicDan 09-09-06, 03:58 PM	There's also the fact that English is not a phonetic language. Thought sounds like caught. Bough doesn't sound at all like though. Though doesn't sound like thought!