Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Sonja Mar 23, 2004 8:08:32	I'm sure this has been asked before, but I'd like to know what are the official canon pronunciations of the various Dark Sun words, if any? The 2e box set indicates that Mul is pronounced "mül", but this symbol means absolutely nothing in English, LOL! I suppose the options are for it to rhyme with either pool, pull, mule or gull. I used to rhyme it with gull until I realized it was possibly connected to mule and mulatto, so now I'm leaning towards making it rhyme with pool. Tyr could rhyme with fear or fire, although I strongly suspect the former to be the right one. Are there any other Dark Sun words whose pronunciation should be explained?
#2 aikijim13 Mar 23, 2004 8:27:40	I'm just a rogue and a knave I guess, but I think I pronounce them both incorrectly... I call Mul's M-uhl-s. Rimes with Gulls, or nulls. That way. I think MULE is too derogatory. If you called Rikus a Mule, he'd come out of the Prism Pentad, show up at your house in Middle America, and break you like a kit kat bar... As for Tyr, I call it "Tear"... again "Tire"... just sounds funny I think... If anyone wants to tell me that these are not correct, or wants to tell me that they have proof that they are not correct (Quote any sourcebook you want), they can come to my house in Pittsburgh in person and try to convince me... ...Rikus will be there with me. TheJim ----------------------------------- You know you're a Dark Sun fan if you've ever planned a trip to Arizona just to see what it'd be like to visit the Tablelands. You're really a Dark Sun fan if you do this while wearing Templar garb and calling everyone you meet a "Filthy Renk".
#3 Sonja Mar 23, 2004 8:40:21	Yeah, I agree that mul sounding like "mule" sounds too derogatory. I kind of like the pronunciation in which it rhymes with pool or ghoul, though. It has an Arabic-like flair to it. Probably the most popular pronunciation is rhyming it with null. About Thri-Kreen, do you say Thri like the word three? or maybe it should rhyme with try?
#4 Sonja Mar 23, 2004 8:48:34	Here is a source! http://www.wizards.com/dnd/dnddefinitivefaq.asp Aarakocra: a-rah-KO-krah Chatkcha: CHAT-k-cha (thri-kreen throwing weapon) And it lists a few others!
#5 Kamelion Mar 23, 2004 8:57:44	There was a thread about this a short while back: Link. Enjoy.
#6 Nefal Mar 23, 2004 14:54:54	Hi! about mul: In french we should use the pronounciation mül [myl] because this word comes from "mulâtre" [mylatR] (the exact translation of mulatto actually- historically the mix between black and white people- the translation of the PP in french described always Rikus as a "mulâtre") It sounds good as we know that this race is a cross-breed between dwarf and human. Of course it's better in english to prounonce that as "mulatto". : mul-mool [mul] in french, means mussel or something much more brute...:embarrass Concerning Tyr, would it be possible to prounonce it Tür?[tyR] I'm not linguist I would need the advice of the pro! However it's sure (thanks to writings about Mesopotamia) that the u of Urik or other "mesopotamian" names (as Hamanu) ryhmes with pool or ghoul.
#7 zombiegleemax Mar 23, 2004 16:30:35	According to canon, mul is pronounced mule. It makes sense because both creatures are half-breeds and both are sterile. And as for Tyr, I don't know of any pronunciation stated by canon, however, if you take into account that Tyr is derived culturely from Syria, it should be pronounced tire. Of course its up to each individual DM to determine what they will do for there own game... even if your wrong. :D
#8 Sonja Mar 23, 2004 16:36:52	Cyrus9a, what source is telling you that "mule" is canon?
#9 aikijim13 Mar 23, 2004 16:37:00	Maybe Mul should be pronounced Mohl... like a Mole.... .. and we can take them and make them into underground digging rodents instead of half-dwarf rear-kickers... ...and they could live in Tie-Air, the city of Moles.... er... muls.... I think this debate almost started a fist fight when I was in High School, between one player playing a Mul Gladiator and the other a Half-Giant Gladiator. ... The Half-Giant won in the game, the guy playing the Mul in real life... The Jim (Pronounced JEEM)
#10 Sonja Mar 23, 2004 16:38:18	Nefal, In French I would pronounce them /myl/ and /tiR/.
#11 zombiegleemax Mar 23, 2004 16:55:30	Sonja: Cyrus9a, what source is telling you that "mule" is canon? Original Boxed Set, Rules Book, Pg 14, 4th paragraph, 4th word. Note: a u with a bar over it makes a long vowel sound as in the word mule. Hope this helps!
#12 Sonja Mar 23, 2004 17:08:43	Originally posted by Cyrus9a A u with a bar over it makes a long vowel sound as in the word mule. Thanks!! This certainly rules out mull and muhl. But there are two ways of having a long u sound in english. Either mul can rhyme with ghoul ("mool"), or with mule ("myool"). So I guess we still haven't found the definitive answer yet.
#13 zombiegleemax Mar 23, 2004 17:21:42	By Sonja: But there are two ways of having a long u sound in english. Either mul can rhyme with ghoul ("mool"), or with mule ("myool"). So I guess we still haven't found the definitive answer yet. Sonja, Sonja, Sonja.... In your example "ghoul" notice the "o" before the "u". The word mul does not have an "o" prior to it's "u". In English, as I was taught, each vowel only has two sounds. A long sound and a short sound. The other "u" sound your getting is represented by a "u" with two dots over it. It is a foreign sound in English (as defined by Webster's New World Dictionary: Third College Edition). Good Luck! :D
#14 Sonja Mar 23, 2004 17:27:49	Thanks for the clarifications! Mule it is, then.
#15 zombiegleemax Mar 23, 2004 17:29:05	Darn right! :D
#16 Nefal Mar 23, 2004 19:11:14	Originally posted by Sonja Nefal, In French I would pronounce them /myl/ and /tiR/. I would do so too... (and I do!) If you're still interested about languages, there's something in Elves of Athas (p. 40-42) about their language and nomenclature as in Thri-Kreen of Athas (p. 6-7)