Re: CHAT: F.L.O.E.S.

> But when fantasy authors got hold of gaelic legends it was really painful
to
> hear their readers speak of geas (gay-sh) as "gee-ass", "Ossian"
(Aw-sheen)
> as "Ohe-see-an",  Conan (kon-an) as "Koe-nan", or worst of all the
Morrigan
> (mao-ree-an) as "mor-rig-gan" <shudder>.
>
> I really enjoy shows like Hercules and Stargate - they're fantasy set in a
> make-believe world. So how come I can accept Greek gods walking the earth
> making 20thC pop-culture references reading scrolls sideways, and "tame"
> wormholes for traveling in a universe where the first language aliens
> (inevitably called "race" rather than "species") is American English, and
> yet visibly wince when they mispronounce an ancient word? <shrug> ;-)
This is why, with my fantasy/sci-fi-esque world, I plan on providing IPA for
every single non-English word, if possible. With emphasis on names of people
and places (and species...). Of course, I don't expect most of my readers to
care that much, but there will be enough who will check it up and correct
everyone else on how to pronounce things.

That and no one can ask me how something is "really" pronounced, because
I've already told them.

Shameless plug: stories from this world place thing can be found at
http://www.livejournal.com/users/axcontinuum/ . Although only one entry is
so far up (and not everything IPA'd), it's where I plan on posting more.
</shameless plug>

I actually find myself rather annoyed at Tolkein for not describing the
phonology of his languages better. Then again, IPA didn't exist at the time,
as I understand it. I like it when authors tell me the way to pronounce
things. That way I can intentionally butcher it :)

-Keith