Hellfire! How do you pronounce some of these words?!!!

[Romeo]

I've only ever spoken to him (and heard him speak) at the conferences. But that's once a year for seven years now, which adds up.

[Vain]

I have always prounced it as : Koer - Krie (Not the neatest names SRD has come up with though)

Romeo - You need to buy SRD one of the T-Shirts and slip it to him during the next conference

[aliantha]

I'm picturing SRD in a "100% Unbeliever" t-shirt.... OTOH, he might consider them copyright infringement. Hmm. Maybe you'd better not....

But back to the topic at hand: The comment about the word eoman being of German derivation reminded me of the names JRRT picks for some of his characters in Rohan. There are a couple of folks whose names start with "eo". Is that a German thing, too, or some other language?

Aliantha (who took Spanish in school...)

[aliantha]

Sorry for the double post -- when I tried to post it yesterday, I got a "general error" and it said the e-mail didn't go through. So I sent it again. Then it seemed to crash. Whatever.... Glad it's all fixed now!

[Romeo]

Boy, is MY face red! I never noticed that second "r" before either (and I've read the books enough that I should have noticed at least once). I think you should change my message board title from "Servant of the Land" to "Dimwit of Doriendor".

(hangs his head in shame)

[Satansheart]

[Vain]

I think you should change my message board title from "Servant of the Land" to "Dimwit of Doriendor".

(hangs his head in shame)

hehehe - It can be arranged

[Nav]

I've always pronounced Coercri the way Vain does, and most of the other words are pretty much straight phonetics. I struggled with Atiaran though (Atty-ah-ran was what I eventually settled on), eomen I pronounced as you would "Yeoman", but without the actual 'Y' sound.
I think Mithil is a real word, something to do with a metallic substance I think, and it's probably Mith-ill.

[CovenantJr]

I asked Donaldson once about the pronounciation of some of the words. The topic we were discussing at the time was Ramen. Seems like a simple word - "ray-men". However, he reminded me that he spent his childhood in India, and they use the soft a sound. So Ramen is actually "rah-men".

I don't know if that works for all the words - the leading A in Atiaran, for example. But I'd tend to use the soft a sound now (instead of the a in "gate" or "cat") for words like Ranyhyn (rahn-i-hin), and amanibhavm (ah-mahn-....).

At first, I pronounced Ramen 'ray-men' as well, but it soon became apparent that they were called Ramen because they were men (and women) who lived on the Plains of Ra, so must be 'rah-men'

[I'm Murrin]

I found a few of those difficult at first, but mostly I justwent with the phonetic one, unless it didn't seem to work - Koh-er-kri, Ra-men, A-tee-a-ran, etc. One I'd like to know, however is 'Kasreyn'... I can't decide between 'Kas-rayn' or something a bit closer to 'Kas-rin'...

There's also 'Rhadhamaerl' and 'Suru-pa-maerl' - the maerl part is a bit hard to get the tongue around.

And does anyone know how to say Anundivian yajna?

[Treble]

'Coercri' is an example of SRD's brilliant use of the English language. It can be read in many ways:

"Coeur" is French for 'heart'. If you pronounce 'cri' as 'cry', it can be read as 'heart's cry', or 'cry from the heart' ('Coeur-Cry')

If you pronounce it roughly phonetically, with the 'c' in 'cri' making a sibillant sound ('sri', in other words), it is thus:

'Co-Err-Sri', which can be read as 'cursory' or 'coerce-ery' (yes, I know the word is coercion )

Therefore, Coercri can be a heart's cry (ties-in with 'The Grieve'), cursory (short, curtailed, brief) or part of a coercion.

Ridjeck Thome is a tough one. The first word can conceivably be pronounced 'Riddeck' and the second 'Thome', but is more likely to be 'Ridyek' and 'Tome' (silent 'H')...which would, of course, make it:

'Reject Home', when pronounced phonetically.

So far, I've spotted a lot of Celtic, Indian and Arabic in the books. 'Elohim' is Arabic, and means Heaven, iirc. I'll add some more ideas when I've looked through the index properly later, if anyone's interested.

[caamora]

Anundivian Yajna? First word seems pretty easy, but yajna? I think you would pronounce the "y" and the "j" switched - i.e., jah-nia

[Vain]

Welcome to the Donaldson Vocabulary List!
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Word Pronunciation Definition
anademed ?
analystic ?
anile (AN-ile) old-womanish; imbecile
apotheosis (ap-o-the-O-sis) the perfect example
barranca (ba-RRAN-ca) a deep gully or arroyo
benison (BEN-i-son) blessing, benediction
brunted ?
bryony (BRY-o-ny) tendril-bearing vines of the gourd family with large leaves and red or black fruit
caducity (ca-DU-ci-ty) the quality of being transitory or perishable
carcanet (CAR-ka-net) an ornamental necklace or headband
carious (CAR-i-ous) affected with caries (progressive destruction of bone or tooth)
cerements (CER-e-ments) waxed winding-sheets
chancreous (chan-CRE-ous) characterized by chancres (sore or ulcers)
chary (CHAR-y) treasured, dear; cautious, sparing; watchful
chatoyant (sha-TOY-ant) [to shine like a cat's eyes] having a changeable luster or color with an undulating narrow band of white light
condign (con-DIGN) well-deserved, appropriate
coquelicot (coque-LI-cot) wild poppy or the color of such (orange mixed with scarlet)
crepitation (crep-i-TA-tion) the act of crackling (the series of small, sharp, rapidly repeated explosions in a fire) or the grating sound of two bone fragments rubbing together
crepuscular (cre-PUS-cu-lar) resembling twilight
crysoprase (from chrysoprase CHRIS-o-prase) an apple-green chalcedony valued as a gem
cymar (from simar si-MAR) a loose robe for women
derogate (DER-o-gate) to take away a part so as to impair; to act beneath one's position or character
desuetude (DES-wi-tude) the state of being no longer used or practiced
etiolate (E-ti-o-late) to bleach and alter the natural development of (a green plant) by excluding sunlight; to make pale and sickly; to take away the natural vigor of
exculpation (ex-cul-PA-tion) to make free from guilt, to pardon or excuse
extirpate (EX-tir-pate) to pull up by the root; to wipe out; to cut out by surgery
febrile (FEB-rile) feverish
hagriding ?
hebetude (HEB-e-tude) dullness, lethargy
heiratic ?
hierophant (hi-ER-o-phant) a priest in ancient Greece
inanition (in-a-NI-tion) emptiness; lack of vitality or vigor
incondign (see condign)
ineluctable (in-e-LUC-ta-ble) inevitable
innominate (in-NOM-i-nate) having no name, unnamed
intaglio (in-TAL-yo) incised carving
intransigence (in-TRAN-si-jence) refusing to agree or compromise
irrefragable (ir-REF-ra-ga-ble) impossible to deny or refute, inviolable
macerate (MAS-e-rate) to cause to waste away by excessive fasting; to cause to become separated into constituent elements by steeping in a fluid
malison (MAL-i-son) malediction, curse
mendacity (men-DAS-i-ty) untruthfulness, habitual lying
nystagmus (nys-TAG-mus) a rapid involuntary oscillation of the eyeballs, as from dizziness
obloquy (OB-lo-quy) strongly condemnatory utterance or language
periapt (PER-i-apt) amulet
preterit (also preterite PRET-e-rit) bygone, former
refulgent (re-FUL-gent) radiant or resplendent, brilliant
roborant (rob-o-RANT) strengthening, especially a medicine or tonic
roynish (ROYN-ish) mangy, scabby, mean, paltry, troublesome. applied to people.
sapid (SAP-id) possessing flavor; having a strong agreeable flavor
scoria (SCO-ri-a) the refuse from melting of metals, slag
sempiternal (sem-pi-TERN-al) of never-ending duration, everlasting, eternal
sendaline ?
spavined (SPA-vined) enlargement of the hock joint (in horses)
suppurate (SUP-pu-rate) foul; to form or discharge pus
susurration (su-sur-RA-tion) whispering, murmur
tabid (TAB-id) affected by tabes (progressive emaciation of the body, accompanied with hectic fever, with no well-marked logical symptoms), tabetic
telic (TEL-ic) tending toward an end
threnody (THREN-o-dy) song of lamentation for the dead
vigas ?
vitiate (VISH-i-ate) contaminate, pollute; debase, pervert; to make ineffective or weak, invalidate


The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

adjure (ad-JURE) to charge or command solemnly
aegis (AE-jis) protection, support
ambergrised (AM-ber-grised) ambergris is the ash-colored secretion of the sperm whale intestine (used in perfumery)
anadem (AN-a-dem) a garland or fillet; a chaplet or wreath
anodyne (AN-o-dyne) something that relieves pain or stress
anoxia (a-NOX-i-a) severe hypoxia; absence of oxygen in inspired gases or in arterial blood or in the tissues
architrave (AR-chi-trave) the lower-most member of a classical entablature (the part of a classical temple above the columns between a capital and the roof)
asperity (as-PER-i-ty) harshness or sharpness of temper or manner
asservation ?
catafalque (CAT-a-falque) an ornamental structure sometimes used in solemn funerals for the lying in state of the body; a pall-covered coffin-shaped structure used at requiem masses celebrated after burial
coign (COIGN) a corner, wedge; -- chiefly used in the phrase "coign of vantage", a position advantageous for action or observation
deflagration (def-la-GRA-tion) a burning up; conflagration
depredation (de-pre-DA-tion) the act of preying upon or plundering
desmesne apparent misspelling of demesne
embrasure (em-BRA-sure) an opening in a wall through which a cannon can be fired, a usually sloped enlargement of a door or window
formication (for-mi-CA-tion) a sensation resembling that made by the creeping of ants on the skin
fructify (FRUC-ti-fy) to bear fruit
inchoate (in-CHO-ate) not yet fully developed, just begun, incipient
infrangible (in-FRAN-gi-ble) not capable of being broken or separated into parts; not to be infringed or violated
invidious (in-VID-i-ous) calculated to create ill will
irenic (i-REN-ic) tending to promote peace or reconciliation
knur (NUR) a hard excresence; gnarl
leal (LE-al) faithful, loyal; true
malefic (ma-LEF-ic) productive of evil, malign
mephitic (me-PHIT-ic) tending to destroy life, poisonous, noxious
nacreous (NAY-cre-ous) like mother-of-pearl
oriflamme (OR-i-flamme) banner, symbol, or ideal ispiring devotion or courage; something suggestive of a brightly colored banner
orison (OR-i-son) prayer or supplication
palanquin (pal-an-KEEN) an enclosed litter carried by several men
palliate (PAL-i-ate) to relieve without curing; to try to mitigate the gravity of an offense by excuses, apologies, etc.
rectitude (REC-ti-tude) moral virtue, righteousness; correctness
seriate (SER-i-ate) arranged in a series or succession; pertaining to a series
stentorously sten-TO-ri-an is 'extremely loud'
stridulation (STRID-u-la-tion) the act of making shrill sounds or musical notes by rubbing together certain hard parts, as done by the males of many insects, especially
thetic ?
travertine (TRAV-er-tine) a white concretionary form of calcium carbonate, usually hard and semicrystalline, deposited from the water of springs or streams holding lime in solution
trenchant (TREN-chant) incisive or keen; vigorous, effective



Found it at www.cs.cornell.edu/home/wkiri/donaldson-words.html

[Smin]

there is no specific way to say the words unless we find SRD and make him speak and tell us. I find that the long words are less syllables and blended sounds. They are a peaceful person mostly they were..at least the people of the Land were. The rot were using languages that we not audible always or grunts and sounds not a full word but still a language of the illearth. Both are unique languages. Not ours except TC and LA.

[Warmark]

Welcome to the Donaldson Vocabulary List!
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Word Pronunciation Definition
anademed ?
analystic ?
anile (AN-ile) old-womanish; imbecile
apotheosis (ap-o-the-O-sis) the perfect example
barranca (ba-RRAN-ca) a deep gully or arroyo
benison (BEN-i-son) blessing, benediction
brunted ?
bryony (BRY-o-ny) tendril-bearing vines of the gourd family with large leaves and red or black fruit
caducity (ca-DU-ci-ty) the quality of being transitory or perishable
carcanet (CAR-ka-net) an ornamental necklace or headband
carious (CAR-i-ous) affected with caries (progressive destruction of bone or tooth)
cerements (CER-e-ments) waxed winding-sheets
chancreous (chan-CRE-ous) characterized by chancres (sore or ulcers)
chary (CHAR-y) treasured, dear; cautious, sparing; watchful
chatoyant (sha-TOY-ant) [to shine like a cat's eyes] having a changeable luster or color with an undulating narrow band of white light
condign (con-DIGN) well-deserved, appropriate
coquelicot (coque-LI-cot) wild poppy or the color of such (orange mixed with scarlet)
crepitation (crep-i-TA-tion) the act of crackling (the series of small, sharp, rapidly repeated explosions in a fire) or the grating sound of two bone fragments rubbing together
crepuscular (cre-PUS-cu-lar) resembling twilight
crysoprase (from chrysoprase CHRIS-o-prase) an apple-green chalcedony valued as a gem
cymar (from simar si-MAR) a loose robe for women
derogate (DER-o-gate) to take away a part so as to impair; to act beneath one's position or character
desuetude (DES-wi-tude) the state of being no longer used or practiced
etiolate (E-ti-o-late) to bleach and alter the natural development of (a green plant) by excluding sunlight; to make pale and sickly; to take away the natural vigor of
exculpation (ex-cul-PA-tion) to make free from guilt, to pardon or excuse
extirpate (EX-tir-pate) to pull up by the root; to wipe out; to cut out by surgery
febrile (FEB-rile) feverish
hagriding ?
hebetude (HEB-e-tude) dullness, lethargy
heiratic ?
hierophant (hi-ER-o-phant) a priest in ancient Greece
inanition (in-a-NI-tion) emptiness; lack of vitality or vigor
incondign (see condign)
ineluctable (in-e-LUC-ta-ble) inevitable
innominate (in-NOM-i-nate) having no name, unnamed
intaglio (in-TAL-yo) incised carving
intransigence (in-TRAN-si-jence) refusing to agree or compromise
irrefragable (ir-REF-ra-ga-ble) impossible to deny or refute, inviolable
macerate (MAS-e-rate) to cause to waste away by excessive fasting; to cause to become separated into constituent elements by steeping in a fluid
malison (MAL-i-son) malediction, curse
mendacity (men-DAS-i-ty) untruthfulness, habitual lying
nystagmus (nys-TAG-mus) a rapid involuntary oscillation of the eyeballs, as from dizziness
obloquy (OB-lo-quy) strongly condemnatory utterance or language
periapt (PER-i-apt) amulet
preterit (also preterite PRET-e-rit) bygone, former
refulgent (re-FUL-gent) radiant or resplendent, brilliant
roborant (rob-o-RANT) strengthening, especially a medicine or tonic
roynish (ROYN-ish) mangy, scabby, mean, paltry, troublesome. applied to people.
sapid (SAP-id) possessing flavor; having a strong agreeable flavor
scoria (SCO-ri-a) the refuse from melting of metals, slag
sempiternal (sem-pi-TERN-al) of never-ending duration, everlasting, eternal
sendaline ?
spavined (SPA-vined) enlargement of the hock joint (in horses)
suppurate (SUP-pu-rate) foul; to form or discharge pus
susurration (su-sur-RA-tion) whispering, murmur
tabid (TAB-id) affected by tabes (progressive emaciation of the body, accompanied with hectic fever, with no well-marked logical symptoms), tabetic
telic (TEL-ic) tending toward an end
threnody (THREN-o-dy) song of lamentation for the dead
vigas ?
vitiate (VISH-i-ate) contaminate, pollute; debase, pervert; to make ineffective or weak, invalidate


The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

adjure (ad-JURE) to charge or command solemnly
aegis (AE-jis) protection, support
ambergrised (AM-ber-grised) ambergris is the ash-colored secretion of the sperm whale intestine (used in perfumery)
anadem (AN-a-dem) a garland or fillet; a chaplet or wreath
anodyne (AN-o-dyne) something that relieves pain or stress
anoxia (a-NOX-i-a) severe hypoxia; absence of oxygen in inspired gases or in arterial blood or in the tissues
architrave (AR-chi-trave) the lower-most member of a classical entablature (the part of a classical temple above the columns between a capital and the roof)
asperity (as-PER-i-ty) harshness or sharpness of temper or manner
asservation ?
catafalque (CAT-a-falque) an ornamental structure sometimes used in solemn funerals for the lying in state of the body; a pall-covered coffin-shaped structure used at requiem masses celebrated after burial
coign (COIGN) a corner, wedge; -- chiefly used in the phrase "coign of vantage", a position advantageous for action or observation
deflagration (def-la-GRA-tion) a burning up; conflagration
depredation (de-pre-DA-tion) the act of preying upon or plundering
desmesne apparent misspelling of demesne
embrasure (em-BRA-sure) an opening in a wall through which a cannon can be fired, a usually sloped enlargement of a door or window
formication (for-mi-CA-tion) a sensation resembling that made by the creeping of ants on the skin
fructify (FRUC-ti-fy) to bear fruit
inchoate (in-CHO-ate) not yet fully developed, just begun, incipient
infrangible (in-FRAN-gi-ble) not capable of being broken or separated into parts; not to be infringed or violated
invidious (in-VID-i-ous) calculated to create ill will
irenic (i-REN-ic) tending to promote peace or reconciliation
knur (NUR) a hard excresence; gnarl
leal (LE-al) faithful, loyal; true
malefic (ma-LEF-ic) productive of evil, malign
mephitic (me-PHIT-ic) tending to destroy life, poisonous, noxious
nacreous (NAY-cre-ous) like mother-of-pearl
oriflamme (OR-i-flamme) banner, symbol, or ideal ispiring devotion or courage; something suggestive of a brightly colored banner
orison (OR-i-son) prayer or supplication
palanquin (pal-an-KEEN) an enclosed litter carried by several men
palliate (PAL-i-ate) to relieve without curing; to try to mitigate the gravity of an offense by excuses, apologies, etc.
rectitude (REC-ti-tude) moral virtue, righteousness; correctness
seriate (SER-i-ate) arranged in a series or succession; pertaining to a series
stentorously sten-TO-ri-an is 'extremely loud'
stridulation (STRID-u-la-tion) the act of making shrill sounds or musical notes by rubbing together certain hard parts, as done by the males of many insects, especially
thetic ?
travertine (TRAV-er-tine) a white concretionary form of calcium carbonate, usually hard and semicrystalline, deposited from the water of springs or streams holding lime in solution
trenchant (TREN-chant) incisive or keen; vigorous, effective



Found it at www.cs.cornell.edu/home/wkiri/donaldson-words.html

BY the Seven! how long did that take Vain?