Pronunciation Guide to Character Names
In the Sword and Scroll and Heroine’s Luck cycle, the characters are speaking a language they would call Hadra, which simply means “great/important speech.”
In The Interpreter’s Tale and You Made My Heart a Hunter, the characters are speaking Henanue, which is a direct descendant of Hadra, and various versions of an unrelated language called Tsiane.
Just as in all languages, every region has its own accent; this guide is covers what most people would consider “educated,” semi-formal pronunciation that almost everyone would understand.
Bear in mind that the “sounds like” column is based on my Western American English, so if you speak a different dialect of English, the approximations may be misleading. The third column contains the International Phonetic Alphabet, which is much more precise.
Hadra
Vowels & Stress
a, e, i, o, u – ah, eh, ee, oh, oo and there are no silent vowels.
ai, au, ei, eu, oi, ou, iu, ui – combinations of the above vowels with the second vowel pronounced shorter (diphthongs).
Word stress falls on the second-to-last syllable, or on the last syllable if it ends in a consonant or includes a diphthong. (There are a few exceptions among words ending in n.) A lighter stress falls on alternating syllables preceding the main stress.
Consonants
Most consonants are pronounced the same as in English. g is always hard as in “get,” never soft as in “gem.” ts, dz, and ng as in “cats, adze, sing” are letters in their own right and can occur at the beginnings of syllables. h can occur at the end of a syllable.
zh is the middle sound of “vision” (the voiced version of sh). dh is the first sound of “then” (the voiced version of th).
The only sound that does not occur in English is kh which is the final sound of German “Bach.” gh is the voiced version of the same. You can pronounce them both as h and you’ll be fine.
r varies from dialect to dialect, so you should use whatever “r” is most natural to you. The transcriptions below use the sound in the middle of the Spanish word “pero,” which is very common.
Henanue
To come…
Tsiane
Vowels & Stress
a, e, i, o, u – ah, ay, ee, oh, oo and there are no silent vowels. Two vowels next to each other are always pronounced separately.
Word stress falls on the first syllable of each word.
Consonants
Most consonants are pronounced the same as in English. g is always hard as in “get,” never soft as in “gem.” ts, dz as in “cats, adze” are letters in their own right and can occur at the beginnings of syllables. h can occur at the end of a syllable.
r is often an approximant as in American English, but other pronunciations are found.
A Heroine's Luck
Main Characters
| Name | Sounds Like | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Biaili Erdai | bee EYE lee err DIE | biˈaɪli ɛɾˈdaɪ |
| Tinsa Gaurjo | TEEN sah GOWR joh | ˈtinsa ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
Other Characters
| Name | Sounds Like | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Anwaf Yerhat | on WOFF yerr HOT | anˈwaf jɛɾˈhat |
| Arlei Ormo | ar LAY OR moh | aɾ’lɛɪ ˈoɾmo |
| Artou Houva | ar TOW HOEw vah | aɾ’toʊ ˈhoʊva |
| Aurem Gaurjo | ow REM GOWR jo | aʊˈɾɛm ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Avnir Seisa | av NEER SAY sah | av’nir ˈsɛisa |
| Badihaun Dalei | bah dee HOUN dah LAY | ˌbadiˈhaʊn daˈlɛɪ |
| Balayangben Erdai | bah LAH yahng BEN err DIE | baˌlajaŋˈbɛn ɛɾˈdaɪ |
| Brizi Seisa | BREE zee SAY sah | ˈbɾizi ˈsɛisa |
| Chiormai Gaurjo | CHEE or MY GOWR jo | ˌtʃi.oɾˈmaɪ ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Dommei Gaurjo | dom MAY GOWR jo | domˈmɛɪ ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Dren Avra | DREN OV rah | ˈdɾɛn ˈavɾa |
| Ehes Fahadh | eh HES fah HATH | ɛˈhɛs faˈhaθ |
| Eiho Gaurjo | AY hoh GOWR jo | ˈɛɪho ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Eila Esil | AY lah eh SEEL | ˈɛɪla ɛˈsil |
| Eje Tazen | EH jeh TAH zen | ˈɛdʒɛ ˈtazɛn |
| Gariosh Gaurjo | GAR ee OHSH GOWR jo | ˌgaɾiˈoʃ ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Gef Gaurjo | GEFF GOWR jo | ˈgɛf ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Geistiwa Efukhur | gay STEE wah EH foo KHHOOR | gɛɪsˈtiwa ˌɛfuˈxuɾ |
| Gezi Hoi | GEZ zee HOY | ˈgɛzi ˈhoɪ |
| Gujei Fileyo | goo JAY fee LEH yo | guˈdʒɛɪ ˌfilɛˈjo |
| Habmuthui Gaurjo | HOB moo THOOY GOWR jo | ˌhabmuˈθuɪ ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Hechyenevar Gaurjo | hech YEH neh VARR GOWR jo | hɛtʃˌjɛnɛˈvaɾ ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Henvo Au | HEN voh OW | ˈhɛnvo ˈaʊ |
| Hoje Efukhur | HOH jeh EH foo KHHOOR | ˈhodʒɛ ˌɛfuˈxuɾ |
| Iska | EES kah | ˈiska |
| Jecha Soa | JEH cha SO ah | ˈdʒɛtʃa ˈso.a |
| Jou Gaurjo | JOEw GOWR jo | ˈdʒoʊ ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Kichamis Chevba | KEE chah MEES CHEV bah | ˌkitʃaˈmis ˈtʃɛvba |
| Kizag Iya | kee ZOG EE ya | kiˈzag ˈija |
| Krela Huya | KREH lah HOO ya | ˈkɾɛla ˈhuja |
| Lesram Gaurjo | less ROM GOWR jo | lɛsˈɾam ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Loiye Towiz | LOY yeh toh WEEZ | ˈloɪjɛ toˈwiz |
| Melathuizei Gaurjo | meh LAH thooy ZAY GOWR jo | mɛˌlaθuɪˈzɛɪ ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Meris Heielbrei | meh REES HAY el BRAY | mɛˈɾis ˌhɛɪ.ɛlˈbɾɛɪ |
| Minzei Tredzbes | meen ZAY tredz BESS | minˈzɛɪ tɾɛdzˈbɛs |
| Mota Tselo | MOH tah TSEH loh | ˈmota ˈtʃɛlo |
| Ngosen Erdai | NGOH sen err DIE | ˈŋosɛn ɛɾˈdaɪ |
| Nisidith Yuta | NEE see DEETH YOO tah | ˌnisiˈdiθ ˈjuta |
| Nivti Hashafan | NEEV tee HAH shah FON | ˈnivti ˌhaʃaˈfan |
| Osgin Efukhur | OHS geen EH foo KHHOOR | osˈgin ˌɛfuˈxuɾ |
| Ossa Ko | OHSS sah KO | ˈosːa ˈko |
| Penbra Uret | PEN brah oo RET | ˈpɛnbɾa uˈɾɛt |
| Plef Dlufui | PLEF dloo FOOY | ˈplɛf dluˈfuɪ |
| Ravoi Nei | rah VOY NEI | ɾaˈvoɪ ˈnɛɪ |
| Rufem Gaurjo | roo FEM GOWR jo | ɾuˈfɛm ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Sahruiro Melot | sah’hh RUU’ee roh meh LOHT | sahˈɾuɪɾo mɛˈlot |
| Shosho Deinoul | SHOH shoh day NO’wLL | ˈʃoʃo dɛɪˈnoʊl |
| Siche Draf | SEE cheh DROFF | ˈsitʃɛ ˈdɾaf |
| Subinei Gaurjo | SOO bee NEY GOWR jo | ˌsubiˈnɛɪ ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Sulya Lilchi | SOOL yah LEEL chee | ˈsulja ˈliltʃi |
| Tamduima Gaurjo | tom DOOY mah GOWR jo | tamˈduɪma ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Tiri Dito | TEE ree DEE toh | ˈtiɾi ˈdito |
| Tornu Gaurjo | TOR noo GOWR jo | ˈtoɾnu ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Toze Dalei | TO zeh dah LEI | ˌtozɛ daˈlɛɪ |
| Trardiskav Tsemo | TRAR dees KOV TSEH mo | ˌtɾaɾdisˈkav ˈtsɛmo |
| Turu | TOO roo | ˈtuɾu |
| Unro Jakein | OON roh jah KANE | ˈunɾo dʒaˈkɛɪn |
| Uwel Aiwe | oo WELL EYE we | uˈwɛl ˈaɪwɛ |
| Viluel Gaurjo | VEE loo ELL GOWR jo | ˌviluˈɛl ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Yitha Gaurjo | YEE tha GOWR jo | ˈjiθa ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Zerezein Gaurjo | ZEH reh ZANE GOWR jo | ˌzɛɾɛˈzɛɪn ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Ziare Kolavei | zee ARE eh KO lah VEY | ziˈaɾɛ ˌkolaˈvɛɪ |
Sword & Scroll
IN PROGRESS – MORE TO COME!
Main Characters
| Name | Sounds Like | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Nuho Kadza | NOO hoh KAH dzah | ˈnuho ˈkadza |
| Hoje Viommalento Efukhur (the matronymic can also be contracted to Viommal’o) | HOH jeh vee OHM mah LEN toh EH foo KHHOOR (VEE oh MAH loh) | ˈhodʒɛ viˌoma’lɛnto ˌɛfuˈxuɾ (ˌvioˈmalo) |
| Siche Draf | SEE cheh DROFF | ˈsitʃɛ ˈdɾaf |
| Plef Dlufui | PLEFF dloo FOOY | ˈplɛf dluˈfuɪ |
| Sairez Relin | sigh REZ reh LEEN | saɪˈɾɛz ɾɛˈlin |
| Povno Kadza | POHV noh KAH dzah | ˈpovno ˈkadza |
| Ngasbairil Kadza (Busi) | NGOSS bye REEL KAH dzah (BOO see) | ˌŋasbaɪˈɾil ˈkadza |
| Tinsa Gaurjo | TEEN sah GOWR jo | ˈtinsa ˈgaʊɾdʒo |
| Jecha Soa | JEH chah SOH a | ˈdʒɛtʃa ˈso.a |
| Dangar Feigitro | dong AR fay GHEE troh | daˈŋaɾ fɛɪˈgitro |
The Interpreter's Tale
IN PROGRESS – MORE TO COME!
Main Characters
| Name | Sounds Like | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Eliadmaru Devesento Faraa | eh-lee-YAHD-mah-roo deh-veh-SEN-toh FAH-rah | |
| (Siol) Folso Banendre Siovare | SEE-oll FOLL-soh bah-NEN-dreh see-yoh-VAH-reh | |
| Auyim Gaavenento Autransi | OW-yeem gah-vuh-NEN-toh ow-TRAHN-see |
Other Characters
| Name | Sounds Like | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Fenka Sorosondre Damaiud | FENG-kuh soh-roh-SOHN-dreh dah-MY-yood | |
| Hamyenev Hegaantendre Damaiud | HAHM-yuh-nev heh-gahn-TEN-dreh dah-MY-yood | |