Pronunciation in new scenarios?


Pathfinder Society

Sovereign Court 1/5

Has anyone considered adding the international phonic alphabet or other phonology to indicate the proper way to say most, if not all, of the names used in future scenarios? They can be challenging to say the least.


The old Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting book had a pronunciation guide in one of the appendices. Sadly, it wasn't included in the new Inner Sea World Guide.

My wife (Taiwanese) winces every time one of the local GMs tries to wrap their caucasian lips around a Tian name. I guess some phonetics in parenthesis would help on occasion. She'd still cringe since the tones would likely be incorrect, too.

Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

If we started doing this across the board in all our products, then we'd also do so in Pathfinder Society Scenarios. It can be a slippery slope, however, in terms of when you provide pronunciations and when you don't, and in particularly name-heavy products like those in the Campaign Setting line, they can really interrupt the flow of the text with parentheticals after each proper noun.

If there are particular names that you find difficult to pronounce, feel free to ask and I'll provide pronunciations here. But going forward, as we move away from Tian Xia, I think folks will find most names are more standard fantasy, with more intuitive phonetic spellings.

4/5

Mark Moreland wrote:
as we move away from Tian Xia, I think folks will find most names are more standard fantasy, with more intuitive phonetic spellings.

Drindle Drange, Drandel Drenge, and Drendel Drang all approve this message.

5/5

Don't forget Declan Dreng

Sczarni 5/5 * Venture-Lieutenant, Washington—Pullman

I go by the rule if you don't like my pronunciation of the word there are other tables you can play at, if there are not... well shut up then! That or I rename people bob.

Sovereign Court 5/5

Coraith wrote:
I go by the rule if you don't like my pronunciation of the word there are other tables you can play at, if there are not... well shut up then! That or I rename people bob.

I do wonder why there aren't any characters named Bob or Steve or Harry or Arnold or . . . well you get the idea. (NPC's, I have seen a Bob as a PC.)

Sovereign Court 1/5

You turn the corner in the misty stinking haze of the dungeon's inner torture chamber to have your eyes fall upon the giant flesh eater form of Tony with his undead minions Alice, Philip, and the dreaded bill.
It does seem to miss something in the translation.

Sovereign Court 5/5

piquwee wrote:

You turn the corner in the misty stinking haze of the dungeon's inner torture chamber to have your eyes fall upon the giant flesh eater form of Tony with his undead minions Alice, Philip, and the dreaded bill.

It does seem to miss something in the translation.

"Finishing up a plesent day in the market place you turn a corner to see your old shopkeeper friend Ollydentericrickhabbelcutter."

Edit: A gnomish character of mine.

Scarab Sages

Pronouncing "Ki" as "Kai" should equate to a negative level. Just sayin'

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