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DerynifanK

March 17, 2024, 03:48:44 PM
Happy St Patrick's Day. Enjoy the one day of the year when the whole world is Irish.

The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)

Started by Bynw, January 20, 2017, 10:18:17 AM

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Bynw

Deryni FAQ

1. In what order should the Deryni books be read?

We have listed the books in chronological order. Katherine recommends reading them in the order published. (That means starting with the Chronicles of the Deryni and then reading the Camber series.) Members of alt.books.deryni newsgroup have debated this at length without reaching a consensus. Most recommend starting with either Deryni Rising or Camber of Culdi, although a reasonable argument can be made for starting with The Bishop's Heir. The Heirs of Saint Camber is a particularly dark trilogy so it's not a recommended starting point except for readers with a taste for the darker books. Deryni Archives, Deryni Magic, and Codex Derynianus should be read after the other books to be fully understood.

2. Are there two Deryni Archives? What's the difference?

The Deryni Archives book contains short stories written by Katherine Kurtz.
Deryni Archives: The Magazine contains fan fiction which is edited by Julianne Toomey-Kautz and Laura Jefferson, as well as Katherine herself.

3. What are the Eleven Kingdoms?

The Lay of the Lord Llewellyn appears at the front of Camber of Culdi.

Now, these are the Names of the Eleven Kingdoms, sung rightly well of old:
Howicce, and Llannedd, and fierce Connait; mountainous Meara, the Land Beyond the River; and Kheldour, the windswept; and pastoral Eastmarch; Tolan, and Torenth, and myth-ridden Mooryn; and lost Caeriesse, which sank beneath the sea; and far-reaching Gwynedd, seat of the Haldane Kings.

                --Lay of the Lord Llewellyn 
                   Troubadour to the High 
                   King of Mooryn


Tolan, Torenth, Caeriesse, Gwynedd, Howicce, Llanedd, Connait, are all pretty straightforward. (It should be noted that the Duchy of Haldane is a part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd. However, a cursory summary of the history of Gwynedd's founding would seem to indicate that the Haldane duchy was, among several other pieces of land, a precursor to Gwynedd rather than absorbed by it.)

Mooryn is the original land now comprised of Corwyn and Carthmoor. Meara became Cassan, Kierney, and what's now called Meara. Kheldour became the Duchy of Claibourne and the Earldom of Rhendall. The Earldom of Rhendall, like the Earldom of Kierney's relationship with Cassan, is held by the heir of the Duke of Claibourne. Also a product of this splitting was the Kheldish Riding, held directly as a Crown territory (I believe) And Eastmarch split into Eastmarch and Marley.

         --Felan

4. How do I pronounce all these names?

Please see the Pronunciation Guides below for pronunciation help with Katherine's exotic names--personal, place, and miscellaneous.

For more information, please follow this link to the FAQ online that Rebecca Davis has created at http://www.mindspring.com/~rebldavis/faq.html. The Rebecca Davis FAQ needs to be updated as it does not cover material from Childe Morgan forward.
President pro tempore of The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz Fan Club
IRC Administrator of #Deryni_Destinations
Discord Administrator of The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz Discord
Administrator https://www.rhemuthcastle.com

Evie

A

Ailin – EYE-lin

Ainslie – AIN-slee

Airsid – AIR-sid

Alpheios – Al-FAY-ose

Ansel – AN'-sell

Arilan – AIR-i-lan

Arkady – Ar-CADE-y

Azim – Ah-ZEEM

B

Bened – BEN-ed

Berrhones – Behr-HONE-ess

Bradene – Bray-DENE

C

Cardiel – Car-dee-EL

Cashel- CASH-ell

Cathan – CATH (as in Catherine)-an

Caulay – CAW-lee

Charissa – Kar-ISS-a

Ciard O'Ruane – Shard O'Ru-AIN

Cinhil—KIN-hil, with the h almost swallowed.

Cloyce –Kloyce

Cluim – Kloom or KLOO-im

Columcille – KOL-um-kill

Cosim – KOSS-im

Creoda—Cree-O-da

Crinan – KRIN-nan

Czalsky – ZAL-sky

D

Dafydd—Dah-VEETH

Daithi –DY-hee

Declan – DECK-lan

Deiniol – DY-nyoll

Dervel – DER-vill

Donatus – Don-A-tis

Dothan—DAW-thun

E

Eirian – EER-ee-an

Eithne—ETH-nee

Etienne – Ay-tee-ENN

Eugen – OY-gin (g as in go)

Evaine – Ee-VAIN

Ewan – EW-an

F

Faelan—FAY-lin

G

Giles—Jiles

Gorony – GOR-ony

Guaire – Gwaire

Guiscard—Gees-CARD

H

Haldane – HAL-dane

Halex – HAL-ex

Hombard – HOM-burd

Hrorik – Rorik – the H is silent

Husniyya – Huss-NEE-uh

I

Imre—IM-ray

Iosef – YO-seff

Irenaeus – Ihr-in-AY-us

Istelyn – EE-styll-in

Ithel – ITH-il

J

Jatham – JA (a as in accent)-thum

Jenas—JEN-us

Jervis – JER-viss

Jilyan – JIL-yan

Jodoc – JOD (o as in obvious)-oc

Jolyon – JOL-yan

Judhael – Judd-HALE

K

Kai—KY

Karis—KARE-is

Kilian – KILL-yan

Kinevan – Kin-EH-ven

Kyriell – KEER-ee-el

L

Lajos—LAY-jose (long O)

Lior—LEE-or.

Llarik—hLAR-ick

Llewell – HLEW-ill (the H should be breathed rather than said so that it's soft)

M

Maccul – Ma-KOOL

Magan – MAG-in

Mahael – Ma-HAIL

Matyas – MATT-yash

Meraude – Merr-AUDE

Michaela—Mich (soft ch, as in le chaim)-AE-la

Michon – Mee-SHOHN

Miklos – MIK-losh

Mir – Like the space station

N

Niall, Niallan – NY-all or NY-a-lan

Nieve –Neeve (Nieve is the phonetic spelling of the Irish Niamh)

Nimur—NEE-mur

Nivard—Nih-VARD

O

Oriel – As in the window, OR-ee-el

P

Piran—PEER-an

R

Remie—RAY-mee

Revan—REV-an

Rhetice—Rhe-TEES

Rhodri—ROAD-ri

Rhys –Rees

Rhysel – REE-s'l

Richeldis—Ri-CHEL-dis

Richenda—Rish-EN-da

Rogier—Ro-gi-EHR

S

Secorim—Sih-COR-um

Sicard—Si-CARD

Sighere—SIG-er-uh

Sinead—Shin-AID

Siward – SEE-ward

Sulien – SOO-lee-en

T

Tagas—TAG-as (Tag is pronounced as in the German Tag for day)

Tavis—TA-vis (a-as in average)

Tieg – Teeg

Tiercel – TIER-s'l

Tomais—To-MAIS

Torcuill—TOR-quill

Trahern – Trah-HAIRN

U

Udaut – U-DAWT

Urien—YOUR-ee-en

W

Wencit—WEN-sit

X

Ximena – She-MAIN-uh
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Evie

A

Argoed—AR-go-ed

B

Beldour – BEL-dour (the 'our' is pronounced as in "hour" Same rule applies to Kheldour and Lendour.

Bremagne—Breh-MAAN-nyeh. (The nyeh syllable is just barely an afterthought at the end.)

C

Caerrorie – Caer-ROR-ee

Candor Rhea – Can-dor RAY

Cuilteine—Kull-TEEN

D

Djellarda—Jell-ARE-da

E

Ebor—EE-bor

F

Forcinn – FOR-sin

G

Gwernach—GWAIR-nach – the ch is pronounced rather like a cat hiss.

Gwynedd – GWYN-neth

H

Haut Eirial – Hout EAR-ee-il

I

Iomaire – EYE-o-mare

Iveagh – Ivy

J

Jandrich – YON-drich, according to Rob Reginald

Joux– Joo

K

Komnene – Comb-NENN

L

Llannedd—hLLAN-neth

Llegoddin—hLe-GOTH-in

Llentieth—hLen-TEETH

Logreine—Low-GRAIN

N

Neot – NEE-ot

R

Ramos—RAY-mos

Rhemuth – Ray-mith

U

Uiskin—WIS-kin

V

Valoret—VAL-or-ett

"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Evie

Miscellaneous terms

Deryni—Dare-IN-ee

Shiral—SHEER-al

Sidhe – Shee

Skean-Dubh – Skee-an-DOO

According to Katherine, the following personal and place names are properly pronounced as they are spelled.

Belden

Bran

Brion

Briony

Caitrin

Camber

Camlin

Cullen

Denis

Embert

Gallard

Joram

Jorian

Kennet

Kyla

Kylan

Lael

Lambert

MacRorie

Marek

Marluk

Quiric

Rasoul

Rathold

Raymer

Rhydon

Rhysem

Rickart

Ronal

Rothana

Tambert

Vanissa

Place Names

Carcashale

Cassan

Corwyn

Culliecairn

Danoc

Jenas

Laas

Lochalyn

Mooryn

Nyford

Ratharkin

Sheele

St. Foillan's

Transha
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

DerynifanK

I have found two different sites that pronounce Alaric differently. Either seems to be considered acceptable.

A LAR ic 3 syllables with emphasis on second syllable

AL aric  2 syllables with emphasis on first syllable.
"Thanks be to God there are still, as there always have been and always will be, more good men than evil in this world, and their cause will prevail." Brother Cadfael's Penance

Evie

The first pronunciation is how our world's historical Alaric's name was pronounced, I think. But KK pronounces it the second way in her chapter readings.
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Laurna

Quote from: DerynifanK on February 13, 2023, 11:46:56 AMA LAR ic 3 syllables with emphasis on second syllable

AL aric  2 syllables with emphasis on first syllable.

I used the first pronunciation for decades until I finally heard KK in a reading pronouncing his name the second way. Now I tend to say it either way depending upon who I am talking to.
May your horses have wings and fly!

DoctorM

When I first read the novels, I pronounced it the first way, but then I heard someone talking about the Gothic warlord who sacked Rome in 410 AD, and they used the second pronunciation. So...AL-a-ric it became for me. Though sometimes I wonder if there's a third way-- the British might go with "AL'rik".

revanne

Much muttering of AL-a-ric to myself - under my breath as I am currently on a crowded train - suggests that this Brit at least would not entirely elide the middle syllable but would barely voice it in what I understand is known in phonetics as a schwa. "uh" rather than "a".
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
(Psalm 46 v1)

DerynifanK

When I first started to read the books, having read them many years before, I used the first pronunciation and I find it really hard to change. I think the first one flows better with his full name, Alaric Anthony Morgan, than does the second one.
"Thanks be to God there are still, as there always have been and always will be, more good men than evil in this world, and their cause will prevail." Brother Cadfael's Penance

Laurna

There is an important lady in the geniology list (she is not in one of the novels yet but I suspect she might make an apperance in Road to Killingford).
King Cluim Haldane, son of Uthyr Haldane, is married to Lady Swynbeth, daughter of Tammaron Duke of Cassan.  She is important because she brings the liniage of Camber into the Haldane family tree.

I believe their pronunciations are:
Cluim = Kloom or Kloo-im
Swynbeth =
Swyn Origin and Meaning
The name Swyn is a Welsh girl's name meaning "charm, magic spell".
Which leads me to believe she carries some of those Deryni traits. but how to pronounce it? Certainly NOT "Swine" LOL.  The computer says Swe-in-beth, and Soo-in-beth, I wanted to pronounce is Sv-ien-beth.

May your horses have wings and fly!

DesertRose

In my mind, I've pronounced the first syllable of Swynbeth like "swim," except with an N at the end instead of an M.
"If having a soul means being able to feel love, loyalty, and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans."

James Herriot (James Alfred "Alfie" Wight), when a human client asked him if animals have souls.  (I don't remember in which book the story originally appeared.)

Evie

#12
Quote from: DesertRose on February 27, 2023, 11:06:16 AMIn my mind, I've pronounced the first syllable of Swynbeth like "swim," except with an N at the end instead of an M.

I've always pronounced it this way too. I can't imagine why the computer is trying to read "Swyn-" as two syllables when it's much more logical to read this as a single syllable like in nearly all other words or names with the "wyn" letter combination (Gwynedd, Wyndham, Tammy Wynette, Nell Gwynne). In the case of Wynette there is a syllable break between the y and the n (Wy-nette), but there wouldn't logically be one there in Swynbeth. (In other words, no one would ever say Swy-nbeth, nor would we try to split up the w and y into separate syllables.) The only two possible ways for an English speaker to read the word would therefore either be as Swine-Beth or Swin-Beth (assuming the y isn't meant to have any pronunciation uncommon to English that might turn the name to something closer to Swoon-Beth), and I quite agree that the first option would be rather unfortunate for the poor lady to be stuck with, and one reliant on a foreign pronunciation of y unlikely, so I assume we're meant to go with the second option.
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

DesertRose

I think it may be a Welsh name, and W in Welsh orthography is sort of an "oo" sound (like the vowel in "smooth"), but even so it would be "soo-in", which would get slurred in normal conversational tones/speeds as "swin," to rhyme with "swim."
"If having a soul means being able to feel love, loyalty, and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans."

James Herriot (James Alfred "Alfie" Wight), when a human client asked him if animals have souls.  (I don't remember in which book the story originally appeared.)

tmcd

#14
Alaric -- AL-ar-ic (source is Katherine Kurtz)

Deryni -- mentioned above as Dare-IN-ee. Katherine Kurtz says "Der-in-ee" but says "Der- en i ... hard I" is also valid (source)

Stefan -- STEF-an (source)