The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz

The Deryni Series => General - Deryni => Topic started by: Bynw on January 20, 2017, 10:18:17 AM

Title: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: Bynw on January 20, 2017, 10:18:17 AM
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 (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.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ--Pronunciation Guide – Personal Names
Post by: Evie on January 21, 2017, 09:49:35 PM
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
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ--Pronunciation Guide – Place Names
Post by: Evie on January 21, 2017, 09:51:29 PM
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

Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ--Pronunciation Guide--Miscellaneous
Post by: Evie on January 22, 2017, 03:56:42 PM
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
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: DerynifanK on February 13, 2023, 11:46:56 AM
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.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: Evie on February 13, 2023, 11:49:40 AM
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.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: Laurna on February 13, 2023, 06:34:40 PM
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.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: DoctorM on February 13, 2023, 07:48:27 PM
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".
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: revanne on February 16, 2023, 12:41:35 PM
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".
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: DerynifanK on February 16, 2023, 12:58:36 PM
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.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: Laurna on February 27, 2023, 10:59:42 AM
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.

Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: DesertRose on February 27, 2023, 11:06:16 AM
In my mind, I've pronounced the first syllable of Swynbeth like "swim," except with an N at the end instead of an M.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: Evie on February 27, 2023, 11:49:41 AM
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.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: DesertRose on February 27, 2023, 01:23:01 PM
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."
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: tmcd on May 17, 2023, 10:42:52 PM
Alaric -- AL-ar-ic (source is Katherine Kurtz (https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,2483.0.html))

Deryni -- mentioned above (https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,1925.msg16222.html#msg16222) as Dare-IN-ee. Katherine Kurtz says "Der-in-ee" but says "Der- en i ... hard I" is also valid (source (https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,2483.0.html))

Stefan -- STEF-an (source (https://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php?topic=2913.msg2744))

Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: drakensis on July 29, 2023, 02:04:45 AM
I hadn't noticed (although it is cited above) until watching a youtube video about medieval wales that the dd at the end of Gwynedd is pronounced as a th.

That's going to be a hard habit to break.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: DoctorM on July 29, 2023, 09:00:45 AM
Quote from: drakensis on July 29, 2023, 02:04:45 AMI hadn't noticed (although it is cited above) until watching a youtube video about medieval wales that the dd at the end of Gwynedd is pronounced as a th.

That's going to be a hard habit to break.

Just put it down to local dialect and go with a "th" or a "d" at your pleasure.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: revanne on July 29, 2023, 12:44:00 PM
dd is pronounced th in Welsh - at least its easier on English speakers than the Welsh ll which is like the ch in loch.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: DoctorM on July 29, 2023, 02:15:01 PM
Quote from: revanne on July 29, 2023, 12:44:00 PMdd is pronounced th in Welsh - at least its easier on English speakers than the Welsh ll which is like the ch in loch.

So the correct pronunciation of Llannedd would be something like "Ch'an-eth?

That's...well...almost disturbing.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: Nezz on July 29, 2023, 02:19:42 PM
Quote from: DoctorM on July 29, 2023, 02:15:01 PMSo the correct pronunciation of Llannedd would be something like "Ch'an-eth?

That's...well...almost disturbing.

To pronounce the Welsh "LL," form your tongue like you're going to make the American LL sound, but then breathe out both side of your tongue while you make the sound, so you're making a sound that's a cross between "ll" and "h." It's very breathy with only the barest hint of the "L" sound.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: DoctorM on July 29, 2023, 07:50:13 PM
Quote from: Nezz on July 29, 2023, 02:19:42 PM
Quote from: DoctorM on July 29, 2023, 02:15:01 PMSo the correct pronunciation of Llannedd would be something like "Ch'an-eth?

That's...well...almost disturbing.

And now I'll be up all night practicing this in the mirror.

To pronounce the Welsh "LL," form your tongue like you're going to make the American LL sound, but then breathe out both side of your tongue while you make the sound, so you're making a sound that's a cross between "ll" and "h." It's very breathy with only the barest hint of the "L" sound.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: drakensis on July 30, 2023, 01:32:37 AM
Did anyone ever tell the welsh that spelling is supposed to be phonetic?   :P
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: tmcd on July 30, 2023, 02:29:49 AM
Did anyone ever tell the English that spelling is supposed to be phonetic? People writing in English have absolutely no stones to throw; we're living in the Crystal Palace.
Title: Re: The Deryni FAQ (including pronunciation guides)
Post by: Avisa on August 13, 2023, 10:25:31 PM
In its way, Welsh really is phonetic, more so than English! It just has very different orthography. Once you know the rules, things are pretty straightforward, unlike in English where things zigzag all over the place thanks to way too many languages sticking their fingers into the vocabulary.