The Annual Dyrwood Multilingual Spelling Bee -- Signup now open!

[Endrosz]

(The confused comments about the strangely-written words in Update #70 gave me this idea...)
 

Confident in your Ixamitl?

Up to date on Vailian neologisms?

Well-versed in the verbality of the Aumaua?

Glanfanthan flows like a river from your lips and hand?

 

Then sign up for the Annual Dyrwood Multilingual Spelling Bee, and take your chance at winning fabulous prizes!*

 

 

 

 
* Prizes possibly created with experimental animancy forbidden in certain areas of the world. The Dyrwood Multilingual Spelling Bee Committee takes no responsibility for any kind of criminal proceeding for possession of such objects or eternal soul torment caused by malfunctioning prizes.

** brîshalgwin

Edited January 15, 2014 by Endrosz

[IndiraLightfoot]

I like this! And why not a Pronunciation Bee as well?

 

Vailian words:

 

Pronounce Biaceppe!

"Biceps" 

*DHEARNTH!!!*

 

Pronounce Parchozzi!

"Parched uzi"

*DHEARNTH!!!*

 

Pronounce Gualfi!

"Good Alfy"

*DHEARNTH!!!*

 

Pronounce Pallegina!

"Pallid genes"

*DHEARNTH!!!*

 

We're sorry. You mispronounced them all.

Thank you for playing.  Next contestant!

Edited January 15, 2014 by IndiraLightfoot

[Kjaamor]

As amusing as the topic is, I sometimes wonder if the linguistical stylisation within P:E isn't going to border upon the obtuse. I know that this has always been a game for people who enjoy more than their fair share of text-based descriptions, but half the updates seem to contain things I have to stop, think, and then give what is patently a hideously inaccurate guess as to their pronunctiation.

 

It isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, but since Josh has been very keen to express that this is an interest of his, I just hope someone in production is there to politely remind him that it isn't necessarily an interest of everyone else.

[Rabain]

I hope Josh is at least planning to guide the voice actors when the time comes.

[IndiraLightfoot]

We can only hope. But, I for one, like this exotic confusion on spelling and pronunciation.

And Rabain your go at pronouncing Pallegina over at the New Year's thread was priceless:

 

Hiro & Rabain, pronounce Pallegina:

In chorus: "Pally 'gina"

*DEARNTH!!!*

 

It was so...kinky!

 

EDIT: Hiro Protagonist II hinted at this in a post even earlier in the same thread. So, I edited this post to reflect this.

Edited January 15, 2014 by IndiraLightfoot

[C2B]

I just hope someone in production is there to politely remind him that it isn't necessarily an interest of everyone else.

Nothing is the interest of everyone.

 

I, for one, appreaciate it.

[ViolentManatee]

is it just me or do a lot of these names remind you of The Witcher books? Very similar stuff ( and I like that )

[Kjaamor]

Nothing is the interest of everyone.

 

I, for one, appreaciate it.

 

Oh, of course. It is just that non-interests should ideally not substantially interfere with the flow of the game.

[JFSOCC]

I usually get the pronunciation right, I think it has to do with living around many similarly pronounced languages.

[Jobby]

Surely the non-interests aren't going to care as much about the pronunciation? Therefore those who do care are going to get a lot more out of it than those who don't are going to "lose" (imo anyway).

 

Besides its kinda cool the effort they've gone to and (imo again) shows their dedication to creating a fully fleshed interesting and unique gameworld packed with lore.

[Robsidious]

I like this, its a great idea. Their are so many new words in the lore it would be helpful to practice how to pronounce them.

 

I'm a good speller, I can spell rouge right and everything. Were do I sign up? 

[Endrosz]

(I got this one in embryonic form in my head back when I wrote up the OP, but didn't have the time to flesh it out. But now, you won't escape my terrible puns!)

 

---

 

The beleaguered members of the Languishing Orthographical Linguists stood before the chambers of the Overlady. After exchanging some confirming glances, the leader of the group, Künai'yonđillvarßhtémunggwop, known to his friends as simply Künai'yonđillvarßhtémungg, stepped forward and pushed the double doors open.

 

The Overlady was sitting on her elevated chair, surrounded by fearsome minions. She greeted them with an unflinching gaze.

 

- So we meet at last, Languishing Orthographical Linguists! You've gotten much further than most adventurers, who tend to fail the final tests of my dungeon. But you are obnoxiously good at spelling ancient Beüchukk'yárqziq flower names! -- bellowed the Overlady. - I have to say, I was impressed that you got ickułxogbrupneuihj right. That's my favorite, with the blue-trimmed yellow petals and small, delicate thorns. But it matters not in the end. You don't stand a chance against my Gibberish Generators, who will overload your brain with unpronouncable words. You will try to say them of course, because you can't the resist the lure of a difficult to spell word. And thus you will die because you are good at linguistics. See the brilliance in setting up my defenses? Filter them one way, kill them that way!

 

- We shall see - declared Künai'yonđillvarßhtémunggwop, in suprisingly simple terms. He didn't have the strength to complicate it, since his mind was drained by the Overlady's final tests. He wished that in addition to the usual healing potions, fireball scrolls, vorpal weapons, wands of magic missiles, invisibility rings, returning throwing axes, and Eeűskarrmđő's Instant Grammatical Fixers they've had the foresight to bring some coffee potions as well.

 

What followed thereafter cannot be properly described by words. Pronouncable words, that is. The Languishing Orthographical Linguists clashed with the Gibberish Generators. Oh, how the syllables flowed like the torrents of the Great Sewage Canal of Ehfqiłłuckr-Kajlöiöcsd! Oh, how the tongues became twisted like those of overzealous young lovers! Oh, how the minds became boggled like shoelaces on a beach party at night! Oh, how bored I am with trying to come up with epic sentences which contain a metaphor and end with an exclamation mark!

 

When the dust settled, the Overlady sat on her throne unfazed, although a mild annoyance did linger on her features.

 

- You prevailed, but to no avail. Until you learn my true name, the unholy ritual I placed upon my sanctum will resurrect me. Why, I'll even welcome a bit of dying, since the ritual includes the formation of a new body! My current one is getting too old for comfort.

 

A triumphant smile began to appear on Künai'yonđillvarßhtémunggwop's face.

 

- We came here fully prepared. And that includes finding your true name, Overlady... or should I say Ffáztvajkyiđléíúlpoyyxhoeułüchpos?

 

- We've been through this before - interjected angrily Kenahalaiukeilokukuhaunalanai, the island elf priestess. - It ends with a hard sh, not a soft s, you tonguestically hindered ófzuláwknvesm. Get your harbor-dialect Uiaéáoiö'c right for once!

 

Rabaju'nchikodsak'yuradk'olo, who was the senior of the group by almost twenty years, also wanted in seventeen different countries for theft, robbery, assault, murder and using adjectives at the end of sentences, rolled his eyes.  - You used that archaic nonsense again, Kenahalaiukeilokukuhaunalanai? It is still debated whether ófzuláwknvesm was a derisive epithet or a type of gourmand cheese fervently!

 

- Don't try to act like you know it all, Rabaju'nchikodsak'yuradk'olo! - screamed Jklmkntroooooooooooopwlksdaaaaaaaaaa at the top of her lungs, her eyes gleaming even more than her armor, given to her by the linguistic holy order of Sacred Sentient Syllables. - The way you pronounce alveolar consonants is criminal, you... criminal!

 

- I have the final say on what to say! - proclaimed Künai'yonđillvarßhtémunggwop. - I've won the Annual Dyrwood Multilingual Spelling Bee for 5 years in a row now! You're all frauds, that's what you are!

 

This was the exact second when the Overlady, now confident that her true name's proper linguistical properties were still undiscovered, finished her incantation of the Utter Banishment of Grave Pronunciation Errors, and obliterated every little piece of the Languishing Orthographical Linguists. She mused about the almost successful attempt on her continued existence as if the adventurers were still standing in her presence.

 

- You got it right for the most part ... But an h before an oe after a yyx is never silent... except when the word has at least two triple vowels. You should've known that.

 

---

 

Moral of the story? I tried to write it down, but I don't know how to spell it properly. But I found this video somewhere in the Mists, which you might find entertaining.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FQ0_PlQ0mg