Lothere
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Pronunciation Guide

The question I am most frequently asked seems to be “How do you pronounce Lothere?” And the answer is “Incorrectly.” So don’t feel bad if you have been pronouncing a lot of these characters’ names wrong. In the back of my mind I am familiar with the proper pronunciations, but I still pronounce them incorrectly with gay abandon most of the time.

Below is a table of the more common names that appear in the story. I give the correct, circa Eleventh Century pronunciation—to the best of my knowledge—as well as the pronunciation I really use, where it’s different. And it’s often different. :redface: 

You can click on a column header to sort the table by that column.

Name Origin Prounciation Author’s pronunciation
Name Origin Prounciation Author’s pronunciation
Addonwy Welsh a-​THON-​wee (th as in there) ATH-​on-​wee
Aed (Áed) Gaelic AWD AYD or EED
Aelfden (Ælfden) Anglo-​Saxon ALV-​den (A as in hat) ELF-​den
Aengus (Áengus) Gaelic EHN-​gus
Aefen (Ǣfen) Anglo-​Saxon EHV-​en AY-​fen
Aering (Ǣring) Anglo-​Saxon EHR-​ing
Affrais Welsh AF-​rice (rhymes with nice) af-​FRAY-​is
Aia (Aía) Elven EYE-​yuh
Aibinn (Aíbinn) Gaelic EE-​veen
Aileann Gaelic AY-​leen (AY rhymes with day) EYE-​leen
Alred Anglo-​Saxon ALL-​red AL-​red (al rhymes with pal)
Alwy Anglo-​Saxon ALL-​wih AL-​wee
Angharat Welsh an-​GAR-​at ANG-​ar-​at
Anshé (“Seven”) Elven an-​SHAY
Anson Anglo-​Saxon ON-​sun AN-​sun
Athelis (Aðelis) Anglo-​Saxon ATH-​uh-​liss ath-​EL-​iss
Bedwig Anglo-​Saxon BED-​wee BED-​wig
Ben Muman Gaelic BEN VOON
Brandt Germanic BRAWNDT BRANDT (a as in man)
Brede Anglo-​Saxon BRAY-​duh
Brinstan Anglo-​Saxon BRIN-​stun
Britamund Anglo-​Saxon BRIT-​uh-​moond
Brude Pictish BROO-​duh BROOD
Brunhilde Germanic broon-​HIL-​duh
Caedwulf (Cædwulf) Anglo-​Saxon CAD-​wulf CAYD-​wulf
Carn Liath Gaelic KARN LEE-​uh
Catan Gaelic like English cotton CAT-​un (not COT-​un)
Cathal Gaelic KAW-​hul
Cearball Gaelic KYAR-​bull or KYAR-​vull
Cenwulf Anglo-​Saxon KEN-​wulf
Cedric (typo for Cerdic :redface: ) Anglo-​Saxon KED-​rich SED-​rik
Ceinnselaigh Gaelic KIN-​seh-​lay or KIN-​slay
Cian Gaelic KEE-​un
Cild Anglo-​Saxon like English chilled
Cinaed (Cináed) Gaelic KIN-​awd
Colban (Colbán) Gaelic kole-​BAWN KOLE-​bun
Colburga Germanic kol-​BURG-​uh kole-​BURG-​uh
Colin (Cuilén) Gaelic KUL-​ayn KOL-​inn
Comgeall Gaelic KOM-​yall
Condal Gaelic KON-​dul
Congal Gaelic KON-​gul
Conrad Germanic KON-​rad
Cynan Welsh KOO-​nun KYE-​nun
Cynemaer (Cynemær) Anglo-​Saxon KOON-​eh-​mar (OO as in German grün) KIN-​eh-​mar
Cynewulf Anglo-​Saxon KOON-​eh-​wulf (OO as in German grün) KIN-​eh-​wulf
Daeglan (Dæglan) Anglo-​Saxon DAG-​lun
Dana Celtic DAN-​uh (like manna)
Dasi (Dasí) Elven dah-​SEE DAH-​zee
Dartesas (Dartésas) Elven dar-​TAY-​suhs
Derbail (Derbáil) Gaelic DER-​ball
Diarmait Gaelic JAR-​mit DYAR-​mit
Domnall Gaelic DON-​ul
Donnchad Gaelic DON-​chad (ch as in Scottish loch)
Drage Danish DRAW-​guh DRAG-​uh
Dre (Dré) Elven DRAY
Druze (Drúz) Elven DROOZ
Eadgith (Eadgið) Anglo-​Saxon EAD-​yith (ea as in pear) EED-​gith
Eadred Anglo-​Saxon EAD-​red AD-​red
Eadwyn Anglo-​Saxon EAD-​win ED-​win
Ealstan Anglo-​Saxon EAL-​stan
Editha (Ediða) Anglo-​Saxon ED-​ith-​uh
Edris Anglo-​Saxon ED-​riss
Egelric Anglo-​Saxon EH-​yel-​rich EH-​gull-​rick
Eirik Norse AY-​rick
Eithne Gaelic EN-​yuh
Elfleda Anglo-​Saxon ELV-​led-​uh elf-​LAY-​duh
Eochaid Anglo-​Saxon YOH-​chad (ch as in Scottish loch)
Eohric Anglo-​Saxon YOR-​ich YOR-​ik
Ete Gaelic EH-​tuh
Ethelmund (Eþelmund) Anglo-​Saxon ETH-​el-​moond
Ethelwyn (Eþelwyn) Anglo-​Saxon ETH-​el-​win
Faelan Gaelic FAY-​lawn
Flann Gaelic FLAWN FLANN (rhymes with man)
Ffraid Welsh like fried
Gaeth (Gáeth) Gaelic GAY
Gaethine (Gáethíne) Gaelic guh-​HEEN
Gamle Norse GAM-​luh
Gils Anglo-​Saxon GILLS
Githa (Giða) Anglo-​Saxon YITH-​uh GITH-​uh
Godefroy French go-​deh-​FRAW
Godwine Anglo-​Saxon GOD-​win-​uh GOD-​wine
Gunnora Norse goon-​NOR-​uh
Guthrun Norse GOOTH-​roon
Gwynn Welsh GWEEN GWIN
Gytha (Giða) Anglo-​Saxon GITH-​uh
Haakon Norse HAW-​kun HAY-​kun
Heafoc Anglo-​Saxon HEAV-​ok (ea as in pear) HAF-​uk
Hedwige Germanic HED-​vee-​yuh HED-​veej
Hila (Híla) Elven HEE-​luh
Hogge Anglo-​Saxon HOG-​guh HOG
Imin (Ímín) Elven EE-​meen ee-​MEEN
Ilal Elven IL-​al il-​AL
ingen (“daughter of”) Gaelic IN-​yun
ingen Aoidhe (“daughter of Aed”) Gaelic IN-​yun OO-​yuh
Iylaina (Ílléna) Elven ee-​LYANE-​uh
Iylaine Elven/​English ee-​LANE
Kia (Kía) Elven KEE-​uh
Kiv (Kív) Elven KEEV
Kraaia Flemish KRAH-​ya CRY-​uh
Kuntigern Anglo-​Saxon KUNT-​ih-​yern KUNT-​ih-​gern
Lasrua (Lasrúa) Elven lass-​ROO-​uh laz-​ROO-​uh
Lathir Gaelic LAH-​heer
Lena (Léna) Elven LAY-​nuh
Leof Anglo-​Saxon LYOF
Leofgith (Leofgið) Anglo-​Saxon LYOV-​yith LYOF-​gith
Leofric Anglo-​Saxon LYOV-​rich LYOF-​rick
Leila Arabic LAY-​luh
Llen (Llén) Elven LYANE LANE
Liadan (Líadan) Gaelic LEE-​uh-​dun
Lothere (Hlóþere) Anglo-​Saxon LOW-​thuh-​ruh LOTH-​here
Luitgarde Germanic LOOIT-​gar-​duh
Madra Elven MAH-​dra
Mae (Mǽ) Anglo-​Saxon MEH
Mael Muad (Máel Muad) Gaelic MAL MOO-​ud
Maire (Máire) Gaelic MAW-​ruh
Malcolm (Máel Coluim) Gaelic MAL-​KOL-​um MAL-​kum
Malo (Machlou) Breton MAL-​oh or MACH-​loo (ch as in Scottish loch) MAL-​oh
Mash Elven MAWSH rhymes with smash
Maud Anglo-​Saxon MAWD
Murchad Gaelic MOOR-​chad (ch as in Scottish loch)
Myrddin Welsh MOOR-​thin (th as in then) MUR-​thin
Naedre (Nædre) Anglo-​Saxon NAD-​ruh
Natanleod Anglo-​Saxon NAT-​an-​lyod
Nimea nim-​AY-​uh
Nothelm (Noþhelm) Anglo-​Saxon NOTH-​helm NOT-​helm
Oenucan (Óenucán) Gaelic OH-​nuh-​CAWN
Ogive French oh-​JEEV OH-​jeev
Orlaith (Órlaith) Gaelic OR-​lay
Osfrey Anglo-​Saxon OZ-​fray OSS-​fray
Osh (Ósh) Elven OSH (long O as in rose)
Osric Anglo-​Saxon OZ-​rich OZ-​rick
Oswald Anglo-​Saxon OZ-​wald
Peleia Greek peh-​LAY-​ah
Pol (Pól) Elven like pole
Raegan (Rǽgan) Anglo-​Saxon REH-​gun
Raegiming (Rægiming) Anglo-​Saxon RAG-​ih-​ming
Ragnhild Norse RAGN-​hild
Ramsaa Norse RAM-​saw
Ris (Rís) Elven REES
Sadb Gaelic SIVE (rhymes with five)
Saralla Elven sar-​AL-​ya
Saeward (Sǽward) Anglo-​Saxon SEH-​ward SAY-​ward
Sebdann Gaelic SEV-​awn
Sebright Anglo-​Saxon SEB-​richt (ch as in Scottish loch) SEE-​brite
Seigine (Séigíne) Gaelic SHAYN
Sela (Séla) Elven SAY-​luh SEE-​luh
Selle Anglo-​Saxon SELL-​luh
Selwyn Anglo-​Saxon SELL-​win
Shosudin (Shósúdín) Elven sho-​SOO-​deen
Shus (Shús) Elven SHOOS
Sigebert Anglo-​Saxon SEE-​yuh-​bert SIG-​uh-​bert
Sigefrith (Sigefrið) Anglo-​Saxon SEE-​yuh-​frith SIG-​frith
Sina (Sína) Elven SEE-​nuh
Stein Norse STAYN (ei is pronounced as in Eirik) STINE (rhymes with mine)
Surr (Súrr) Elven SOOR (r like in French) like sir
Synne Anglo-​Saxon SOON-​nyuh (like German grün) SIN-​uh
Theobald (Þeobald) Anglo-​Saxon THAY-​oh-​bald THEE-​oh-​bald
Tidraed (Tidræd) Anglo-​Saxon TID-​rad TID-​rade
Tryggve Norse TRIG-​gwuh TRIG-​vuh
Tuathal Gaelic TOO-​ah-​hal
Uallach Gaelic OO-​ah-​lach (ch as in Scottish loch)
Vash Elven VAWSH rhymes with smash
Waerburh (Wærburh) Anglo-​Saxon WARR-​burch (ch as in Scottish loch) WARE-​burr
Wendelbeorth (Wendelbeorþ) Anglo-​Saxon WEN-​dul-​byorth
Wulsy Anglo-​Saxon WOOL-​zee
Wynflaed (Wynflæd) Anglo-​Saxon WIN-​vlad (rhymes with bad) WIN-​flade (rhymes with blade)
Wynna Anglo-​Saxon WIN-​nuh
Yusuf Arabic YOO-​soof
Yware Anglo-​Saxon (from Norse Yvar) ih-​WAR-​uh ee-​WARE
council-turn