TTBC: How are you pronouncing some of these names?

[Meg]

The ones with x seem just throw my brain into revolt: Lyxaxu, Unuxekome and Xate. I kind of go between all the ways you could pronounce an x in a word, each time I have to read the name.

[Sean]

I'm assuming the x's are pronounced the same as in pinyin (something like "sh") and terminal e's are voiced as in every language with a sane orthography.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

I default to pronouncing most x's as z, if it starts a word or a syllable or if it sounds better. Like in Xavier, Xylophone etc.

I pronounce those 3 names in my head as Lie-zay-zoo, You-Nucks-a-ko-me and Zate.
Probably all wrong, but it works for me :-)

[Bill]

I stopped trying to pronounce it in my head and just register which it is.

[Maria]

Bill wrote: "I stopped trying to pronounce it in my head and just register which it is."

I do the same thing. For me it doesn't ruin the story but I could see how it could ruin the flow of the reading.

[[deleted user]]

I read so much fantasy with strange names that nothing ever really gives me pause. I immediately pick my favorite mental pronunciation and go with it throughout, even if it's probably inaccurate lol.

I pronounced Unuxekome Ewe-nooks-eh-koh-may

Lyxaxu as Licks-ay-zoo

Xate like Zate.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Ooooh, interesting to see them written. In the audio, it's Uh-nooks-eh-koh-may , Lie-zak-zoo, and Ex-ate, if I'm thinking of the right people (Xate-Yawa? something like that?) I always took the Xate for a title, unless I'm thinking of someone else? There are a lot of names in this book, and on the audio it's hard to keep track.

[Brendan]

Xate is their family name, I believe.

[[deleted user]]

Yep, both Yawa and her brother have Xate before their names so it must be a surname, put first like in some Asian cultures for instance.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Ah, I hadn't noticed. Thanks. :)

[Kyle]

I assumed the x was supposed to be pronounced like Chinese, so "sh." Also like Chinese (I think) and Japanese, no overt syllabic emphasis.
ooo-noo-sheh-koh-meh
shah-teh
And so forth.

[Kyle]

as for the Y, maybe like Greek where it's sort of a U with an umlaut.
Leuh-sha-shoo

[Meg]

The family name thing threw me when Tain Hu was Tain Hu Vultjag but her sister was Tain Itotallyforget. She was Duchess Vultjag not Duchess Tain. He was exactly throwing names for all the Dukes and Duchesses out there to confirm if the duchy name was exclusive to the Duke/Duchess and no one else or what. Or if they did, I completely missed it.

[[deleted user]]

Hm, I don't remember Tain Hu having a sister, but then, I read this book in September and have read several others since. I do remember her parents being mentioned (and now dead with her last in line?), and, I think, that Xate Yawa was her aunt by marriage. If that's the case, then maybe only the heirs are given the estate's name.

[Brendan]

Tain Ko wasn't it? I thought she had died before the events of the novel, could be mistaken. Anyways it seems when they refer to Duke or Duchess __, they use the name of the duchy. Tain Hu is Duchess Vultjag, Xate Olake is Duke Lachta.

[[deleted user]]

I think Brendan is right. It must be like in The Thief series; in there, the kings and queens of Attolia, Sounis, and Eddis are called by the name of their respective country, and that name passes on to heirs.

[Fresno Bob]

Tassie Dave wrote: "I default to pronouncing most x's as z, if it starts a word or a syllable or if it sounds better. Like in Xavier, Xylophone etc.

I pronounce those 3 names in my head as Lie-zay-zoo, You-Nucks-a-ko..."

that's what I do to....Un-ucks-ko-may for me...but then again, when I'm reading, I don't even pronounce names, it's just "that name"....