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HelpRe: Names you've been mispronouncing this whole time?
in reply to a message by thenightsnotover1
Elowen and Ceridwen.
I always read them as "EL-low-en" and "KEH-rid-wen," but then I saw that Ceridwen is "keh-RID-wen."
And Elowen apparently (according to the comments anyway) rhymes with Rowan. "el-LOW-en." A lowin'. El Owen.
I like them my way better, and that makes it harder to learn the right way.
- mirfak
I always read them as "EL-low-en" and "KEH-rid-wen," but then I saw that Ceridwen is "keh-RID-wen."
And Elowen apparently (according to the comments anyway) rhymes with Rowan. "el-LOW-en." A lowin'. El Owen.
I like them my way better, and that makes it harder to learn the right way.
- mirfak
Replies
I wonder if the d in Ceridwen would sound softer in Welsh. In Gwydion, the d sounds almost like a th with a Welsh accent.
Hmm. https://forvo.com/search/ceridwen/cy/
Both this and the English pronunciation people recorded, sound like neither keh-RID-wen nor KER-rid-wen, but like keh-ri-DWEN. Interesting
I can't tell that the d is a th - if it is, then it is too short for me to hear it. An English th would be more obvious. I can kinda tell that it's a th in this one: https://forvo.com/search/Gwydion/cy/ although there are 2 pronunciations there and one has a d. Maybe it's a regional thing. I guess in Welsh people make the d sound closer to their teeth generally tho.
Both this and the English pronunciation people recorded, sound like neither keh-RID-wen nor KER-rid-wen, but like keh-ri-DWEN. Interesting
I can't tell that the d is a th - if it is, then it is too short for me to hear it. An English th would be more obvious. I can kinda tell that it's a th in this one: https://forvo.com/search/Gwydion/cy/ although there are 2 pronunciations there and one has a d. Maybe it's a regional thing. I guess in Welsh people make the d sound closer to their teeth generally tho.
This message was edited 4/19/2024, 1:19 PM
Yeah, I didn't mean actually a TH. I think it sounds less harsh than the English, though.
I also thought both were pronounced with the stress on the first syllable. It would make more sense...
I think in Welsh, the stress usually falls on the 2nd to last (penultimate) syllable? also apparently in Cornish.
This message was edited 4/19/2024, 1:30 PM
Oh yeah, I definitely say EL-ow-en and the only one I've ever met pronounced it that way too.
I'm halfway between KER-id-wen and ker-ID-wen.
I'm halfway between KER-id-wen and ker-ID-wen.
Yeah, Ceridwen with emphasis on the second syllable makes more sense than Elowen with stress in the middle.
Wait, what, I thought the same as you for Elowen. EL-o-wen is prettier, I agree.