Questions on Pronunciation - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Sauron_the_Abhorred · 05-04-2004, 04:59 PM

I just wanted to know the pronunciations of the words Smeagol and Numenore. Is Smeagol Smee-gol, or Smay-uh-gol,

Is Numenore Nu-men-ore-ay or Nu-men-ore?

05-04-2004, 05:12 PM

Hi Sauron. I think it's definetely Smee-gol because that's how they say it in the movie. I'm not sure about the Numenore. But I've never read the books sooooo.... I probably don't know as much as someone who has read the books. :-)

Frodo Baggins · 05-04-2004, 05:24 PM

Tolkien nearly always hardly without exception had the e and the end of words pronounced. So it would be Nu-men-ore-ay.

I was thinkin since the e in Smeagol is accented the same way as in Theoden, it would me Smay-uh-gol. And just because they pronounce it in the movie a certain way does not mean it is correct. I happen to know for a fact that they pronounce Earendil wrong in the movie.

Elianna · 05-04-2004, 05:36 PM

I thought you were only supposed to pronouce the "e" at the end if there were the two dots over it. So it would be "nu-me-nore".

But is it 'LE-go-las' or "le-GO-las'?

Lord of Angmar · 05-04-2004, 06:11 PM

Quote:

I think it's definetely Smee-gol because that's how they say it in the movie.

Yeah, but they also pronounced Eärendil, eh-ren-deel.

I assume by 'Numenore' you mean Númenórë, the Quenya name for Numenor. It was pronounced Noo-meh-noh-reh in Quenya (this is a rough pronunciation guide... there are subtle guidelines about how to pronounce vowels in Elvish which are too complicated to explain here). 'Numenor' is roughly pronounced Noo-men-oar.

Elianna · 05-04-2004, 06:38 PM

Okay, just checked Appen. and the final "e" is ALWAYS pronouced, and OFTEN (but not consistently) has the two dots over it.

And in continuation of my other question: I really asked the question rhetorically. There's no doubt in my mind it's 'LE-go-las.'

***Sharkû*** · 05-05-2004, 06:35 AM

_Sméagol_ is actually modernized Old English, which is why you can either choose to use the OE pronunciation rules (ea begins with the sound of e and glides towards the back of the mouth, giving a sound not unlike that in 'bared, Baird'; éa is similar but beginning with the vowel é); or modernize according to the way those sounds changed into the form they have now.

05-04-2004, 04:59 PM	#1
Sauron_the_Abhorred Animated Skeleton Join Date: May 2003 Location: Ephel Duath Posts: 40	Questions on Pronunciation I just wanted to know the pronunciations of the words Smeagol and Numenore. Is Smeagol Smee-gol, or Smay-uh-gol, Is Numenore Nu-men-ore-ay or Nu-men-ore?

05-04-2004, 05:12 PM	#2
Pherrogwen Guest Posts: n/a	Smeagol Hi Sauron. I think it's definetely Smee-gol because that's how they say it in the movie. I'm not sure about the Numenore. But I've never read the books sooooo.... I probably don't know as much as someone who has read the books. :-)

05-04-2004, 05:24 PM	#3
Frodo Baggins Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Bag-End, Under-Hill, Hobbiton-across-the Water Posts: 606	Ah well Tolkien nearly always hardly without exception had the e and the end of words pronounced. So it would be Nu-men-ore-ay. I was thinkin since the e in Smeagol is accented the same way as in Theoden, it would me Smay-uh-gol. And just because they pronounce it in the movie a certain way does not mean it is correct. I happen to know for a fact that they pronounce Earendil wrong in the movie. __________________ "I'm your huckleberry....that's just my game."

05-04-2004, 05:36 PM	#4
Elianna Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ad finem itineris Posts: 384	I thought you were only supposed to pronouce the "e" at the end if there were the two dots over it. So it would be "nu-me-nore". But is it 'LE-go-las' or "le-GO-las'? __________________ Enyale cuilenya, ú-enyale mandenya.

05-04-2004, 06:38 PM	#6
Elianna Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ad finem itineris Posts: 384	Okay, just checked Appen. and the final "e" is ALWAYS pronouced, and OFTEN (but not consistently) has the two dots over it. And in continuation of my other question: I really asked the question rhetorically. There's no doubt in my mind it's 'LE-go-las.' __________________ Enyale cuilenya, ú-enyale mandenya.

05-05-2004, 06:35 AM	#7
*Sharkû* Hungry Ghoul Join Date: Jun 2000 Posts: 1,719	_Sméagol_ is actually modernized Old English, which is why you can either choose to use the OE pronunciation rules (ea begins with the sound of e and glides towards the back of the mouth, giving a sound not unlike that in 'bared, Baird'; éa is similar but beginning with the vowel é); or modernize according to the way those sounds changed into the form they have now.