I have always pronounce the dragon’s name with an ‘aw’ (like saw) sound, and then my son asked why they pronounced it with an ‘ou’ (like proud) in the movie. I assured him they were wrong and he needn’t concern himself with trifles produced by hacks.
Then I read the pronunciation guide in appendix e of ROTK. Turns out they got one thing right in those movies.
Time to go admit my mistake.
The pronunciation of Smaug
The pronunciation of Smaug
-Jack Horner
----------------------------
Impression: Cædmon Reedmace | bronze founder living in Archet, Breeland. c. 3017
----------------------------
Impression: Cædmon Reedmace | bronze founder living in Archet, Breeland. c. 3017
- Iodo
- Thangailhir
- Posts: 2112
- Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:58 pm
- Location: North west england UK
- Contact:
Re: The pronunciation of Smaug
Well, I guess I've always been wrong to then, I shared your view that they were wrong in the movies, with your first pronunciation being the way I always read it in the books. Time to retrain my brain
Gimli: It's true you don't see many Dwarf-women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they are often mistaken for Dwarf-men.
Aragorn: It's the beards.
Aragorn: It's the beards.
- Elleth
- êphal ki-*raznahê
- Posts: 2941
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:26 am
- Location: in the Angle; New England
Re: The pronunciation of Smaug
Hunh. Well of course there's a pronunciation guide. I'd forgotten that.
Being away from my books at the moment, did it note the origin of the name by any chance?
Also... interesting: there's a Westron version as well, though without any etymology it seems:
https://www.elfdict.com/w/smaug
Being away from my books at the moment, did it note the origin of the name by any chance?
Also... interesting: there's a Westron version as well, though without any etymology it seems:
https://www.elfdict.com/w/smaug
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
Re: The pronunciation of Smaug
Elleth wrote:Hunh. Well of course there's a pronunciation guide. I'd forgotten that.
Being away from my books at the moment, did it note the origin of the name by any chance?
Also... interesting: there's a Westron version as well, though without any etymology it seems:
https://www.elfdict.com/w/smaug
Well, Appendix E didn't reference the Smaug specifically, just the way to pronounce dipthongs in Sindarin and where other languages differed in comparison. There was only the Sindarin for the au dipthong so I assume that, without any notes to alternate spelling, the Sindarin pronunciation is the standard.
-Jack Horner
----------------------------
Impression: Cædmon Reedmace | bronze founder living in Archet, Breeland. c. 3017
----------------------------
Impression: Cædmon Reedmace | bronze founder living in Archet, Breeland. c. 3017
-
- Haeropada
- Posts: 937
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:00 pm
- Location: Indianapolis, IN USA
Re: The pronunciation of Smaug
I think I've read that Smaug is related to something from Welsh, which is interesting, because the Polish word for dragon is 'smok.'
Vápnum sÃnum skala maðr velli á
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
feti ganga framar þvà at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál