A few readers have said they found the unfamiliar character names in Paths of Exile tricky at first, because they weren't sure of how to pronounce them.
Don't worry too much about getting the pronunciation "right". Pronunciation varies now - for example, some people say 'scone' as 'scoan' to rhyme with 'moan', others say it as 'sconn' to rhyme with 'on' - and it will have varied even more 1400 years ago when people travelled much less and there was no national broadcast TV or radio. So there probably is no one "right" answer. You can say the names to yourself in any way you feel comfortable with. As a general guide, here is how I say them to myself.
Aelle | Ay-ell-uh | |
Aethelferth | Ath-ell-ferth | Last syllable rhymes with 'earth' |
Aethelind | Ath-ell-lind | Last syllable rhymes with the first syllable of the modern girl's name Linda. 'Linda' is derived from Aethelind and related names. |
Aethelric | Ath-ell-rick | |
Ashhere | Ash-herr-err | The 'here' part rhymes approximately with 'error' |
Beortred | Beer-tred | |
Blodwen | Blod-wen | |
Caedbaed | Cad-bad | |
Ceretic | Ke-re-tick | |
Cynewulf | Kine-wolf | |
Deornoth | Deer-noth | 'Deor' is the origin of 'dear' and 'darling' |
Drust | Droost | |
Eadric | Ed- rick | |
Eadwine | Ed-win | The modern spelling is Edwin, still in occasional use as a first name |
Fordhere | Ford-herr-err | The 'here' part rhymes approximately with 'error' |
Fulla | Fulla | |
Gruffuyd | Griff-it | Early form of the modern name Griffith |
Heledd | Hell-eth | |
Hereric | Herr-err-rick | The 'here' part rhymes approximately with 'error' |
Hereward | Herr-err-ward | The 'here' part rhymes approximately with 'error' |
Lilla | Lilla | First syllable rhymes with 'bill' |
Luned | Linn-ette | Origin of the modern girl's name Lynnette, and pronounced the same way |
Rhonwen | Ronn-wen | |
Severa | Sev-ear-a | First two syllables pronounced as in 'severe'. Although the name can also be pronounced to rhyme with 'cleverer', so take your pick. |
Treowin | Tree-oh-win | The name translates roughly as "true friend" |
Ysgafnell | Izz-gaff-nell |
Frey | Frey | Rhymes with 'prey'. God of fertility and harvest, approximate equivalent of the Norse god Freyr |
Frija | Free-yah | Goddess of love, fertility, marriage and childbearing, approximate equivalent of the Norse goddesses Frigg and Freyja |
Njord | Nyord | God of the sea and ships |
Thunor | Thoo-nore | God of thunder, weather and the sky, approximate equivalent of the Norse god Thor |
Woden | Woe-den | God of magic, poetry, battle, heroes and the dead, approximate equivalent of the Norse god Odin |