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How do you pronounce "Bullette"

Started by Sacrosanct, December 31, 2013, 10:51:00 AM

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Sacrosanct

December 31, 2013, 10:51:00 AM
For years, since I was a kid, I always pronounced it "Bew-let", as in "beautiful"

Wrong!

I guess it's actually prounounced "boo-lay".

So to the larger point of this thread, what other words did you mispronounce for ages before hearing the right way?  (And for the record, I understand there is no right way for drow.  It's done both ways).

In addition to the bullette, I always pronounced the Shannara books "Sha-na-ra" until I heard Terry Brooks call it "SHAN-a-ra" (shan as in pan).  Also, I think I pronounced "chimera" as "shi-mer-a" instead of "kai-mer-a" for ages.  I guess that's what happens when you have a 10 year old left to his own interpretation lol
D&D is not an "everyone gets a ribbon" game.  If you\'re stupid, your PC will die.  If you\'re an asshole, your PC will die (probably from the other PCs).  If you\'re unlucky, your PC may die.  Point?  PC\'s die.  Get over it and roll up a new one.

Dana

#1
December 31, 2013, 10:56:31 AM
Huh. The Wikipedia entry has the "-let" pronunciation listed first. I've heard it pronounced byoo-lay, but that seems kinda off to me, given the -ette ending. But hey, it's a fantasy game, so I'm not gonna go all grammar/spelling gendarme on someone. :-)

RunningLaser

#2
December 31, 2013, 10:59:05 AM
Good topic and one that has recently been brought up in our group:)

We always pronounced Mjoulnir as "Shj- ol- ner" (the shj pronounced like "J" in french like Jaques) when I guess it's "Me-ol-neer"
 
It was always Drizzt was "Drizz-it" when I found is was pronounced "Drist".

I didn't know that Smaug the dragon was supposed to be pronounced like Smowg.

Sacrosanct

#3
December 31, 2013, 11:02:27 AM
Quote from: Dana;719618Huh. The Wikipedia entry has the "-let" pronunciation listed first. I've heard it pronounced byoo-lay, but that seems kinda off to me, given the -ette ending. But hey, it's a fantasy game, so I'm not gonna go all grammar/spelling gendarme on someone. :-)

I guess we can chaulk it down to etymology ;)  The "boo-lay" comes directly from Tim Kask's mouth, who invented it.  That link I had is pretty interesting.  Somewhere there is a Chinese guy (or gal) who could sue WoTC for copyright infringement for the Bullette, rust monster, and owl bear ;)
D&D is not an "everyone gets a ribbon" game.  If you\'re stupid, your PC will die.  If you\'re an asshole, your PC will die (probably from the other PCs).  If you\'re unlucky, your PC may die.  Point?  PC\'s die.  Get over it and roll up a new one.

Dana

#4
December 31, 2013, 11:05:18 AM
"Drist" sounds like more of a heartthrob than "driz-it", so there you go. :-)

The "smowg" was a new one on me, too. I guess sounding like "smog" felt too modern.

I've heard Heironeous (the god of Chivalry in Greyhawk) pronounced a couple of different ways. It's usually "huh-ROW-nee-us", but one DM we had pronounced it "herr-oh-NAY-us", which I thought sounded pretty cool.

Bill

#5
December 31, 2013, 11:13:56 AM
I guess I always said it wrong. "Boolette"


Or just call it Land Shark :)

Old One Eye

#6
December 31, 2013, 12:14:37 PM
Quote from: Dana;719622I've heard Heironeous (the god of Chivalry in Greyhawk) pronounced a couple of different ways. It's usually "huh-ROW-nee-us", but one DM we had pronounced it "herr-oh-NAY-us", which I thought sounded pretty cool.

I always called him "higher-o-knee-us".

Gronan of Simmerya

#7
December 31, 2013, 12:55:37 PM
"Throat-Wobbler Mangrove."
You should go to GaryCon.  Period.

The rules can\'t cure stupid, and the rules can\'t cure asshole.

dragoner

#8
December 31, 2013, 01:13:10 PM
Quote from: Old Geezer;719652"Throat-Wobbler Mangrove."

Ha!

TT: I pronounced it bullet, "bool-lay?" Eh, no, just no.
The most beautiful peonies I ever saw ... were grown in almost pure cat excrement.
-Vonnegut

Dana

#9
December 31, 2013, 02:24:24 PM
Quote from: Old One Eye;719639I always called him "higher-o-knee-us".
I'd forgotten that one. So three different pronunciations.

Benoist

#10
December 31, 2013, 02:57:12 PM
Quote from: Sacrosanct;719615I guess it's actually prounounced "boo-lay".

That's how Ernie pronounces it, and I always make fun of it, because if you pronounce it in a French way, as its spelling seems to imply, then it's be "bü-lett" with ü as in "mein Führer" and the "ett" as in "Boba Fett".

"Boo-lay" in French is spelled "Boulet", and that means a cannon ball, as opposed to a bullet, which was what Tim was going for when he created the name. A revolver bullet in French is "une balle de revolver".

But really the bottom line, as for "drow" and whatnot, is to pronounce it however feels right to you.

Phantom Black

#11
December 31, 2013, 03:32:14 PM
It's minced meat, ergo "boo-lette".
Rynu-Safe via /r/rpg/ :
Quote"I played Dungeon World once, and it was bad. I didn\'t understood what was happening and neither they seemed to care, but it looked like they were happy to say "you\'re doing good, go on!"

My character sheet was inexistant, and when I hastly made one the GM didn\'t care to have a look at it."

VectorSigma

#12
December 31, 2013, 05:53:07 PM
I always pronounced it so it rhymes with "Robert Goulet", and now that I think about it I'm disappointed that I haven't had a lounge-singing Robert Bulette in any of my games.  THIS WILL BE FIXED
Wampus Country - Whimsical tales on the fantasy frontier

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"...seriously nifty stuff..." -- Bruce Baugh

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TristramEvans

#13
December 31, 2013, 05:55:53 PM
I pronounce it "land shark"

JeremyR

#14
December 31, 2013, 07:08:46 PM
Quote from: Benoist;719690That's how Ernie pronounces it, and I always make fun of it, because if you pronounce it in a French way, as its spelling seems to imply, then it's be "bü-lett" with ü as in "mein Führer" and the "ett" as in "Boba Fett".

"Boo-lay" in French is spelled "Boulet"

That's why I never pronounced it "Boo-lay", because I always figured it would be spelled like the singer, who was something of a household name in the 70s/80s for some reason.
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