Pronunciation guide for WITP?

[Grotius]

Hi guys,

This is a slightly odd request. Is there a good reference source for learning how to pronounce some of the more exotic place names in WITP/AE? Especially Papua New Guinea and DEI names. I've always wondered how to pronounce Gili Gili, for example. (It's now Milne Bay in AE, but it was Gili Gili in UV.) Is it Jeely Jeely or Gilly Gilly, with a hard G? Is Buna Boona or Byuna? Is Lae "Lye" or "Lay"? I've even heard Rabaul as "RaBOWL" and "RaBAWL." How is Amboina pronounced? Biak?

I've tried in vain to find websites to help with some of these names (especially Gili Gili). Can anyone suggest a source?

Incidentally, I've been playing the heck out of "South Pacific," a scenario for the boardgame "Empire of the Sun." It's many layers more abstract than WITP/AE, but it's still a great design. Playing the game has renewed my interest in learning how to pronounce all the names.

Thanks!

[Reg]

Maybe you should give GreyJoy a call......... [:D] [:D] [:D]

[chemkid]

.

[MakeeLearn]

Bora Bora, Pago Pago, Pukapuka, Napuka, Nukafetau and Funafuti


I do have fun saying them in my head - as on a verbal rollercoaster.
And guessing on those that canbe pronounced in many ways and with a "local" accent

[Canoerebel]

My supple tongue aches
Sounding out "Soerabaja"
Give me Orlando

[Chickenboy]

Bu-na or By-u-na?
Am-bow-i-na? Is the same.
Syllables abound.

[Chickenboy]

Again with 'supple'
All things too 'winsome' also
Descriptors amok

[Revthought]

ORIGINAL: Grotius

Hi guys,

This is a slightly odd request. Is there a good reference source for learning how to pronounce some of the more exotic place names in WITP/AE? Especially Papua New Guinea and DEI names. I've always wondered how to pronounce Gili Gili, for example. (It's now Milne Bay in AE, but it was Gili Gili in UV.) Is it Jeely Jeely or Gilly Gilly, with a hard G? Is Buna Boona or Byuna? Is Lae "Lye" or "Lay"? I've even heard Rabaul as "RaBOWL" and "RaBAWL." How is Amboina pronounced? Biak?

I've tried in vain to find websites to help with some of these names (especially Gili Gili). Can anyone suggest a source?

Incidentally, I've been playing the heck out of "South Pacific," a scenario for the boardgame "Empire of the Sun." It's many layers more abstract than WITP/AE, but it's still a great design. Playing the game has renewed my interest in learning how to pronounce all the names.

Thanks!

The problem here is, the pronunciations you seek vary wildly depending on which part of the world you happen to be from. [:'(]

[Canoerebel]

For newcomers, I should point out that Grotius was a longtime AE player and forumite. He liberally sprinkled his AARs with haikus.

[Canoerebel]

Poultry Lad ponders
exact meaning of supple
pursing pouty lips

[Chickenboy]

Kayak Johnnie's words
Inevitable nonsense
Purses lips, shakes head

[Chickenboy]

Also, for newcomers, in Grotius' short-lived AAR, Canoerebel and I made a point of posting regularly in haiku. I think that has carried forth to extend to other Grotius-derived threads as well. It lets me 'get my Haiku on'. [8D]

[Canoerebel]

Poultry Lad waxes
elegantly scented words
roll from his tongue

[MakeeLearn]

hai·ku like su·shi

cut in·to ma·ny pie·ces

best when dipped in sauce

[Grotius]

Chemkid, thanks for that Motu guide. Maybe it *is* Gili Gili with a hard "G".

I've heard Milne Bay pronounced "Millun Bay". It reads more like "Milnee Bay". What's up with that?

I did find this source for "Kwajalein": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_01hX7Z2MY It says KWAjalin or KWAjalen. I'd been saying something "KWAjaline." At least I had the accent on the correct syllable.

Time to bust out some haiku for Chicken-san and Canoe-san.

[Grotius]

I say Kwa ja LINE
in front of vet who was there
and I sound stupid

[Lecivius]

ORIGINAL: Grotius

I say Kwa ja LINE
in front of vet who was there
and I sound stupid

Better to remain quiet, and appear stupid, than to open mouth & remove all doubt [;)][:D]

[chemkid]

.

[Canoerebel]

Grotius hurt his
thinking muscle this morning
pronouncing Truk

[BBfanboy]

During my tour of NZ last year there were many Aussies on the bus. I mentioned Wagga-Wagga to them one time and they looked stunned (that I knew of such an obscure place) and then corrected me that they pronounce it "Wogga-Wogga".
So the "correct" pronunciation is the way the locals pronounce it, not the common rules of pronunciation.

I think we will have more success continuing the Haiku part of this thread than if we pursue trying to get pronunciation "right".