August 30, 2004

Pronunciation

In response to Frank's request for a solution, here's a British guy's attempt at interpreting The Chaos. Note no effort goes into oratory skills, I was just desperately trying to get through it in one go without too many hideous blunders.

Some points on mistakes, etc ...


  • Corps rhymes with corpse or "core"? The former seems to be getting common (the latter is more correct)

  • Terpsichore is not a word I'm familiar with.

  • Not sure on pronunciation of 'bier'

  • Not sure on 'Melpomene'

  • Billet, billet, billet ... I think it's supposed to be pronounced hard, so billet as in "fill it".

  • plover?!

  • chaise should be "shez"

  • I got alley instead of ally. oops.

  • Neither vs. Neither, tomato, tomato ...

  • My pronunciation is off on preface.

  • rowlock is off ... it usually rhymes with bull's testicles.

  • There's a typo near the end I think: is a paling should be is appalling?


I definitely need a few glasses of wine before attempting that again.

Anyway, my attempt is here: Chaos.

Update: Gianugo points me to this version. Only a few minor differences... mostly down to interpretation and context, says I, being particularly defensive!

Posted by savs at August 30, 2004 8:41 PM
Comments

Perhaps this will help you with terpsichore

http://www.eliki.com/portals/fantasy/circle/terpsichore.html

I've met it in Russina poetry too, Pushkin mentiones
her in "Eugene Onegin"

Posted by: Anton Tagunov at August 31, 2004 1:58 PM

Nice one, I'd argue with a some of your nautical terms - topsail, rowlock, and gunwale are more normally tops'll, rollock, and gun'll.

I'd also say victual more like vittle, and "Gas, alas, and Arkansas" has tricked you into saying ar-kansas, instead of ar-kan-saw.

Bloody good attempt though, I get tongue-tied from about 3 lines in!

Posted by: Jim Hughes at August 31, 2004 2:30 PM