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Pronunciation: "Conan of Cimmeria"

Started by Slargos, September 30, 2009, 05:35:31 AM

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Slargos

September 30, 2009, 05:35:31 AM
Ever since I was slandered and ridiculed by the ogreish giant of a friend of my older brother's about pronouncing it Simmeria (one of many childhood traumas) I have been wondering about this subject.

The arguments are legion. Greek origin. Howard's own pronunciation. Etc. Etc.

For me, the decision to use S rather than K has always been simple as it is a product of my understanding of English rather than any historical argument.

Cinnamon.
Cinder.
Cincinnati.
Cimmeria.

As opposed to

Cold.
Cone.
Conch.
Conundrum.
Conan.

But I expect the pronunciation of the C has roots in Latin?

I guess my question is: When it comes to pronunciation of English, the rule of thumb is "soft c before i"?

Jaron

#1
September 30, 2009, 05:37:44 AM
:nerd:
Winner of THE grumbler point.

CountDeMoney

#2
September 30, 2009, 05:43:01 AM
Quote from: Slargos on September 30, 2009, 05:35:31 AM
But I expect the pronunciation of the C has roots in Latin?

I guess my question is: When it comes to pronunciation of English, the rule of thumb is "soft c before i"?

Use the hard "c", like a proper Latin student.  It'll impress your friends.

Viking

#3
September 30, 2009, 05:57:46 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimmerians

The hard C seems to be correct. So as far as I'm concerned

Historical Cimmerians - Kimmerians
Howard Cimmerians - Simmerians
First Maxim - "There are only two amounts, too few and enough."
First Corollary - "You cannot have too many soldiers, only too few supplies."
Second Maxim - "Be willing to exchange a bad idea for a good one."
Second Corollary - "You can only be wrong or agree with me."

A terrorist which starts a slaughter quoting Locke, Burke and Mill has completely missed the point.
The fact remains that the only person or group to applaud the Norway massacre are random Islamists.

Slargos

#4
September 30, 2009, 05:59:32 AM
Quote from: Viking on September 30, 2009, 05:57:46 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimmerians

The hard C seems to be correct. So as far as I'm concerned

Historical Cimmerians - Kimmerians
Howard Cimmerians - Simmerians

Well, given that they are infact not the historical Cimmerians, but rather Howard's fictional Cimmerians, I would argue the soft C given both English pronunciation rules and Howard's own soft-C.

Viking

#5
September 30, 2009, 06:09:13 AM
Quote from: Slargos on September 30, 2009, 05:59:32 AM
Quote from: Viking on September 30, 2009, 05:57:46 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimmerians

The hard C seems to be correct. So as far as I'm concerned

Historical Cimmerians - Kimmerians
Howard Cimmerians - Simmerians

Well, given that they are infact not the historical Cimmerians, but rather Howard's fictional Cimmerians, I would argue the soft C given both English pronunciation rules and Howard's own soft-C.

I think I'm agreeing with you

Conan the Simmerian is correct
Mithridates of Kimmeria is correct as well
First Maxim - "There are only two amounts, too few and enough."
First Corollary - "You cannot have too many soldiers, only too few supplies."
Second Maxim - "Be willing to exchange a bad idea for a good one."
Second Corollary - "You can only be wrong or agree with me."

A terrorist which starts a slaughter quoting Locke, Burke and Mill has completely missed the point.
The fact remains that the only person or group to applaud the Norway massacre are random Islamists.

grumbler

#6
September 30, 2009, 06:27:57 AM
I will endorse the soft-C consensus.  That is certainly how I have pronounced it, given that that was how I have read that Howard pronounced it.
The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.   -G'Kar

Bayraktar!

Darth Wagtaros

#7
September 30, 2009, 06:44:28 AM
Word.
PDH!

Caliga

#8
September 30, 2009, 06:55:07 AM
For Howard's Cimmeria, it's soft-C for sure. :yes:
0 Ed Anger Disapproval Points

Josquius

#9
September 30, 2009, 07:33:57 AM
Hard c/soft c?
Hard=k, soft=s ?

I use the K. It sounds cooler.
And I'm not aware of a rule on when C is S. Its before I?
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Agelastus

#10
September 30, 2009, 08:18:34 AM
Soft "C" for Cimmeria in Howard's milieu. I've never heard it pronounced any other way.

Didn't the two movies opt for the soft "C", anyway?
"Come grow old with me
The Best is yet to be
The last of life for which the first was made."

ulmont

#11
September 30, 2009, 08:21:32 AM
Quote from: Tyr on September 30, 2009, 07:33:57 AM
And I'm not aware of a rule on when C is S. Its before I?

Quote#  If the following letter is 'E', 'I' or 'Y', the pronunciation is said to be "soft".
# If the following letter is anything else - including a space - the pronunciation is termed "hard".
http://esl.about.com/od/speakingintermediate/a/hardsoftcg.htm

This is English, of course, so there are always exceptions.

The Brain

#12
September 30, 2009, 11:30:46 AM
Quote from: Caliga on September 30, 2009, 06:55:07 AM
For Howard's Cimmeria, it's soft-C for sure. :yes:

QFT
Women want me. Men want to be with me.

PRC

#13
September 30, 2009, 11:47:32 AM
Between the times when the oceans drank Atlantis, and the rise of the sons of Aryas...

The Brain

#14
September 30, 2009, 11:48:26 AM
Quote from: PRC on September 30, 2009, 11:47:32 AM
Between the times when the oceans drank Atlantis, and the rise of the sons of Aryas...

You were on a break? katmai was thin? What?
Women want me. Men want to be with me.
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