GalacticCactus Forum

Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: Anna on May 05, 2006, 07:20:53 AM

Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Anna on May 05, 2006, 07:20:53 AM: The name of Philip Pullman's heroin, Lyra?
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 05, 2006, 07:44:55 AM: I don't even know who Philip Pullman is, but I would pronounce it Leer-a.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Jonathon on May 05, 2006, 08:15:18 AM: I don't even know who Philip Pullman is, but I would pronounce it Leye-ra.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 05, 2006, 08:17:51 AM: I would pronounce it like the now defunct Italina Lira.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Anna on May 05, 2006, 08:39:44 AM: Quote
I don't even know who Philip Pullman is
You must be kidding! (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0440238609/sr=8-1/qid=1146843502/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-9739167-4522449?%5Fencoding=UTF8) In France at least his books have had a great success with both children and adults.
In my head I pronounce it like Jon Boy does, but I'm wondering what would be the correct pronounciation.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 05, 2006, 08:46:16 AM: Oh. I've heard of his books, but haven't read any. From the little I've heard, I'm not sure I ever want to.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Anna on May 05, 2006, 09:00:30 AM: I don't think you should read them. ;)
I found them great, but you're a believer so if you don't want to feel offended I think you would have to stick to the idea that it's just a fiction during all the reading and it's not that easy.
Anyway I always wondered about the pronounciation of the girl's name, because I heard both the one you gave and the one Jon Boy gave.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Jonathon on May 05, 2006, 09:05:08 AM: Ditto what Porter said.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 05, 2006, 09:11:40 AM: There's an mp3 player (made by RCA?) called the Lyra. I always pronounce it like the Italian Lira.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Anna on May 05, 2006, 09:23:44 AM: JB, I know you would feel that way - sometimes it makes me sad I can't share books I loved with everyone but I guess that's life.
Anyway I didn't make this thread to talk about the books but about the girl's name. ;)
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: sarcasticmuppet on May 05, 2006, 10:28:49 AM: Anna, I read the books, and I always pronounced it Leera like Porter. How far have you gotten in the trilogy? I actually prefer his Sally Lockhart series.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Jonathon on May 05, 2006, 10:32:51 AM: For what it's worth the name of the constellation Lyra is pronounced with a so-called long i.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 05, 2006, 01:32:06 PM: Quote
For what it's worth the name of the constellation Lyra is pronounced with a so-called long i.
Always? Because I'm pretty sure I've heard it pronounced Lira.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Jonathon on May 05, 2006, 01:45:14 PM: Yes, always.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 05, 2006, 02:00:40 PM: Ask a stupid question...
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Jonathon on May 05, 2006, 02:23:08 PM: . . . get a stupid answer.

I considered adding "except when people incorrectly pronounce it like lira" to the end of that, which would have made it an even stupider answer.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 05, 2006, 03:13:48 PM: Let me ask it in a non-stupid way:

In your experience, is the pronunciation of the constelation pretty consistent? Because I would pronounce also like Lira.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Jonathon on May 05, 2006, 03:22:01 PM: Yes. But it's not like I talk about constellations pretty often. However, there is one accepted pronunciation (it is, after all, simply the Latin word for lyre).
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 05, 2006, 03:24:07 PM: That I prounounce like "liar".

Also, your explination makes sense. I guess I'm just wonrg.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Jonathon on May 05, 2006, 03:46:11 PM: Indeed.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 05, 2006, 03:50:39 PM: :wallbash:

I swear that that is a real typo.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 05, 2006, 03:53:12 PM: :wallbash: :wallbash:

And now it's a sig. :pirate:
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: rivka on May 05, 2006, 04:08:16 PM: :lol:
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Jonathon on May 05, 2006, 04:11:20 PM: If it really bugs you, I'll change it.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 05, 2006, 04:17:00 PM: I have no doubt that you would. :)
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Teshi on May 06, 2006, 10:53:25 AM: I am firmly in the "so called long i" camp. It would never occur to my to pronounce Lyre, or Lyra, or Lycanthropism or whatever that werewolf word is with a "so called short i".

Ly definately spells Lye for me.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Anna on May 06, 2006, 11:27:56 AM: SM : I read the first trilogy, I heard there were new books with only Lyra but I'm not too sure whether I want to read them or not. What about you?
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Porter on May 06, 2006, 11:51:42 AM: Lycanthrope.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: spacepookeioa on May 07, 2006, 04:03:49 PM: They still have Lira in Turkey, I believe. Though I guess they were being considered for the EU. Does everyone in the EU automatically use the Euro? Which I naturally pronounce as Gyro.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: pooka on May 07, 2006, 04:04:37 PM: Oh, cwap.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: Jonathon on May 07, 2006, 04:10:06 PM: Not everyone uses the euro. The British still use the pound, for instance.
Title: How do you pronounce...
Post by: sarcasticmuppet on May 07, 2006, 09:27:32 PM: Quote
SM : I read the first trilogy, I heard there were new books with only Lyra but I'm not too sure whether I want to read them or not. What about you?
The original HDM trilogy was pretty Lyra-centered, so it sounds a little repetitive to make a new one headlighting her. Phillip Pullman just isn't one of those authors I keep track of anymore.