Why I Tackled Fourth Wing Pronunciations
So I just finished reading Fourth Wing again last week, right? And this time I tried discussing character names with my book club buddies. Total mess. We’re butchering names left and right – especially those dragon ones like Tairn and Andarna. Felt like we all needed a proper guide.
My Step-By-Step Recording Process
First I grabbed my dog-eared copy and sticky-noted every single tricky name. Started with Violet Sorrengail – that one’s actually straightforward but whatever. Then hit the dragons. For Tairn I kept saying “Tair-in” like an idiot till I found Rebecca Yarros’ interview saying it’s “Tairn” rhymes with “hearn”.
Next step: Fire up Audacity on my ancient laptop. Did ten takes just for Xaden’s surname Riorson cause my tongue tripped over “Rior-son”. Ended up breaking it into “Ree-or-son” in the audio. Realized I kept pronouncing Sgaeyl as “Sgay-ill” till my friend corrected me – it’s more like “Sgale” kinda.
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What worked best:
- Recording each name at three speeds: slow-mo, normal speed, then lightning fast
- Putting paper cutouts with syllable breaks by my mic stand
- Chugging honey lemon tea between takes to stop throat cracking
The Epic Failures Before Success
My first recordings were terrible. Forgot about echo in my bathroom-turned-studio until playback sounded like I was shouting from a cave. Had to hang blankets everywhere. Also caught myself whispering weird breathing sounds without realizing – super creepy vibe.
Worst moment? Screwed up “Andarna” fifteen times straight. My notes said “An-dar-na” but I kept saying “And-ar-na” like an automated phone system. Took physical jaw exercises to nail the rhythm.
Final Result & What I’d Change
Now the audio tutorial’s live with all twenty-three names – from Violet to the dragon Codagh. If I redo this? Get better equipment instead of this dollar store mic. And maybe not record after spicy tacos. Heartburn makes pronunciation weirdly difficult.
