Message: "Pronunciation of Lys; plus a bonus question: Nyx"

Pronunciation of Lys; plus a bonus question: Nyx

by Lillian (LillianAMS)

6/23/2008, 3:32 AM

I'm afraid the prn key doesn't really help me with this one, because I'm not sure of the exact sound of a French rue. I would search the Facts board, but we can't search for a word with fewer than four letters (which also screws me every time it occurs to me to ask about Nyx, another name I have annoyingly insufficient knowledge of).

So. Hands up if you can tell an American how to prn Lys in a way I can understand.

And while we're at it, since I mentioned Nyx, if anyone wants to tell me anything at all about it, any little tidbit you might know of its history or use or stereotypical character or anything else, please feel free.

~Lillian~
Proud daughter of Ann and John
Proud sister of Lauren and Leah
Proud wife of David
Proud mother of Alexander, Scarlett, Sophia, and Gideon

#pronunciation

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- CN (CSwe)

6/25/2008, 9:12 AM

I guess you want to know the pronounciation of the German name Lys and not the French Lys meaning lily. It's not really possible to explain the pronounciation in writing because that sound (German Y/Ü, French U and Scandinavian Y) does not exist in English.
Listening to the sound might be the best option. Try this http://text-to-speech-translator.paralink.com/
and enter the name and choose German (or enter some French words like rue, nue, lu, vu to get an idea of the sound)

- Magenta

6/25/2008, 7:06 AM

I've always heard Lys (which I love) pronounced like the word lease, like Elise without the E.

- Rose-Berry

6/25/2008, 5:49 AM

Following what Anneza says about Lyse I would also pronounce that as Leez but Lys as Lees with a soft "s" at the end. Lys is a name which I have been pondering lately. I've always liked the association with the fleur-de-lys emblem (or fleur-de-lis) which I have liked for a long time (since I was a teenager).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleur-de-lis

Sorry, can't help you with Nyx though. I've heard people use "nix" as a word to mean get rid of as in "let's nix that idea" so it doesn't sound very positive to me.

- Siri (guest) +5

6/23/2008, 6:01 PM

In order to search using three letters

You go *lys or *nyx.

- Lillian (LillianAMS) +4

6/24/2008, 9:42 AM

That doesn't seem to work for searching a Board

The only post that comes up when I do that is yours, telling me to try it.

- Siri (guest) +1

6/24/2008, 4:08 PM

Weird.

I've used that trick before and it's worked.

I'm sorry.

- Siri (guest)

6/24/2008, 4:14 PM

Well, that sucks.

It seems that things have changed on me. I tried searching using a period, a dash, a space, etc - nothing worked.

Weird - because I remember searching for Nyx at one point and getting a result. I must be losing my mind.

- Noa +1

6/24/2008, 11:21 AM

When I need to search for a name with three letters, I try writing it with a space before or after it, inside quotation marks (like this: " Nyx" or "Nyx ") or with a punctuation mark after it (colons tend to work).

- Lillian (LillianAMS)

6/24/2008, 12:14 PM

Thanks for the tip :-)

- Kate

6/23/2008, 2:57 PM

I had that same problem with names like Thyra and Sibylla. Someone told me the closest English sound was "ew" or a blend of "ew" and "ee." Since I can't really pronounce the "y" correctly I just say the ew/oo sound instead.

I hope this helps.

- Anneza

6/23/2008, 5:19 AM

The BBC presenter Lyse Doucet, pronounces it LEEZ. She's Canadian ... is that close enough?

Nyx is always said to be a goddess, but there are no surviving stories about her so I rather think she's more a personification. And night has always had rather a bad press! The darkness, the oblivion, the sudden, unexplained terror ... Having said that, I know a charming teenage Nicole whose nickname is Nyx; not sure how she spells it.

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