Letter 1: Regarding Supernal Name Pronunciation
1908-02-05
Stoat,
May the blessings of the Spinner, the Weaver and all of their Children be upon you.
I am so glad to hear that you have recovered from your injuries. That is just one reason why I no longer venture out into the wild places to look for artifacts. At my age, I no longer wish to risk my health. Fortunately, I can employ Finders to bring me new things.
I thought about the question from your last letter. You had asked me about the pronunciation of the names of the gods' Children. The spelling seems to defy common sense. How exactly does one pronounce Qayirwoiueldyrqatzeek?
I did a little research. I thought it over. I can unequivocally say, with absolute certainty that the answer is…
I do not know. Nobody does.
Sorry, that is my idea of a joke.
The Child names appear in the Spinner's Writ. Those names are defined in the Writ. They seem to be compound words. But I do not know the individual words. I suppose that the names could be single words with complex meanings.
You had also wondered why the names were shortened in the Writ. I assume that it is for convenience. Just as it is convenient for us modern folks to use short names, so must it have been for the gods themselves.
Whatever language those names come from is lost in the furthest reaches of ancient time. Therefore, there is no correct way to pronounce the names. Just do it the best that you can. Remember, if someone tells you that you are saying it wrong, they do not actually know what they are talking about. If you ever find a guide to pronunciation during your travels, please let me know.
By the way, the founder of the Learned Scholars of Icebrunt told me that he would grant your request. You may visit Tong in Shatterbone Village. He has a library in his hall with numerous texts about language. You may study there at your leisure. You can thank me later.
Ever your loyal mentor,
Wind Turtlestone