So, all the Imperial names are German inspired, right? Maybe there's few of us out there who speaks German that can help in how you pronounce certain names. Alternatively, I speak french so if you have questions about Bretonnian names, just ask (what's more funny is that my surname is Breton lol).

So here's my question : how do you pronounce Nuln?
If I'm guessing right, it should be something like : "Nool-nn" ?

Yup, with a short "oo" sound.

"Inspired" is the right word. As a german I found most of the names to be funny. But regarding your question, you are right. The "u" in Nuln would be short, as in the englisch "butcher".

Pronouncing is rather not big deal, IMO. The most difficult task is to properly memorise these names

Greetings!

The pronounciation is right. And it's also right that some of the Reiklandish names sound indees funny to us germans.
But for me it's a part of the Warhammer flair.

I actually just got to know Warhammer Roleplay. I know the tabletop from watching a friend play every now and then, but I bought the rpg for a video I saw of all the tiny bits and pieces. Being easily influenced having a general nerd-weakness, I bought the core set... and most of the other stuff. Did not play yet, but read through it all.

It took me a while to realise that the german names were part of the setting, but I think its nice.

Armoks said:

Agreed! This is the problem that my players have. I had years of German in school, so I can say the names, but my players can NEVER remember them. (And in fact, the harder I work about pronouncing the names properly, the harder they find it to remember them.)

What I don't like in the Warhammer books are the inconsistencies in the language which is used.

The Reikland names of persons are german but Inns or sights are mostly english (albion).

For example the Red Moon Inn is the "Gasthaus zum Roten Mond". Maybe FFG could write it in this way:
Gasthaus zum Roten Mond (Red Moon Inn).

... just a suggestion.

Lautrer said:

+ The most difficult task is to properly memorise these names

= nooo way, I would never remember or be able to pronounce that

Let me try.

"gust-house zoom row-den mowned"

My turn!

Gasthaus zom Roten Mond I think would be "Gah-st-house zoom Roh-ten Moh-nt". If a word end with a D in German it's pronounced as T.

Btw, I don't think pronouncing the names of the Empire is that important, but if you can pull it off and the group can handle it that's great. In Warhammer lore names are written to be easier to read or pronounce for an English speaking person. For example, Reikland is an obvious re-write of Reichland, but they might have written it like that because many English speaking persons say K instead of CH when they try to speak German.

If You have a problem with accent just listen to Rammstein. That could help You a little bit.

About the German names for Inns - I don't agre. This is not a good idea. Persons names are sometimes hard to remember and when You give that kind of names to all stores and Inn it will be a massacre. Let's stay with The Red Moon Inn.

Ah german is too difficult too remember. I am amused.

So you english natives get some slight clue about the difficulties we german speakers have since 30y to adapt to ENGLISH roleplaying games (and names). Now in 2010 I have no difficulties anymore, I got used to, but 25y ago it was quite time consuming to learn the finesses of your language just to play a game.

I think the names are not difficult to pronounce but sometimes to remember - yes. And I learned German for more then 7 years. But someone who has not got a clue and never used/learned German this can be difficult - I I believe.

superklaus said:

Actually, it's more complicated than that for me. I'm a french native talking person who plays a german-inspired game written in english . But then, I got some ease with languages in general

Blunderbuss ?

Blonde-derr-boo-ss ?

or is it an english word ?

Blonde-dher-bus ?

Heh, that one is English

As a fun exercise I can try to put the English sounds into German-pronounced spelling: Blanderbass.

The actual (non-literal) German translation of the English word blunderbuss is: Donnerbüchse .

(Which is also nice because it has one of our cute ümläüts )

My English dictionary gives the following explanation of the term:

ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: alteration (by association with blunder ) of Dutch donderbus , literally ‘ thunder gun .’

ozean said:

absolutely right!

I know the feeling, I picked up german from playing the game Engel (**** you S&S for dropping that), boy would that be on my wish list for FFG to pick up, the original game even had something called "Arcana" Cards, now head spins... Back to pronouncing things...

I've noticed that FFG is way better with their German than GW was. When I ran the adventure from the WFRP boxed set, I was impressed by the emphasis on the German names of things, and how accurate they were (as funny as they may sound to a native German).

@UncleArkie: Engel was dropped by Feder und Schwert and it is an ongoing discussion in the german RPG Scene about that. But Feder und Schwert will be doing the translation for WFRP 3e as they did for DH and RT. So iw ill buy only english Products to not give them money, that big is my grudge against them.

As a German player for 20 years i had to play in english and it is always a lot of fun at the gametable for newbies to listen to me and my group. It is a "kauderwelsch" (gibberish) of english words (stats and actions) and german (the roleplay in it self). In Germany it is called "Denglish" (best translated as genglish, the g for german).

It's always nice to be able to play with two different languages or accents to differentiate in-character and out-of-character talks. I'm native french speaker from Québec and I'm using my everyday accent for out-of-character and a more international/europeen french accent when in character so you never get confused on wheter it is you or your character who said that.