Xier Posted February 9, 2018 Hello! This is kind of a weird question, but I would appreciate your advice so much. I have a novel coming out this year, and the publisher is currently recording the audiobook. There are two characters in the story who are from Somalia. The audiobook narrator has asked for some phonetic spellings to help her pronounce them -- would this be the best way to spell the names for her? Intisaar: Ihn-tih-sahr Dhuuxo: Doo-hoh Thank you so much for your help! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Holac Posted February 9, 2018 In-tea-sar Do-ho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xier Posted February 9, 2018 Sorry, just one more thing. I just want to make sure it's "Doh-ho" and not "Doo-ho"? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar Posted February 9, 2018 Xier (do you mean xeer?), you could have chosen a very simple and authentic Soomaali names, instead of hard to pronounce Arabic one that is Intisaar. If you had chosen names like Siman, Ladan, Bilan, Falis, Filsan, Hodan, Libin, et cetera, we wouldn't have this discussion now because their pronunciation is exactly as it is spelled. Also why Dhuuxo, with hard to pronounce (for non-Soomaalis) x letter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Holac Posted February 9, 2018 "Dhuu" in Somali is pronounced as "do" in English. "Xo" is close "Ho" if the "X" can't be pronounced by the foreigner. I am gramgram myself but that is what I learned from my parents. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cadnaan1 Posted February 9, 2018 There is no way that someone who is not Somali can pronounce dhuuxo the correct way. And intisaar is not Somali name. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites