Xier

Somali name pronunciation

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Xier   

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!

 

 

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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.

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Holac   

"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. 

 

 

 

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