How is the word "geas" in the spell Geas/Quest meant to be pronounced?
I've found conflicting information on the internet and none that I could trace to a reputable source.
How is the word "geas" in the spell Geas/Quest meant to be pronounced?
I've found conflicting information on the internet and none that I could trace to a reputable source.
The "How do you pronounce...?" section of the old Dungeons & Dragons FAQ on the Wizards of the Coast website says:
Geas: GEE-ass, or GYASS (both with a hard "g")
So I suppose it would be something like /gi:æs/.
The FAQ says that they are "dictionary pronunciations where they are available and common-practice pronunciations or TSR rulings where they not". I don't know which of these does that pronunciation of geas fall under.
From https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/geas:
„/ɡɛʃ/“, or „/ˈɡi.əʃ/“ in the phonetic alphabet.
Side note: Geas is a term from ancient irish mythology, and means a vow or obligation placed upon a person, which is what the spell of the same name does in DnD.
Using http://www.antimoon.com/how/pronunc-soundsipa.htm, I could reconstruct these to be pronounced
“gesh” (with e as in “bed” and g as in “flag”),
or “gí-ash” (with added stress mark, g / sh as in the other pronounciation, long i as in “see” and the a pronounced as the e in “cinema”).
In school (in Northern Ireland, so it is a local word) we were taught it as basically "Gay ass" to the utter amusement of the classroom of young boys.