'Dæmon' pronounciation

[rave & phair]

Just wondering... This came up before in a thread with rather interesting results.

[Cho]

When I first began reading the books, I pronounced it day-mon. But then when I read The Subtle Knife and Will mistook it for demon, I realized how it was actually pronounced and got into the habit of saying it that way ever since.

[Annie]

I pronounce it both ways. If I say it, it's 'demon', but in my head i sometimes say 'daymon'. I know it's supposed to be 'demon', but sometimes I'm too lazy to even say it right in my head. (weird, I know...)

[StephXZed]

I just say day-mon or day-men. I know it's really the other way, but when I'm talking I just pronounce it so. It kinda clears up the nasty 'demon' buisness in one fatal swoop too, huh?

[Okibi]

I pronounced it 'day-mon' for over a year, then I listened to the audio recordings for TGC and TSK, and realized that it was correctly said 'dee-mon.' It took a while, but eventually it became more natural to pronounce it that way, and that's how I say it presently. The reason I switched is because... I'm a perfectionist. I have to say a name or term the way the author intended, not how *I* think it sounds best.

[Zoe 'n' Calosta]

I pronounced it 'demon' for a while but trying to explain the cocept didn't go dow so well telling them I talked to my 'demon' so I pronounce it daymen now. It doesn't really matter how TGC and TSK pronounciation was because all it is, is a label for our soul, our essences.

[Yrrek]

'Day-mon' for me. The teacher I absolutely loved who introduced me to the HDM triogy said it this way, I said it this way in my head as I read the books, and then, to clinch it all, I found an Old English word, "daimon," which meant rare and precious and was pronounced the exact way I pronounce dæmon.

[Amelia]

I used to say Day-Mon or "DIE-mon" because in Latin the æ dipthong is pronounced "aye." But then I learned that it's demon, and after a while day-mon or die-mon sounded funny and demon sounded more natural, and that's how I say it now.

Mewonders what the word for dæmon is for non-English-speakers in Lyra's world? For instance, what would Ama have called her dæmon? (I know his name is Kulang, but I mean dæmons in general.)

[Kroven/Fenris]

Amelia said:

Mewonders what the word for dæmon is for non-English-speakers in Lyra's world? For instance, what would Ama have called her dæmon? (I know his name is Kulang, but I mean dæmons in general.)

Hmm good question....I think it's probably the word demon - translated into their language with minor changes...or maybe it stays the same? How did they do it with the books? I don't know since the Slovene word for demon is demon and the Slovene word for daemon is daemon....so I can't tell if they translated it or not...lol Has anyone read any other translations?

[rave & phair]

In French, demon is démon, and dæmon is daemon. But French is Latin-based too, so it's irrelevant anyway.

When I started to read the books, I pronounced it 'day-men', then switched over to 'demon', then went back to 'day-men' when I found mine.

[Okibi]

I think dæmon would be pronounced differently in different languages, or at least it wouldn't be the same everywhere.. In the Spanish translation of HDM, for example, it's 'daimonion.' Makes sense to me that at least the spelling would be different. Like I'd expect dæmon to be spelt Dimon in German, if it were pronounced the same way...

[Zen]

I used to pronounce it 'day-mon', but when I realized that was wrong.... I couldn't fully make the switch to 'dee-mon', though, it felt weird to call Lel my 'demon'. So, I slurred them together... I call them 'DEE-amons.' ::feels awkward::

[~*Wynne*~]

I just think day-mon/men sounds better *shrug*
I've aslo heard it pronounced daimon (like diamond)

[Kamy]

well, i always used to call it day-mon before i found out the real thing, cus after all its spelled daemon

[Cat]

Kamy said:

well, i always used to call it day-mon before i found out the real thing, cus after all its spelled daemon

No, it's spelled dæmon. Big difference. The dipthong æ was once used in words, like mediæval. It's the ee sound.