I am currently working on a zelda-like taking place in a comedic world loosely based on norse mythology. I am hoping to make both a swedish and a english version of the game. Something that has been brought up to me is that the names and places of the characters may end up hard hard to pronounce or even get a good understanding on how it is supposed to sound like. I have tried to anglicize the names a bit but I do not know how they will come across to an English-speaking audience. So I will present the original names and then my anglicized variants and nothing else. Please tell me how they come across, which you prefer (even if it is just one out of the bunch) or any other thoughts about this.
Original names (swedish version)
Title
Dauðra Dura
Place names
Bjarmaland
Granngård
Helgafjäll
Elivågor
Birka
Särkland
Hålogoland
Danjernavia
Character names
Kung Gylfe
Sigtrygg Bursdotter
Byleif Cheanannais Lauersson
Tymor Hafnarfjörður Laursson
Klyv
Storkr
Klyvborg Solström
Angrboða
Jokahainen
Rikfar
Potential anglicized names (same order)
Title
Slainhall Towers
Place names
Byarmaland
Grangard
Helgafjell
Eliwaves
Ting
Sarkland
Auroraland
Dangernavia
Character names
King Zipper
Sigtrig Bowsdaughter
Byleif Larsson
Tymor Larsson
Cleave
Ra-Ch
Cleavehill Sunstorm
Permeter
Yoko
Richfar
Most of the anglicized versions look pretty good, even if I pronounce them wrong I can read them phonetically
The only one I'd have trouble with is Helgafjell (the J kinda throws me off)
Some of the anglicized versions seem unnecessary, Bjarmaland looks better than Byarmaland to me. I'd keep some of the Swedish characters too, even if people end up pronouncing it slightly wrong, it makes it feel more nordic.
If we're talking about keeping the original names/nordic sounding names I suggest that you might only make their first name something easy to read, it'll keep the nordic feel but also means people can pronouce at least part of it when referring to them
Would Helgafyell be better? J kind of transfers into a english Y sound.
I think so to and would prefer the spelling to be Bjarmaland and Helgafjell for those two places.
Yeah. I have had multiple people tell me that I cannot have a single umlaut in the english version. Meanwhile a mainstream shooter (Overwatch) has a character called Torbjörn and people seem to have no trouble with that.
Keep the umlauts, bröther.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.
