The names in this book come from Persian, Avestan, and the long memory of the Iranian world. They are easier to say than they look. A short guide is below; for everyday reading, any honest attempt is welcome.
A few general notes:
- a is the short a in cat unless marked a or ^a, which is closer to the long a in father.
- u is the oo in boot.
- kh is the throat-sound at the back of the mouth, as in Scottish loch or German Bach. If k alone is easier, that is fine.
- zh is the soft s in measure.
- Stress in Persian usually falls on the last syllable. So Yima is yee-MAH, not YEE-mah.
Companions and their kin
- Yima
- yee-MAH (rhymes with *teach Ma*)
- Yameh
- YAH-meh (*ya* as in *yacht*, soft *eh* at the end)
- Pirouz
- pee-ROOZ
- Hustana
- hoo-stah-NAH
- Mitra
- MEE-trah
- Rostam
- roe-STAM
- Shardad
- shar-DAHD
- Chamrosh
- cham-ROSH (*ch* as in *cheese*)
- Azhi
- AH-zhee (*zh* as in *measure*)
- Parisa
- pa-ree-SAH
- Yashar
- yah-SHAR
- Mahasti
- mah-HAHS-tee
Court of Hawraman
- Mardas
- mar-DAHS
- Bardiya
- bar-DEE-yah
- Bahram
- bah-RAHM
- Karon
- kah-RONE
- Roya
- roe-YAH (one breath: *ro-YA*)
- Kavus
- kah-VOOS
- Khorshid
- khor-SHEED
- Goshtasp
- gosh-TAHSP
- Hormozd
- hor-MOZD
- Goharik
- go-HAH-reek
- Gordafarin
- gor-dah-fah-REEN
Lineage and the line of fire-keepers
- Siyavash
- see-yah-VAHSH
- Shabrang
- shab-RANG (*shab* = night)
Places
- Hawraman
- haw-rah-MAHN
- NayNava
- nay-nah-VAH
- Hamoon
- hah-MOON
- Verkana
- ver-KAH-nah
- Amu Darya
- ah-MOO dahr-YAH
- Qaf
- kahf (*q* from the back of the throat; an English *k* is fine)
- Atar-Patene
- AH-tar pah-TEH-neh
- Dasht-e Moghan
- DAHSHT-eh moe-GHAHN
The wisdoms
- Shur
- shoor (rhymes with *poor*)
- Mahur
- mah-HOOR
- Homayoun
- ho-mah-YOON
- Chahargah
- cha-HAR-gah
Sacred and mythic terms
- Atar
- AH-tar
- Asha Vahishta
- ah-SHAH vah-HEESH-tah
- Boteh
- BO-teh (*bo* as in *both*)
- Farr
- far (rhymes with English *far*)
- Espand
- ess-PAHND
- Aush
- aoosh
- Vara
- vah-RAH
- Sarv
- sahrv
- Nay
- nay
- SymphoNay
- SIM-pho-nay
- Simurgh
- see-MOORG
- Mithal
- mee-THAHL
- Nur-Pari
- noor pah-REE
- Sayeh-Pari
- SAH-yeh pah-REE
- Mardkhar
- mard-KHAR
- Div
- deev
- Magi
- MAH-jee (or *may-jye*, both are heard)
- Nowruz
- no-ROOZ (*no* as in *know*)
- Yamshid
- yahm-SHEED
- Zemaka
- zeh-MAH-kah