How do you pronounce Ra's al Ghul?
- Thread starter RoJoHen
- Start date
I had thought it was Raish.I only ask because the pronunciation in the new Arkham City game is really throwing me off.
Batman Begins: "Rahz" (more or less)
Arkham City: "Raish"
Throughout the Animated Series it was pronounced "raish al gool". After that it sounded stranger to me when it was pronounced "rahz" in Begins. Only the writer that created the character for the comics can be sure of the pronunciation.
The same way as in Batman Begins, surely - Rahz Al Ghoul. I suppose there's the question of what the pronunciation would have sounded like when he first adopted the name, of course.
See, I loved the Animated Series, but I can't for the life of me even remember Ra's being in it! I need to watch that show again! I'm so behind on my Batman lore.
Raish I believe is the actual correct way...at least I believe that this is what Bruce Timm and Paul Dini have stated. Nolan and Goyer went the other way which is the only way that specific pronunciation has been shown. Paul Dini wrote the script for "Batman: Arkham City" so this is why it is this way in the video game. I much prefer this way myself.
I read once that the different pronunciations represent different regional dialects of Arabic. Strictly speaking, in standard Arabic pronunciation, it would be pretty much like "rahss," but with a slightly rolled R and a glottal stop after the vowel.
I can't find the thread about the regional dialects, but here's an interesting one I did find:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-322011.html
I can't find the thread about the regional dialects, but here's an interesting one I did find:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-322011.html
Look for the eps, "Showdown", "Avatar", "The Demon's Quest" and "Off-Balance." (According to the IMDB entry of David Warner, who voiced him...)
So, has anybody asked Denny O'Neill?
But those are listed in reverse order, as IMDb tends to do. Ra's also appeared in the Superman: TAS episode "The Demon Reborn" and the Batman Beyond episode "Out of the Past."
Not obviously directly from the man himself but it's good enough for me.
http://www.comicscommunity.com/boards/dennyoneil/?frames=n;read=1079&expand=1
http://www.comicscommunity.com/boards/dennyoneil/?frames=n;read=1079&expand=1
The first thing that came to mind when I entered this thread was a scene from "Out of The Past."
Talia starts to speak in her father's voice;
MCGINNIS: "Geez, lady! You're creepin' me out!
WAYNE: "You? She kissed me..."
My basic Batman rule: The Animated Series tumps all. They called him 'Raish' so that's what I go by.
I hadn't seen Star Trek V for many, many years. I watched it again recently and when Warner started talking I was like, holy ****!
I hadn't seen Star Trek V for many, many years. I watched it again recently and when Warner started talking I was like, holy ****!
For those too lazy to click the link, the creator's wife says that it's definitely pronounced "Raysh".
I tracked down that thread I was trying to find -- or rather, I tracked down a reference I made on another BBS to the old TrekBBS thread which apparently no longer exists. According to what was claimed there, "Raysh" is how it's pronounced in Iraqi dialect while "Rahz" is Algerian dialect.
If anyone has the DC Comics Who's Who from the 80's they usually had a pronunciation guide in it. If I remember correctly Ra's was pronounced like "Raysh".
I know that's how I always pronounced it even before BTAS and also found it odd when it was pronounced differently in Batman Begins.
I know that's how I always pronounced it even before BTAS and also found it odd when it was pronounced differently in Batman Begins.
One of the mods in the Denny O'Neil message board clarifies the issue in the link that I posted in the previous page.
I'd assume it's pronounced the same as Ra's al-Khaimah, one of the E in the UAE. Which I gather is sort of like "rais" (close enough for an Anglophone).
P.S.: if Arabic wants to be learned it could invest in a script that doesn't appear as the equivalent of a 5 point cursive font on computer screens. Hebrew and Phoenician manage to be legible. <_<
P.S.: if Arabic wants to be learned it could invest in a script that doesn't appear as the equivalent of a 5 point cursive font on computer screens. Hebrew and Phoenician manage to be legible. <_<
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