(urth) Grand Unified Theory

[Ryan Dunn]

On Aug 25, 2010, at 11:28 AM, António Pedro Marques wrote:

> James Wynn wrote (25-08-2010 15:41):
> 
>> The word "typhoon" comes from "Typhon" -- not that it would prevent
>> Wolfe from associating the two anyway if he wanted to.
> 
> That's actually open to question.
> - _Typhon_ is an english spelling pronunciation of greek <tu'fwn>, which would be more or less 'two FAWN' [tu'fO:n] if read 'correctly'.
> - _typhoon_ is an english transcription of [tai'fun], from some language spoken along the margins of the Indic ocean.
> 
> Even if one posits that [tai'fun] is ultimately from the greek, one still would have to explain how did greek [tu] become [tai]. The english [ai] is merely from the english great vowel shift compounded with a misreading of greek <y> as [i], which it never was. Had english gotten the word by natural borrowing, rather than in misread written form centuries after, it wouldn't have [ai].
> 
> Not impossible, but unlikely.


Is there any question about the following:

1. Typhon from BotNS is a name borrowed from Typhon of Greek myth, king of all monsters?
2. Most modern readers will instinctively pronounce his name: TAY-fun
3. The proper pronunciation, however, is: TOO-fahn

??

...ryan
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