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Chinese/how to pronounce "qiongqi"

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Expert: - 10/25/2010


Question
Dear Dr. Waltz,

Can you tell how "qiongqi" would be pronounced in English?

I found the term "A Chinese Bestiary." It is the Chinese name of a mythological creature known as "Throughly-Odd." I'm using him in a fiction story and would like readers to know how to pronounce the Chinese spelling.

Thanks so much for your help!
Kind regards,
Camille

Answer
Hi Camille,

Sounds like that will be an interesting story!

I couldn't figure out the best way to "spell" the sounds -- since everyone has a different idea of what a word should sound like based on the letters -- so I posted a sound file on Posterous. You can find it in the midst of:

innerfishwife.posterous.com (the post title is something like "How to pronounce "qiongqi").

I'll probably take it down after a week or so as it will definitely confuse blog readers.  
;-)

Terry

Chinese

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Terry Thatcher Waltz

Expertise

I specialize in Chinese technical translation and conference interpretation, and terminology. I can answer questions about these topics, Chinese language pedagogy and learning issues, Chinese grammar for learners, and general issue related to Taiwan.

Experience

Full-time translator and conference interpreter since 1987; long-time resident of Taiwan. Qualified State Dept. language contractor (interpreter and translator) with extensive government and private sector experience.

Organizations
American Translators Association; The Translators' and Interpreters' Guild; ATA Interpreters' Division; ATA Chinese Division.

Publications
AIIC (International Association of Conference Interpreters) website

Education/Credentials
Ph.D., Chinese; MA, Conference Interpreting

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