Beowulf Pronunciation Guide
It might be of some help in reading Beowulf to know how to pronounce some of the names. The accent
always falls on the first syllable of a name. The "sc" that starts many of the names is pronounced "sh."
The "e" is usually pronounced as an independent vowel, so "Beowulf" sound like "Bay'­oh­wolf,"
"Heorot" is "Hay­oh­roht," and "Geats" are “Gay'ahts." The letter "h" at the beginning of a name is
aspirated (strongly­breathed). The letter "g" is not always sounded, but it may have a hard "g" sound,
and when it follows "c," as in "Ecgtheow," the sound "edge" is pronounced. "Ch" sounds like the "ch" in
Bach or loch.
Note: Do not worry too much about pronunciation. Just do the best you can!
Old English Name:
Pronunciation:
Ælfhere
alf hair uh
Æschere
ash hair uh
Beanstan
bayan stahn
Dæghrefn
day hreven
Eadgils
ayad gils (hard g)
Eanmund
ayan mund
Earnaness
er nuh ness
Ecgtheow
edge thayo
Eofor
ayo ver
Freawaru
fraya wah roo
Geat
gayat
Geatas
gayat as
Hæthcyn
hath kin
Healfdene
half day nuh (pronounce the l)
Heardred
har dred
Heorogar
hair uh gar
Heorot
hay oh roht
Herebeald
hair uh bald
Heremod
hair uh mode
Hildeburh
hil duh burch
Hnæf
hnaff
Hoc
hoke
Hreosnabeorh
hrayos nuh bairch
Hrothgar
hroth gar
Hronesnes
hron us ness
Hygelac
hee yuh lahk
Nægling
nail ing
Ohthere
ocht hair uh
Ongentheow
on gen thayo (hard g)
Scefing
shay ving
scop
shope
Scyld
shild
Wealhtheow
walch thayo
Weohstan
wech stahn
Wiglaf
wee lahf
This information was adapted from the English department of Bakersfield College.