Delial

[waitingonsunday.livejournal.com]

How do you think one would pronounce the name Delial?

I finally read Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves this weekend, in which there is a character called that. Upon initially reading it, I went with something along the lines of deh-LY-ahl (rhymes with "denial," sounds reminiscent of "Delilah").

Later, at a fan forum, I found that it's apparently yet another facet of the book's puzzle that no one can seem to agree on. Others suggested pronunciations including:

day-LIE-ahl
DEEL-ee-ahl (related to the Delian problem in geometry)
DEEL-yuhl (same as above)
DEL-ee-ahl
deh-LEE-ahl (similar to "delete")

I know it's the name of a brand of sunscreen as well, but I've never heard that said aloud. Just wondering what anyone could make of it here.

Comments

[waitingonsunday.livejournal.com]

Yes! I'm an old Poe fan, and I've been wanting to read the book since I bought Haunted and realized from the liner notes that it was tied to the novel. A lot of people I know read the book, though, and everyone kept telling me how disturbing it was. Many of them couldn't even finish it. I'm usually very strongly affected by things like that, both in books and movies, so I figured I'd better stay away from it. The other day, though, I decided I didn't care, bought the book, and read the whole thing over the course of last weekend. Sure it was disturbing, but in the best of ways! Reading that forum and noticing all the little connections I missed the first time, I'm already ready to reread the book this weekend.

[queen-mab.livejournal.com]

I'd pronounce it DEEL-lee-al or DEE-lee-yul.

[shortbutfast.livejournal.com]

lolz.. that's suntan lotionin europe. sorry, but i can't think of anything else. i see tanned bodies in magazine ads. :D

the 70's version: http://www.raritaetenboerse.com/fotos/delial-staender.jpg

[waitingonsunday.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I mentioned that at the end of my post. All I'm wondering about is the pronunciation.