Pronunciation guide
The pronunciation transcriptions use common English spellings to approximate foreign sounds. “Gh” represents the hard G as in get. Capitalized syllables are stressed. Japanese is unstressed, but to avoid mispronunciations you may lightly stress the first syllable. French normally stresses the last syllable, although in some contexts the first syllable sounds stressed. Play the recordings to hear terms pronounced by native or trained speakers.
TERM |
PRONUNCIATION |
Angura |
ahn-goo-rah |
Aragoto |
ah-rah-goh-toh |
Auteur |
OH-tu(r) |
Auto sacramental |
OW-toh sahk-rah-men-TAHL |
Bhava |
PHAH-vuh |
Bunraku |
boon-rah-koo |
Butoh |
boo-toh |
Capa y espada |
KAH-pa ee es-PAH-thah |
Castrato, -ti |
kahs-TRAH-toh, -tee |
Catharsis |
kah-THAHR-sis |
Comedia |
koh-MEY-dee-ah |
Comédie larmoyante |
koh-meh-dee LAHR-mwah-yawnt |
Commedia dell’arte |
kohm-MAY-dee-ah dehl-AHR-tey |
Commedia erudita |
kohm-MAY-dee-ah eh-roo-DEE-tah |
Corral |
kohr-RAHL |
Costumbrismo |
kos-toom-BREES-mo |
Danmari |
dahm-mah-ree |
Dengaku |
dehn-gah-koo |
Deus ex machina |
deh-oos ex MAH-khee-nah |
Dithyramb |
DIH-thih-ram |
Egúngún |
EH-goon-goon |
Einfühlung |
AHYN-few-lungk |
Geisha |
gheh-sha |
Geju |
guh ju |
Gesamtkunstwerk |
ghe-ZAHMT-koonst-vehrk |
Gestus |
GHE-stoos |
Hanamichi |
hah-nah-mee-chee |
Hashigakari |
hah-shee-gah-kah-ree |
Innamorato, -ta, -ti |
in-nah-moh-RAH-toh, -tah, -tee |
Jingju |
jing ju |
Kabuki |
kah-boo-kee |
Kathakali |
kah-TAHK-ah-lee |
Kōken |
koh-kehn |
Kunqu |
kwin chu |
Kutiyattam |
KOO-tee-ah-TAHM |
Kyōgen |
kyoh-ghen |
Landjuweelen |
LAWHNT-yu-vay-lehn |
Lazzi |
LAH-dzee |
Locus |
LAW-koos |
Ludi |
LOO-dee |
Madangguk |
mah-DAHNG-g(u)k |
Madangnori |
mah-DAHNG-no-ri |
Mie |
mee-eh |
Mise en scène |
meez on sehn |
Monomane |
moh-noh-mah-neh |
Natyasastra |
NAH-tyah-SHAS-tr |
Naumachia |
naw-MAH-khee-ah |
Nō |
noh |
Onnagata |
ohn-nah-gah-tah |
Opera buffa |
OH-peh-rah BOOF-fah |
Opera seria |
OH-peh-rah SEH-ree-ah |
Parterre |
PAH(r)-tehr |
Philosophe |
fee-loh-zohf |
Platea |
plah-TEH-ah |
Polis |
POH-lis |
Purim shpil |
POO-rehm shpihl |
Rabinal Achi |
drah-vee-NAHL ah-CHEE |
Ramlila |
rahm-lee-lah |
Rasa |
RAH-seh |
Sarugaku |
sah-roo-gah-koo |
Scena per angolo |
SHAY-nah pehr AHN-goh-loh |
Shimpa |
sheem-pah |
Shingeki |
sheen-gheh-kee |
Shite |
sh-teh |
Shpil (plural, shpiln) |
shpihl |
Ta’ziyeh |
TAH’ zee-YEH |
Theatron |
THAY-ah-trohn |
Tsure |
tsoo-reh |
Vecchi |
VEHK-kee |
Verfremdungseffekt |
fehr-FREHM-dungs-eh-fehkt |
Volksgeist |
FOYLKS-gahyst |
Wagoto |
wah-goh-toh |
Waki |
wah-kee |
Wayang golek |
wah-YAHNG goh-lek |
Wayang kulit |
wah-YAHNG koo-lit |
Yangbanxi |
yahng bahn shih |
Yanggeju |
yahng guh ju |
Yūgen |
yoo-ghehn |
Zaju |
zah ju |
Zanni |
ZAHN-nee |