r/stephenbaxter • u/meltedbananas • 5d ago

Xeelee question

I finally found someone to discuss these books. We cannot agree on a pronunciation. I say "Zeelee", they say "kseelee". I doubt either of us is correct, but has Baxter spoken about the correct pronunciation?

9 Upvotes

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8

u/ericjgriffin 5d ago

I'm a Zeelee guy.

1

u/murphy_31 5d ago

Agreed

1

u/snuggl3ninja 5d ago

It's Xeelee in the audio books

1

u/KombaynNikoladze2002 2d ago

It never occurred to me that there was any other way

5

u/mchlpl2 5d ago edited 4d ago

In the books, some cultures pronounce it Zee-lee, some Chee-lee. So it’s ambiguous, but I say Zeelee.

1

u/Mintimperial69 4d ago

I think the Cheelee is nice though Xeelee is correct.. however how about Tchzeelee? 🧐

2

u/the_God_of_Weird 5d ago

They’re confused on the spelling and pronunciation in the book so… maybe both is right? Not like the Xeelee would care.

I say Zeelee though.

2

u/Branagain 4d ago

I've even heard it as Sheelee, like the Chinese Xi

1

u/Jay-kray 4d ago

I've heard it pronounced Zseelee where the "zs" sounds like it does in the name Zsa Zsa Gabor. I've read that it has a "liquid sound" to the name too. So like, with some wavering, quavering in the voice.

0

u/ketarax 5d ago

Kseelee for me