The pronunciation of Kraken

Ok, this one has been bugging me for a while. Why does everyone at Sea World call it “Crack-en”? I’ve always pronounced it, and heard it pronounced everywhere else, “Cray-ken”. Which, if you follow the rules of the English language, is how it should be pronounced:

a + k + e = “ache”, not “ack” –- brake, make, cake, etc.

It’s not like they invented the term –- the myth of the Kraken has been around for a long, long time. Any idea why Sea World has gone with this ("Crack-en") pronunciation?

*** This post was edited by RagingBull on 5/31/2001. ***

that's what i thought too. That's a low E.
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HurricaneGeauga- Just in case

They do say Crack-En at Sea World. In Fact, I've never heard anyone say it any differently.

The standard English rules probably don't apply because it's not a straight English word. Look in the dictionary and you won't find any English words that start with "kr," other than kryptonite (which is probably some Latin or Greek word, or both).

Our language is filled with words like that, having some non-English origin with different rules.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

I've always said "crack-en." Your previous examples are all single syllable words, so the proncunciation rules aren't the same. (by your definition 'car' and 'caring' should have the same first syllable). Plus, English has more exceptions than can be counted.

Jman

The English language has rules?
hahahahha
jeremy
English Rule #1 "i" before "e"
- except after "c"
- or when sounded like "a"
(if it has so many exceptions is it really a rule?)

Jman-
What about "taken"? That's what I think Kraken should rhyme with. By your definition you would pronounce it "tack-en".

As for my examples above, it would be care and caring. Obviously car is going to be pronounced differently because you dropped the "e".
*** This post was edited by RagingBull on 5/31/2001. ***

Kraken is a Greek or Norse mythological monster of the sea and it is pronounced "Crack-en"

I say "Krocken".
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What the mo K!?!

I have always said "Crack-in" Kraken

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You are the Weakest Link, Goodbye.

There was a movie in the late 70's or early 80's called "The Clash of the Titans". In the movie's big ending, this huge sea creature came up to eat this virgen chick. It was Kraken and all through the movie, they pronounced it crack-en so that's how i've always pronounced it. The movies have been known to completely screw up myths and legends though.

think of it like a chicken on drugs. It is a Crack Hen. that's how i see it.

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Neil, "Boy Genius, Hope of Mankind"
http://kmlaser81.tripod.com/RockinCoasterSite/

Kingthong said:
"There was a movie in the late 70's or early 80's called "The Clash of the Titans". In the movie's big ending, this huge sea creature came up to eat this virgen chick. It was Kraken and all through the movie, they pronounced it crack-en so that's how i've always pronounced it. The movies have been known to completely screw up myths and legends though."

Exactly. I was just about to post the same thing.

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/s/

Neil H. said:
"think of it like a chicken on drugs. It is a Crack Hen. that's how i see it."

LOL! That's funny.
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Bull rides:41
Batman rides:33

I never called it "Kray-ken" either. I guess it was I was in the station and they pronounced it over the speaker as "Krac-ken".

I allways call it Kray-Kin, and I just learned that it's pronounced Crackin. Anyway, I'm just gonna call it Kray-kin, the way I have allways called it.
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There is no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid people.

They named the darn thing. They can pronounce it however they want !

If the park says "crack-en" than that's what it is,
English, Greek, Nordic or whatever it's derived from.

I'd say this one's dead...close 'er up ! ;)

I call it crack-en. I remeber on a Travel Channel show thats how the park management said it, so it's how I learned it. Not to mention, it is said like that in mythology... I think that is what decided how the management would have it said.

Gotta go. V2 commercial on NOW! :)

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Next up: Stupid human tricks! Followed by: Stupid pet tricks!
Why can that never happen?

I say "Crack-en" too. Is this another S:TE debate in the making...? :(

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"Johnny Rotten shot me with his BB-gun."

Ok, I found this very interesting so I pulled out the Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Looks like we're all technically wrong.

It lists Kraken as "a fabulous Scandinavian sea monster". It's origins are from Norway, circa 1755.

The dictionary lists the pronunciation as:

\'krä-ken\

The "a" with the two dots above it sounds like the "o" in the words "bother" and "cot" or like the "a" in "father" - this comes straight from Webster's.

So I guess the technically correct pronunciation would be:

"crock-en"