# How do you pronounce Cthulhu? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956 "2010-11-08T20:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/21 "2010-11-09T00:14:59Z")
|xθu’ lu|, more or less. It occurs to me that the “lh” is perhaps meant to be voiceless. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/22 "2010-11-09T00:44:51Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > |xθu’ lu|, more or less. It occurs to me that the “lh” is perhaps meant to be voiceless. Silence! Do not use your eldritch runes here or you’ll doom us all! ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/23 "2010-11-09T00:51:11Z")
I don’t know where you can get a shirt like that, but I do know where you can get a [plush Cthulhu](http://www.toyvault.com/cthulhu/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/24 "2010-11-09T00:57:12Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > [Sing along](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut82TDjciSg) > > Note: Reward offered for online source to order one of those shirts. The “Super-Om” shirt? Yeah, I was looking for one as well. [http://www.studiotees.com/super-om-indian-funny-t-shirt-p-1408.html](http://www.studiotees.com/super-om-indian-funny-t-shirt-p-1408.html) was about the closest I found, but Eben’s looks cooler. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/25 "2010-11-09T09:49:55Z")
So do you guys actually have a vowel in chthonic, too? Or is the first syllable entirely voiceless? Also, I don’t think a voiceless [l] makes sense. Part of the sound will wind up voiced, or you will be unable to hear it as an [l] at all. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/26 "2010-11-09T10:31:43Z")
I recall hearing somewhere that the first syllable is meant to be pronounced somewhat akin to a dog barking. Not that that’s easy, but you know, saying his name CORRECTLY perhaps isn’t the greatest idea and all. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/27 "2010-11-09T10:53:26Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Throatwarblermangrove. I’ll see your throatwarblermangrove and raise you a fershlugginer potrzebie! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/28 "2010-11-09T11:38:38Z")
Cthulhu is badly misunderstood, he’s really a stand up guy most of the time. It’s just all these blithering idiots who can’t pronounce his name correctly that sends him into a rage. ---
**Author:** ![dmatsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@dmatsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmatsch)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/29 "2010-11-09T18:30:09Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I’ll see your throatwarblermangrove and raise you a fershlugginer potrzebie! 🆒 Cease your attempts at Vogon Poetry immediately, or I shall tell you to cease again! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/30 "2010-11-09T18:35:55Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Really? To me ‘Cha-too-loo’ sounds like either some kind of online messaging program, or a latin dance night that’s accidentally missing the first two 'cha-'s. And that summons nameless horrors from eras ancient when Man was new to consume the souls opf the dancers. Yes, that’s just about it. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/31 "2010-11-09T18:37:33Z")
Obviously you don’t watch South Park. They just had a whole Cthulu episode. [Here’s a touching clip](http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/360459/turning-dreams-into-nightmares) of Cartman and his new best friend. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/32 "2010-11-09T18:39:02Z")
I pronounce it ‘kuh-THOO-loo.’ [Cute li’l feller](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOHJUrcVdJk). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/33 "2010-11-09T19:01:33Z")
Why is everyone skipping the last h? I can’t see how you guys are getting to where you’re getting. It’s clearly K-thul-hoo. The middle syllable is like the “hull” of a ship, but with a theta instead. The last syllable is exactly like “who”. Why is it unanimous so far that the l and h go together? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/34 "2010-11-09T19:20:06Z")
See post No. 14. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/35 "2010-11-09T19:47:01Z")
I also pronounce the second H ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/36 "2010-11-09T20:12:32Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > I don’t know where you can get a shirt like that, but I do know where you can get a [plush Cthulhu](http://www.toyvault.com/cthulhu/index.html). Got mine from ThinkGeek. 😃 > [@DrFidelius](#): > > The “Super-Om” shirt? Yeah, I was looking for one as well. > [http://www.studiotees.com/super-om-indian-funny-t-shirt-p-1408.html](http://www.studiotees.com/super-om-indian-funny-t-shirt-p-1408.html) was about the closest I found, but Eben’s looks cooler. That was exactly the information I needed to track one down. Thanks! [SuperOmStore](http://superomstore.com/shop/category/6243340/) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/37 "2010-11-09T20:18:48Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Why is everyone skipping the last h? I can’t see how you guys are getting to where you’re getting. It’s clearly K-thul-hoo. The middle syllable is like the “hull” of a ship, but with a theta instead. The last syllable is exactly like “who”. > > Why is it unanimous so far that the l and h go together? The thing is, if you say it fast, the last H will be barely audible even if you _try_ to pronounce it. Give it a shot, you’ll see what I mean. ETA: Good god, wait - you live near me, don’t you? DON’T GIVE IT A SHOT! DON’T! ---
**Author:** ![brossa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brossa/32/3040_2.png) [@brossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brossa)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/38 "2010-11-09T20:34:52Z")
From Lovecraft’s letters to friends: > [@](#): > > ``` > The actual sound—as nearly as human organs could imitate it or human letters record it—may be taken as something like Khlûl’-hloo, with the first syllable pronounced gutturally and very thickly. The u is about like that in full; and the first syllable is not unlike klul in sound, since the h represents the guttural thickness. The second syllable is not very well rendered—the l sound being unrepresented. (to Duane Rimel, 23 July 1934) > > The best approximation one can make is to grunt, bark, or cough the imperfectly-formed syllables Cluh-Luh with the tip of the tongue firmly affixed to the roof of the mouth. (to Willis Conover, 29 August 1936) > > ``` He apparently told other, different things to other people over the years. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/39 "2010-11-09T23:59:06Z")
When I worked as a slush pile reader at Weird Tales, I was told the proper way was to make a Klootl Klootl noise in the back of your throat. If you can’t trust the editors of Weird Tales about this, who can you trust? ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/40 "2010-11-10T00:02:20Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Remember: Friends don’t let friends invoke the names of the Elder Gods. Elder Gods? Please… merely a Great Old One… I mean Elder Gods are like Nodens or Hypnos… or if we’re going to include Outer Gods then Azathoth, or Yog-Sothoth, or Nyarlathote… _eep_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956.md?page=3)