As of: February 24, 2024, 12:30 p.m
By: Sven Trautwein
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Rebecca Yarros' books are storming the bestseller lists one after the other.
On TikTok, users comment on the author's incorrect pronunciation of characters.
The second volume of Rebecca Yarros' fantasy novel “Iron Flame” also reached number 1 on the bestseller lists in Germany shortly after its publication.
An incredible success for the dragon saga, which also topped the rankings of best-selling books in its home market of America for weeks.
She is also one of the most listened to audio book authors in this country in 2023. But there are more and more readers on TikTok who are defending themselves against the authors' incorrect pronunciation of Gaelic.
Rebecca Yarros: Criticism of pronunciation
Bestselling author Rebecca Yarros faces criticism on TikTok for mispronouncing Gaelic terms.
© Pond5 Images/Imago/dtv (montage)
Fantasy author Rebecca Yarros has achieved enormous success thanks to her novel “Fourth Wing” and has already been optioned for a film adaptation.
The novel tells the story of a young girl who finds herself thrust into the world of dragon riding while war rages outside the walls of her kingdom.
The book's immense success has brought the author a lot of publicity, but has also led to her receiving criticism for both her public statements and the way she uses language in her book, writes the English-language online magazine
Distractify
.
The sequel to “Fourth Wing”, “Iron Flame”, was published in America on November 7, 2023 and quickly climbed onto the bestseller lists in Germany.
What's behind the Rebecca Yarros controversy?
The controversy surrounding Rebecca Yarros and her writing arises from her use of Gaelic for the names of many of her characters.
In a video that has become popular on TikTok, a Scottish user named Muireann (@ceartguleabhar) criticizes the author for not being able to pronounce her own characters' names correctly.
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What is Gaelic?
Gaelic refers to a group of Celtic languages spoken in various varieties in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.
The three main types are Irish (Gaeilge), Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) and Manx (Gaelg or Gailck).
These languages have a rich cultural history and are an important part of Celtic heritage.
“After watching this video, I have personal issues with Rebecca Yarros,” Muireann says in the video, explaining that her mistakes range from poor vowel usage to adding unnecessary extra syllables.
Muireann says she finds it offensive when American authors use Gaelic without bothering to do research or even learn how to correctly pronounce the words they use.
She doesn't appreciate authors who use these languages in a disrespectful way.
“They just pronounce them like English speakers.”
More than 10,000 comments
It is a legitimate criticism, rooted in the desire of Scots to preserve their own culture and heritage.
The views of more than 700,000 (as of December 8th) speak for the interest in the topic.
The post on TikTok has now garnered more than 10,000 comments.
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“Typically, authors should do their research.”
“I like 'Fourth Wing' but I see what you mean.
Gaelic needs more recognition.”
“Your proper pronunciation is so much nicer.”
“You should listen to the audio book 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭”