On Homage · 11:52pm Aug 22nd, 2013
A reader just asked me a great question. I wanted to share both it and my answer, as I am sure there are others who have been wondering the same. 
Hi, Kkat. So, I was wondering what the official pronunciation of Homage's name is. The word "homage" is honestly one of the most problematic words in the English language; it's actually two different words with completely different pronunciations, but almost no one knows that.
- An homage (o-MAJ) is a physical representation of respect or admiration toward someone or something. For example, "they built the statue as an homage to the king".
- Homage (HAW-mudge) is the act of feeling respect respect or admiration. For example, "the citizens paid homage to their king by bowing to his statue".
The two words are both nouns, mean almost the same thing, and are spelled the exact same way, but are pronounced completely differently. It's quite aggravating, actually.
Anyway, which of the two words is Homage named for? I prefer haw-mudge, as I prefer the idea of Homage being named after an act of respect rather than an object to be respected, but I'd like to know the official pronunciation.
Great question. Obviously, since Fallout: Equestria is a written work, there can't really be "official" pronounciations. I was aware of both versions of the word when I chose the name, and both fit: Homage both is an homage (o-MAJ) to DJ Pon3, and her actions are a homage (HAW-mudge) to the legacy of DJ Pon3.
Considering her role in the story, some have wondered how Homage could be someone who "lies" about who she is. But Homage isn't really DJ Pon3. DJ Pon3 is a legacy, a position that is filled by one pony after another. I believe it is a mark of her integrity that she holds to the vow of secrecy that she would have had to swear when taking up the mantle so that DJ Pon3 would remain that consistent, unfaltering voice that the Wasteland needs. And that she does not jeopardize the legacy for her own pride.
As such, for what it is worth, I have always mentally pronounced it HAW-mudge. And prefer to think of her in that way.
I didn't even think of it the other way, and just thought "HAW-mudge" whenever I saw it.
Fangasm.exe
...
From what I remember, Homage, and her old mare friend met the Doctor off screen. How... right? I'm not adding something that wasn't in the story am I?
Anyway, what's your head canon for that interaction?
Also, are you going to write any more, or have you? I don't know if you've done anything else.
...
End Program
1302508 I'm pretty sure Homage's comment was a reference to your encounter with the TARDIS in the original Fallout.
That's pretty cool. I didn't even think of the meaning of her name when I was reading the story. All I know is that I was always pronouncing her name as HAW-mudge.
1302564
That would make sense.
I've forgotten a lot of details, the last time I read FoE was more than a year ago.
She is, canonically, sexy enough to quality for this definition.
I always thought of it as o-MAJ, but then again, being Belgian, I knew the word from French before I knew it also existed in English. And it remains a borrowed French word
In fact, I never knew there was an alternate pronunciation...
Omlette Au Homage.
Omlette Au Homage.
Whoa... there goes the shattering of my head canon. Whoa.
I always read it pronounced as Home-age (I don't know how to read pronunciation thingies)
Huh. I always forget about the second pronunciation.
Man, I hate it when I end up on the wrong end of Word of God...
Oh well. I can adjust.
I'm really sorry to bring this topic up... But since we're talking about DJ Pon3 anyways...
DJ Pon-Three or DJ Pon-E? Scorch or CrazedRambling?
(Again, I am really sorry for bringing this up...)
I pronounce it HAW-mudge, if anything because that's the variant of the word I read it in.
I always thought it was HO-mudge, because I guess I'm just stupid like that.
1302675
Again, as with Homage, there isn't an "official" pronounciation. Either is fair. But between Spike using "Dee Jay Pone-Three" in the HUB commercial, and the Three-Dog connection, I tend to favor "Pone-Three" myself.
1302621 1302660 Note:
Good to know Kkat. Thanks.
Interesting. I'd wondered about her name since I first read the story.
Huh. I'd always imagined it to be 'o-MAJ', but thats mostly because acts of homage are so rarely referred to as such.Besides which, I have always disliked the sound of it when pronounced
'hom-midge'. Gotta give it to those Latin Languages; they at least know how to make it sound pretty.
Ah well, Word of God has dictated it be thus, and as it was spoken neither in jest, nor against popular theorem, so shall it be.
You just ended a long running argument with my friend and me, I WIN!!!! YES!
Everyone is discussing how Homage is pronounced and i'm just sitting here waiting for the next big update on the FoE game.
Which now that i've taken some more time to look through the rules is shaping up to be pretty interesting, I've got some folks interested and once it's done hopefully i'll be able to try my hoof at some pnp.
1302853
It's completely playable now.
The big updates are done (except for buffalo shamanism, which is tabled for the time being due to the developers being unable to schedule times to work together). Now we're just making minor adjustments, and a few people are working on ideas for supplementary rules.
1302700 What the author says, goes.
1302951 Yup. And the author says that there isn't an official pronunciation.
1302621 1302697
I know right? I've always pronounced Homage's name like home-edge, I never even really bothered to look up what the word means and funnily enough I never even noticed how Homage's name was spelled I just sort of glanced at it thought "Home-edge" and never really bothered to look beyond that.
DJ Pon3 is a legacy, a position that is filled by one pony after another.
in other words, DJ Pon3 is Dread Pirate Roberts
1302945
Yay!
I was wondering if you know of any resources online that can be used to represent the ponies. For dealing with combat and such it would be much easier if everyone is on the same page and has a precise idea of where their character is and the terrain features etc.
Something to show the instance the characters are in when attacked. I suppose it can be done with exposition but It would be convenient if there was something like that.
1303112
There are online spreadsheets for making characters, such as this one which has built-in formulas.
I've seen GMs create online world and battle maps like the examples here and here (although I couldn't say how they did it). For IRL games, if you are using a battlemap, we have found that blind bag minis are perfect. I've seen players custom-paint minis for their characters.
I always pronounced it "haw-mudge." I didn't even know you could say it "o-maj." That's really interesting.
Cool, so I did have it right
1303146
Oooh thank you
Still, the basic layout is a good guide to work from. I'm sure I can magic up some mspaint skills
ah I don't know anyone IRL interested in mlp sadly so it's online. Though custom painting minis sounds like a neat idea.
Aha. Very fair question! I've always pronounced it ['homid3], but now I see the point of [o'mad3]
I heard Scorch say it O-maj and that's the way I've read it ever since.
That's how I like to think of it. Though I go with "Ah-mudge," without the H sound, lol.
But yeah. <3 Homage.