Ra's (Raaass) or Ra's (Raish)

[We R. Venom]

So which is it pronounced. is it Ra's (Raaass) or Ra's (Raish). Because in the animated series its raish but in the movie begins it sounds like they messed it up with Raass. Also ive heard oe of the bat writers say he thinks they messed it up, so which is it?

[Chad Anderson]

I took a comics writing class with Denny O'Neil once, and he pronounced it Raish. Since he created the character, I'd go with his pronunciation (though I can't stop calling him Raaas myself, as it's what I've called him since childhood).

[We R. Venom]

I always went with Raish cuz that was one of the greatest cartoons ever, and also thats just how I remembered it.

[olympichero62]

Yeah, I always thought it was Raish because of the Cartoon

[The Red Hood]

I've read in more than one message board forum that the proper Arabic pronunciation is "Rahz."

'Hood

[We R. Venom]

I think ill go with raish, just because of the creator, regardless of how the real name is supposed to be, raish it seems is how he was introduced. i guess they wanted realism for the movie, forget that.

[mike626]

Raish for me.

[Jeff Brady]

I took a comics writing class with Denny O'Neil once, and he pronounced it Raish. Since he created the character, I'd go with his pronunciation (though I can't stop calling him Raaas myself, as it's what I've called him since childhood).

I don't doubt you at all, but he must have changed his mind. He was on the set of the movie & did a little script doctoring, and he told them it was "Rahz."

[The Xenos]

I heard O'Neil and Adams originally wanted Razz, but Raish was the one that caught on, so they went with it.

-Xenos

[The Xenos]

I heard O'Neil and Adams originally wanted Razz, but Raish was the one that caught on, so they went with it.

-Xenos

[agentofthebat]

Raish wasn't what used during the cartoon?

[Gauss]

I prefer Raish myself. However, I'll note that this debate has been done before, and rather well, by Terry McGinnis and Talia Head in Batman Beyond. :D

[Kieralinn]

I've read in more than one message board forum that the proper Arabic pronunciation is "Rahz."

'Hood

Yep..it's been all over the place. A guy at another forum asked Adams what it was personally this year at the Big Apple Con and he said it was Rahzz. I also heard about O'Neill being on set and saying the same thing.

I think B:TAS did their own thing with it and it has become so ingrained, people think the originally intended pronounciation is wrong. I really didn't remember how it was pronounced on B:TAS and just looking at it written.....it looks like it is said as Rahzz. I have always said it that way and didn't even realize that B:TAS was so different in the way they did it. Where did that come from anyway..anyone know?

Anyhoo...I'll stick with what the characters creators have said and go with Rahzz for Ra's. They would know don't you think. :rolleyes:

[olympichero62]

Yeah, I do thing the best thing to do is to go with whatever the creator first said. (wordage)

[The Mirrorball Man]

I've read in more than one message board forum that the proper Arabic pronunciation is "Rahz."
There are so many Arabic dialects that both are probably correct, as well as many other pronunciations.

[jadrax]

There are so many Arabic dialects that both are probably correct, as well as many other pronunciations.We have a winner.

[xnef1025]

I personally like Bizzaro's pronunciation in "Trinity" best. "Racer Cool" :D

[The Joker]

"Raish" is how I pronounce his name, and I'm sticking to it. :evilsmile

[Chris CCL]

I found this on Newsarama:

DC'S BATMAN PANEL @ WW:PHILLY
One of the attendees who saw DC’s screening of Batman Begins Saturday night pointed out that in the film, Ra’s al Ghul was pronounced as “Rahz” al Ghul (with a short a sound), where in the animated series it was pronounced “Rayz” al Ghul (with a long a). Asked which was right, Beatty explained, saying that when Denny O’Neil created the character, he had referred to him as the first pronunciation (“Rahz” with a short a), and then over the years, the other pronunciation came into play, and actually made it into a Batman style guide. As Beatty explained, the filmmakers wanted to go back to the original while giving a nod to O’Neil, hence the original pronunciation

The attendee was actually Brian Deemer who runs the podcast Comic Geek Speak

Chris CCL

[Chad Anderson]

I don't doubt you at all, but he must have changed his mind. He was on the set of the movie & did a little script doctoring, and he told them it was "Rahz."

As he explained it in the class, someone had given him the correct Arabic pronunciation and told him it was Raish, which I guess could mean he originally called it Ra's and got the "correct" pronunciation later, but now I see that folks are saying both are correct pronunciations, so although I'm now confused as hell, at the very least I can stop feeling guilty for calling him Raaaz.

[Uatu]

I've always thought it to be Raish as well.

[1HELLBOY]

Rahz. The end.