Tones wrote: > In Japanese , of course , we say [kserkses],[ksanthippe] ,but we call > the Saint [zavier] , who introduced the Christianity into Japan, maybe > because of his original sounds . Chotto chigau ja nai desu ka? When I was in Japan, I heard it as [kuserukusesu].... that's very different. <G> In American vernacular (as opposed to academic circles), initial X is typically pronounced as /z/. Tony