Help with Names in Japanese

[Nix]

Working with Japanese character and also arching them is annoying business. Nevertheless:

I spaced some of the characters together, to create space between the names. Maybe it's a tad too tight. The names are, going NESW: Charlotte - Brandon - Sarah - Alexander. Notice that all names are facing in towards the middle.

Let me know if this is how you wanted it.

~ Nix

[Dent]

Osu!

I love the idea, but what's he going to do when the twins arrive?

Osu!

[Nix]

Plenty of room inside the kanku...

[tmd]

Nix this is fantastic - could I ask one small fav. the top and right one are fairly equal in length with the left and bottom one being the longest and shortest - could I have the longest one on top the shortest where it is and the other two on either side???

PS to Dent:::: Snip done 6 years ago, no twins, no way, now how or questions will be asked...

[Nix]

Sure thing, I'll try to do it tomorrow evening when I get home from practice. Do you also want me to turn the bottom one 180 degrees? Right now it's upside down, because it is facing the middle like the others.

[tmd]

Thanks Nix, I think turning it the right way up makes sense - but if this is not to traumatic could you post both options?

Cheers Bud I owe you a beer for this (or whatever is your poison).

[kakatootoshi]

I have to raise a question.

I cannot find references of "シャルレット" as a translation of "Charlotte" (plenty of references on Charlette and Sharlett). I have no doubts about the Japanese proficiency of smoothsake, but perhaps we translate the names in different ways.

I think it is better for us to consult more people on this.

OSU!

[tmd]

Originally Posted by kakatootoshi

I have to raise a question.

I cannot find references of "シャルレット" as a translation of "Charlotte" (plenty of references on Charlette and Sharlett). I have no doubts about the Japanese proficiency of smoothsake, but perhaps we translate the names in different ways.

I think it is better for us to consult more people on this.

OSU!

The book of names lits Charlotte as thus:
The girl's name Charlotte \ch(ar)-lotte, charl(ot)-te\ is pronounced SHAR-let. It is of French origin, and its meaning is "little and womanly".

If this helps. PS Kakatootoshi, I liked your original logic of using what is currently used in your press regarding Charlotte Church as I'm sure this would have to have been well researched?

[Nix]

tmd:
The translation should be how you pronounce it, not however the frogs do.
Maybe StockKanji.com can be of help?

[tmd]

Actually Charlotte prefers the Germanic translation; Free Spirit!

I think we go with what we have for now if that's ok with you.

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by tmd

PS to Dent:::: Snip done 6 years ago, no twins, no way, now how or questions will be asked...

Ever watch the sequel to Poltergeist? Sometimes they come back...



Osu!

[kakatootoshi]

Dear tmd,
I think only the way you and your family pronounce it matter. I picked Charlotte Church from Japanese Sony Website because she is the most famous Charlotte I know and
By the way I include something from your reference (from Japanese Wikipedia):

"Charlotte has an origin from the German Circle. Intimately called "Lotte". It is widely known in "Die Leiden des jungen Werthers" as the heroin's name. This is also where the name "Lotte", a Japanese confectionary maker came from."

The three basic translation of Charlotte

From German-speaking countries: シャルロッテ
some examples are Charlotte Sophie Henriette Buff from "Die Leiden des jungen Werthers"
Charlotte Albertine Ernestine von Stein(Schardt)
Marie-Charlotte Amélie Augustine Victoire Clémentine Léopoldine
Charlotte von Preußen

French: シャルロット (As in Charlotte Church. Although she is British, in her debut album in Japan the translation シャルロット was used it it has been kept that way ever since)
some examples are: Marie-Anne Charlotte Corday d'Armont, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Charlotte Aldegonde Élise Marie Wilhelmine, Charlotte Perriand)

English: シャーロット (シャーロット・ブロンテ is Charlotte Brontë)
some examples are: Charlotte Lewis, Charlotte Rampling OBE, Charlotte Cooper, Charlotte Augusta, Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Charlotte Augusta Matilda, The Princess Royal, Charlotte Auerbach.
Charlotte Auerbach in English is シャーロット・アワーバック, and in German シャルロッテ・アウエルバッハ.

Ultimately it is how your way to pronounce it that matters. But the above "stable translations" are also important materials to consider. My suggestion is if they do not fit you, then it is alright to create something new and works for you. But UNLESS your way to pronounce "Charlotte" is all different from the above examples, I think it is better not to be too creative, as the standards are there for a reason (and sometimes proximity of sound is not the only factor to consider, as you are now translating the sound of one language to another. There are some special rules). Perhaps you also need people to read the katakana and associate them with a particular name without problems. Just my two cents.

Do you know how to pronounce Romanji?

シャルロッテ is Sharurotte ("te" pronounced as "teh")
シャルロット is Sharurotto
シャーロット is Sha-rotto

RO Ro (kana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
RU Ru (kana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
RE Re (kana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
TO To (kana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
TE Te (kana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

I am not in favor of any particular form and I include all the information so that you can make the best decision. Tattoo is permanent and I will feel very guilty if my suggestions lead to something regretful.

Feel free to ask questions even before the minute you get the tattoo on.

OSU!

[smoothsake]

After a little research, I take back my previous suggestion on the katakana version of Charlotte. I think the best version is:

シャーロット

This is the one that they are using for Japanese translation of the city Charlotte, North Carolina. Can't go wrong there. Seeing that tmd is a Brit, the American sound should be closer than what the Germans and French are using for the same spelling.

[tmd]

Originally Posted by kakatootoshi

Dear tmd,
I think only the way you and your family pronounce it matter. I picked Charlotte Church from Japanese Sony Website because she is the most famous Charlotte I know and
By the way I include something from your reference (from Japanese Wikipedia):

"Charlotte has an origin from the German Circle. Intimately called "Lotte". It is widely known in "Die Leiden des jungen Werthers" as the heroin's name. This is also where the name "Lotte", a Japanese confectionary maker came from."

The three basic translation of Charlotte

From German-speaking countries: シャルロッテ
some examples are Charlotte Sophie Henriette Buff from "Die Leiden des jungen Werthers"
Charlotte Albertine Ernestine von Stein(Schardt)
Marie-Charlotte Amélie Augustine Victoire Clémentine Léopoldine
Charlotte von Preußen

French: シャルロット (As in Charlotte Church. Although she is British, in her debut album in Japan the translation シャルロット was used it it has been kept that way ever since)
some examples are: Marie-Anne Charlotte Corday d'Armont, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Charlotte Aldegonde Élise Marie Wilhelmine, Charlotte Perriand)

English: シャーロット (シャーロット・ブロンテ is Charlotte Brontë)
some examples are: Charlotte Lewis, Charlotte Rampling OBE, Charlotte Cooper, Charlotte Augusta, Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Charlotte Augusta Matilda, The Princess Royal, Charlotte Auerbach.
Charlotte Auerbach in English is シャーロット・アワーバック, and in German シャルロッテ・アウエルバッハ.

Ultimately it is how your way to pronounce it that matters. But the above "stable translations" are also important materials to consider. My suggestion is if they do not fit you, then it is alright to create something new and works for you. But UNLESS your way to pronounce "Charlotte" is all different from the above examples, I think it is better not to be too creative, as the standards are there for a reason (and sometimes proximity of sound is not the only factor to consider, as you are now translating the sound of one language to another. There are some special rules). Perhaps you also need people to read the katakana and associate them with a particular name without problems. Just my two cents.

Do you know how to pronounce Romanji?

シャルロッテ is Sharurotte ("te" pronounced as "teh")
シャルロット is Sharurotto
シャーロット is Sha-rotto

RO Ro (kana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
RU Ru (kana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
RE Re (kana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
TO To (kana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
TE Te (kana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

I am not in favor of any particular form and I include all the information so that you can make the best decision. Tattoo is permanent and I will feel very guilty if my suggestions lead to something regretful.

Feel free to ask questions even before the minute you get the tattoo on.

OSU!

Truly I thank you for you efforts but I think you worry too much, Charlotte Church is from the UK, pronounces her name just as we do our Charlotte's and Sony would have researched the correct, up to date pronunciation so I'm happy to go with that, unless......Does the word preceding it charge it, i.e. does her surname alter the characteristics of the first name?

I find it very typical of my little princess that all the others names were answered so swiftly and hers has been the troublesome one.

[kakatootoshi]

Dear tmd,
I think the article on Japanese Wiki suggests that the translation of "Charlotte Church" in Japan is unconventional (not using the standard English translation like most other famous British names from the examples) and cannot be used as a guide, but I think with all the above information you would be able to pick the most suitable one for your beautiful tattoo.

Once you have picked your favorite version, the design (if you are using the one supplied by Nix) needs to be adjusted too. And my last piece of advice is make sure the artist knows not all the letters are of the same size, and I have see examples some Gaijin artists fail to do so.

OSU!

[Nix]

I apologize but I am completelly busted after a long day at school, commuting and dojo. I won't find time to adjust the design tonight. Mañana!

[Nix]

NESW: Alexander - Charlotte - Sarah - Brandon

[Kansetsu]

OSU!

I'm not sure if this suggestion was mentioned before or not, but why not Find out the Meaning of the names...and then translate that Meaning to Japanese, and then utilize Kanji / Hiragana? That would look much better and would mean more i think in my opinion.

For example:

Cathrine = Pure = Jun in Japanese (i think...LOL).

OSU!