Curious language poll!

[timepiececlock]

[Poll #560506]

If you want to discuss why below, I'd love to hear from you!

I have spoken to some people who pronounce "Naruto" like "Na-ROO-toh", whereas I've always pronounced it "NAR-oo-toh", with the emphasis (& the r ) on the first sound. I wondered why, but then I realized that I got it from the show. When I watched it, I hear "NAR-oo-toh", not "Na-ROO-toh". So I've wondered how others pronounce it, and if so, are they watching the anime or just reading the manga?

Comments

[linaelyn.livejournal.com]

just passing through on friendsfriends...

I pronounce them all as if they were english transliterations of japanese words. I took 10 weeks of Japanese in high school (MANY moons ago) as an elective, and the words don't "sound" right to my inner ear unless the follow traditional Japanese pronunciation.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I think I do a mix of that. Certain stuff, like "Evangelion", I have to pronounce as if they were English because I can see/hear the English root word, or in this case it simply *is* an English word, with somewhat peculiar conjugation. It strikes me as silly to pronounce an English word with a Japanese mispronunciation simply because it's used in the title of a Japanese show/series/manga. The Japanese people who chose to use that word know it's not Japanese, I know it's not Japanese, and the viewers/readers know it's not Japanese. On the other hand, I've heard people give English words like that a Japanese pronunciation because they want to distinguish it as being specific to that manga or anime series as opposed to common use of the word.

For actual Japanese words/names/titles, for me it seems to depend on how I get introduced to it and how easy it is to "say". I find "ann-ih-may" easier and swifter to say aloud than "ahn-ee-may". On the other hand, I learned the word "manga" as "mahn-gah" not "mang-a", so that's how I pronounce it. Naruto I pronounce based on what I've actually heard in the subs, which means any of my listening biases that filter sounds probably affected how I pronounce that.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_ri/]

Me living in a German country and all have it easier to pronounce it more the Japanese way (though many here also tend rather towards Na-ROO-toh, though not with a rolled r). As for Evangelion I didn't not vote, as it's a combination between the two selections: Eh-van-geh-leon, with a hard g. Anime would be ah-nee-meh.

[settiai]

like the fruit "mango"

That's how I pronounced manga until a little over six months ago, mainly due to the fact that everyone I knew always said it that way.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Huh. What made you change?

[settiai]

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure. It was just a gradual shift, and I'm really not sure what started it.

[slacker-97.livejournal.com]

I more than likely butcher the proper pronunciation of these words. But I think it's more a matter of being lazy than trying. For example, if they are names I must read over and over again, I'll try to put some kind of effort in saying the name (in my mind) the way I might hear them had I watched the ah-nee-may. But while reading the Nah-ro-too mahn-ga (which on occasion sounds like mango) I find myself taking the time to read out a lot of the jutsus and names like Gaara and Kakashi.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I like names like Gaara and Kakashi... there's very limited ways to pronounce them. In fact, I think there's only one way to pronounce Kakashi.

I often skip the names of the jutsus, but sometimes I slow down and enunciate them. Especially if they sound a lot like another jutsu.

[donna-c-punk.livejournal.com]

I'm curious about the pronounciation of Naruto's name myself. I'm hesitant to tell my friends to watch the series on television because I don't know how to say it! GAH! I AM SO STOOPED.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I've mostly just heard it from the anime, and to my ears it sounds like "NAR-oo-toh", with the na and r sounds blurring together separately from the oo sound. But I know the Japanese generally don't stress syllables like English does, rather they pronounce every syllable with the same stress, so either way the tendency to stress "Nar" or to stress it as "roo" is probably making it sound accented. But when I hear it, it definitely sounds like "Nar-oo-toh" to me, not "Nah-roo-toh", as I've seen some people at Fanime con or ocassionally comic stores pronouncing it. But being that I watch more anime and read more manga than most people in comic books stores, I long ago stopped considering that a reliable source of pronunciation.

I'm curious how they're going to pronounce it in the dub. Once the dub is out, I'm sure this question will be moot, since it'll set an English standard and the actors will be given pronunciation instruction/direction as part of the translation process.

I have a hunch that my way is the right way... but then again who doesn't?

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Your compliments to me in the other thread are making me blush! I'm really glad I've met you as an online friend too! You're as talkative and prolific with your LJ posts as I am, we have similar tastes and can rec each other with confidence, and you're so generous!

Also, I have to tell you, you've broadened my anime horizons too because I would have taken one look at the art for the Monte Cristo anime and said "no way in hell." Instead I have the whole frellin' series sitting on my harddrive awaiting my eager eyes.

[donna-c-punk.livejournal.com]

It's all true! I know I broke the rules, but who cares about that Anonymous stuff? If I like people, I'm gonna put my name to it. I save the bitchy commentary for Anonymous. Just kidding. No, I'm not.

Now you must watch Gankutsuou and join us. ;) I have mad love for that series/story in general.