How to write your name in Japanese

[MMM]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Going by the French pronunciation of Simon, your katakana is VERY wrong. It reads like the French "name" Saimon. Vowels in Japanese and French are pretty much exactly the same (well, simple vowels are).

French "Simon" is シモン (shimon) in Japanese. Japanese names should sound (at least in the vowels) very close to the originals. I believe the accent in French "Simon" is on the "o" and not the "i." If it's the other way around (with the accent on the "i" instead), then it would be シーモン. But I think I'm right, if my limited French amounts to anything. I'm going by my knowledge of names like Simone de Beauvoir

Nagoyankee is a native Japanese speaker and he also knows French, so he'd be able to confirm/deny what I've said if he ventures into this wasteland of a thread.

Could it also be セィモン？

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by MMM

Could it also be セィモン？

No, I doublechecked my knowledge of French orthography and pronunciation on Wikipedia to make sure I'm not screwing it up. If "i" is (1) not part of a digraph like "ai" or "oi" and (2) not nasalized (i.e., part of the "in" compound like in "lapin"), it is pronounced like "ee" in English "greet."

Thus, the "i" in "Simon" should be pronounced like イ.

French phonology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
French orthography - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edit On re-reading your comment, MMM, I must confess that I'm not sure how セィ is pronounced. I read it as セイ by accident. Or are you just toying with me? I googled for セィ and it looks like it's the same thing as シ.

In any case, I'll reiterate that (and I'm sure you'd agree), that if the accent is on the "o" in "Simon" like maybe an English "see MOWN" then you don't elongate the イ. However, if it's like "SEE mown" then it would be elongated.

[Nagoyankee]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Nagoyankee is a native Japanese speaker and he also knows French, so he'd be able to confirm/deny what I've said if he ventures into this wasteland of a thread.

What you have said is correct. When the Japanese transcribe "Western" names, we go from the pronunciation of the name, not the spelling.

Some might argue that their names sound so different in Japanese, but that is because of the vast difference in the sound systems between the two languages and it cannot be helped. Your name in katakana is the closest that the monolingual Japanese person can produce. If someone cannot accept this rather simple physical fact, at least s/he won't be learning Japanese very well. Your name won't even be remembered by us unless you present it to us the way we can pronounce it. Trust me, every language works like that.

Back to how we write "Simon" in Japanese. It depends on what language the name's owner considers his name belongs in, or simply where he's from.

"Simon" as an English name: サイモン

"Simon" as a French name: シモン

Same thing occurs to another common name.

"Charles" as an English name:　チャールズ

"Charles" as a French name:　シャルル

Not that I've even visited the "names" websites mentioned in this thread, I don't think they will explain these facts to you. I wouldn't trust them if I were you. I've already seen enough names written in a funny way in the thread.

[k27]

How to write K27 in Japanese

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by k27

How to write K27 in Japanese

Like this: K27. Neither Arabic numerals nor meaningless Roman letters are changed in any way. Don't believe me? AK-47 - Wikipedia

AK-47 is written the same way in English and Japanese. There's no such thing as "translating" a single letter and a 2-digit number.

[JojoBizarre]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Going by the French pronunciation of Simon, your katakana is VERY wrong. It reads like the French "name" Saimon. Vowels in Japanese and French are pretty much exactly the same (well, simple vowels are).

French "Simon" is シモン (shimon) in Japanese. Japanese names should sound (at least in the vowels) very close to the originals. I believe the accent in French "Simon" is on the "o" and not the "i." If it's the other way around (with the accent on the "i" instead), then it would be シーモン. But I think I'm right, if my limited French amounts to anything. I'm going by my knowledge of names like Simone de Beauvoir

Nagoyankee is a native Japanese speaker and he also knows French, so he'd be able to confirm/deny what I've said if he ventures into this wasteland of a thread.

Well, I don't really know how to say my name in Japanese and with what you have written, you are very right. The accent is in the o in French but in English it's the i, so phonetically is sounds different. And you got it right with Simone de Beauvoir. Phonetically you just add the sound of the e.

So thank you very much for clearing it for me

[Cypsis]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Sienna Albert?

xD almost.. It´s Shiana Albert.. oke first name is Jaana, but it doesn´t exist in Japanese and for some reason I like Shiana more

[MMM]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Edit On re-reading your comment, MMM, I must confess that I'm not sure how セィ is pronounced. I read it as セイ by accident. Or are you just toying with me? I googled for セィ and it looks like it's the same thing as シ.

I thought it would be "see" sound (as opposed to "she") but it seems to be more like the first two letters of "safety" セィフティー

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Cypsis

xD almost.. It´s Shiana Albert.. oke first name is Jaana, but it doesn´t exist in Japanese and for some reason I like Shiana more

All names exist in Japanese. That's what katakana is for.

[Cypsis]

Originally Posted by MMM

All names exist in Japanese. That's what katakana is for.

xD it is in katakana... at least it should be... xD I don´t know how to write Jaana other way in Japanese - all pages gave me Shiana. and I like it If someone knows how to write Jaana other way, I would be glad, if that someone would help me