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Old 2008-02-20, 17:40   Link #46
Vexx
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 66
Actually, neither is entirely correct. In Japan, her name is "ほろ” which in Standard Romaji would be rendered "Horo". Those japanese syllables that correspond to standard "r_" syllables have a sound that doesn't exactly exist in English. It uses a combination of "l", "r" and "d" mouth positions. I might write it in Katakana ... except that "Horo" is an Ainu word for "Wolf" and therefore not an import name.

Saying "Holo" wouldn't be too far off but less close than saying "Horo" while rolling the "r" a bit (and throwing a bit of "d" into it).

WRITING her name as "Holo" would be incorrect by Standard Romaji methods (there are no symbols for "L*"), but it certainly doesn't stop some people from doing so (including a certain Japanese graphic artist who didn't do so well in school methinks).

Conclusion is that you could certainly write "Holo" but you'd only confuse many people and make Japanese instructors glare at you.
How you *say* "ほろ” depends on how well you handle the last sound

Here's a specific counter-example or two: One of our posters uses the nickname "Risaa" "Ri-sa-a" (リサア) which is a Japanese interpretation of the English name "Lisa". My name, "Vexx" is a real trauma to try and Nihongo-fy as 3 of the four letters have no direct correspondence to the Japanese syllable list. (Be-ke-tsu???? ick!)
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Last edited by Vexx; 2008-02-20 at 17:54.
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