グランチェスタ

English translation: Granchester

18:33 Mar 7, 2021
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics / Adaptation of English surnames in Japanese
Japanese term or phrase: グランチェスタ
Hello! This word in question, is an English surname from a Japanese novel, written by Keiko Nagita, based on a 70's Japanese manga written by the same author. Her novel, Candy Candy The Final Story has been translated already in Italian, French and Spanish.

However, there is a discrepancy between English surnames as they are given in the manga and how they are translated to the various novel versions. So I wonder if any of the native Japanese translators could give their opinion on how this surname
(グランチェスタ) is translated correctly in English. Would you say that it is Granchester, Grandchester or Grantchester?

The manga and the novel have a cult fan following all around the world, and this discrepancy drives the fans crazy. So I wonder if you could help with an added expert opinion. Thank you very much in advance!
eleni sakka
Local time: 05:20
English translation:Granchester
Explanation:
I am not a native Japanese speaker, but since nobody else has answered yet, I will post something.

As you may already know, the katakana string "グランチェスタ" works out to "gu-ra-n-che-su-ta" and would be romanized as "guranchesuta" (though nowadays most Japanese people would lengthen the "ta" at the end of the original by writing "ター", as this (https://www.dream-01.com/about-us/) café in Komaki does, resulting in "guranchesutā").

Japanese don't distinguish between the "r" sound and the "l" sound in English, so in theory this could be not just "Granchester" but also "Glanchester".

I think that almost any Japanese person would reflexively transliterate "Grandchester" as "グランドチェスター" (gu-ran-DO-che-su-tā) and "Grantchester" as "グラントチェスター" (gu-ra-n-TO-che-su-tā), both of these having one kana more than the form you give.

Incidentally, a comment from 2015 at http://selftaughtjapanese.com/2015/12/02/japanese-to-english... gives the following, for whatever it may be worth:

“While working closely with the author during the translation, Kappalab was able to correct a few long-standing “translation errors” concerning the names of the characters. According to Nagita, Terry’s official name is “Terence G. Granchester”, not Terrence Grandchester as previously published in both japanese and foreign translations. Also, the correct surname and spelling of Albert is “Ardlay”, not Ardley, Andrew, or Andrei. Instead of “Iriza Legan” in the italian version, it’s “Eliza Lagan”. And “Sister Maria” is really “Sister Lane Roach”!”
Selected response from:

Mark Pleas
Japan
Local time: 14:20
Grading comment
First validated answer (validated by peer agreement)



Summary of answers provided
3 +3Granchester
Mark Pleas


  

Answers


7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Granchester


Explanation:
I am not a native Japanese speaker, but since nobody else has answered yet, I will post something.

As you may already know, the katakana string "グランチェスタ" works out to "gu-ra-n-che-su-ta" and would be romanized as "guranchesuta" (though nowadays most Japanese people would lengthen the "ta" at the end of the original by writing "ター", as this (https://www.dream-01.com/about-us/) café in Komaki does, resulting in "guranchesutā").

Japanese don't distinguish between the "r" sound and the "l" sound in English, so in theory this could be not just "Granchester" but also "Glanchester".

I think that almost any Japanese person would reflexively transliterate "Grandchester" as "グランドチェスター" (gu-ran-DO-che-su-tā) and "Grantchester" as "グラントチェスター" (gu-ra-n-TO-che-su-tā), both of these having one kana more than the form you give.

Incidentally, a comment from 2015 at http://selftaughtjapanese.com/2015/12/02/japanese-to-english... gives the following, for whatever it may be worth:

“While working closely with the author during the translation, Kappalab was able to correct a few long-standing “translation errors” concerning the names of the characters. According to Nagita, Terry’s official name is “Terence G. Granchester”, not Terrence Grandchester as previously published in both japanese and foreign translations. Also, the correct surname and spelling of Albert is “Ardlay”, not Ardley, Andrew, or Andrei. Instead of “Iriza Legan” in the italian version, it’s “Eliza Lagan”. And “Sister Maria” is really “Sister Lane Roach”!”

Mark Pleas
Japan
Local time: 14:20
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
First validated answer (validated by peer agreement)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  HeriListon
48 mins

agree  Kevin Schreiber
4 days

agree  Elena Kharlamova
20 days
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