Help required with kanji

Davaro wrote:Hi there,

I am very interested in purchasing a belt from the kodokan and would like to have it embroidered with my club name on one end and my own on the other.

Could someone please tell me what would be understood by the following to see if I have "google translated" it correctly?

最善

What would be understood by the above? Say if translated to English. Last thing I want is to have something done which is totally incorrect or meaningless to anyone that may be able to correctly read it...

Also, what would the correct symbols for my name, Dave, or David be?

Thanks in advance. Any suggestions or criticism welcomed...  Eg, would it be better to have my name done in English rather?

I once helped a friend named Hill, who insisted, despite my warning of the hazards, on using ateji (kanji for sounds) instead of katakana as normal practice, translate his business card into Japanese.

He was quite happy with the look of the characters until an educated Japanese pointed out that his last name was the ancient characters for the 'queen's hemorrhoids'.  

NBK wrote:The use of Chinese characters to spell out last names is not normal in Japan; typically only done now when a foreigner takes Japanese citizenship and can chose a name for the family registry and passport.  Chinese doesn't have the use of katakana for foreign words, so in China the custom is very different.  

I once helped a friend named Hill, who insisted, despite my warning of the hazards, on using ateji (kanji for sounds) instead of katakana as normal practice, translate his business card into Japanese.

He was quite happy with the look of the characters until an educated Japanese pointed out that his last name was the ancient characters for the 'queen's hemorrhoids'.  

(I can't imagine how that happened.... )))))

Davaro wrote:Hi there,
I am very interested in purchasing a belt from the kodokan and would like to have it embroidered with my club name on one end and my own on the other.

Stacey wrote:always wondered how Katakana handles silent letters....

Anatol wrote:Hi NBK

I once helped a friend named Hill, who insisted, despite my warning of the hazards, on using ateji (kanji for sounds) instead of katakana as normal practice, translate his business card into Japanese.

He was quite happy with the look of the characters until an educated Japanese pointed out that his last name was the ancient characters for the 'queen's hemorrhoids'.  

Funniest story I red on E Judo :-)) Great!

So I have to guess the last name: (phonetic) "nü wang dsche" 女王  痔 ?

Maybe the Japanese gentleman made only a joke, which would be a double irony ...

NBK wrote:

Stacey wrote:always wondered how Katakana handles silent letters....

if you're serious, it ignores them - it's a phonetic syllabary.  

Bordeaux => borudô => ボルドー　

if you're not serious, I don't get it....

Stacey wrote:

NBK wrote:

Stacey wrote:always wondered how Katakana handles silent letters....

if you're serious, it ignores them - it's a phonetic syllabary.  

Bordeaux => borudô => ボルドー　

if you're not serious, I don't get it....

my last name has 2 silent letters. I can always tell who's German/ic because they always pronounce them, yet if you don't even acknowledge them, then my last name becomes a concept that's easily translated into any language, and not requiring of katakana. The two letters represent the origins of the name, and therefor have significance from that side as well, so getting rid of them becomes problematic, but they aren't pronounced on this side of the pond, at least not for the last 300 years.

Yes, translation is a sticky thing, especially considering the actual meaning of the original name which has nothing to do with the current, common understanding of the name without the two silents.

See? Some names may not be adequately translated via a straight phonetic syllabry. In that case, the Roman version would necessitate usage, unless you wanted to be called something that's not quite right, or worse, get stuck with the kanji concept that represents the common usage of the word without the silents.

But then, what's in a name? A rose by any other name/ would smell just as sweet.....

Jonesy wrote:You might want to consider having your family name on the belt, not your given name...

NBK wrote: ... You can play games with the 'concepts' and pronunciation if you put your name into Japanese (Chinese) characters but most Japanese I know think that it is simply odd at best, presumptuous (or obtuse) at worst.  ...

Jihef wrote:

Jonesy wrote:You might want to consider having your family name on the belt, not your given name...

I suppose this would be the thing to do (in katakana) if you were to visit a japanese dojo.

NBK wrote:

Jihef wrote:

Jonesy wrote:You might want to consider having your family name on the belt, not your given name...

I suppose this would be the thing to do (in katakana) if you were to visit a japanese dojo.

Most foreigners I know here have their name in katakana but frankly I think it started more as an aid to the Japanese than an accommodation for the foreigners. I know any number of instructors that simply can't read western names.

And as Jonesy says it's usually family name.  

NBK wrote:Calligraphy teachers love that sort of thing. Business people hold it in much less regard, let us say. ... If you showed in Tokyo and gave me a meishi with such kanji I'd assume you live in China.

Reinberger wrote:
But he also had several seals being manufactured for me. For the hanko containing my name, sensei chose ateji. Therefore, read, they sound very similar to how my name is pronounced. Obviously, he considered that use of kanji for my name to be reasonable in that case.

Reinberger wrote:

NBK wrote:Calligraphy teachers love that sort of thing. Business people hold it in much less regard, let us say. ... If you showed in Tokyo and gave me a meishi with such kanji I'd assume you live in China.

Of course, I wouldn't use either notation with kanji on a meiji. Even so I usually don't have to do with Japanese business people, in job-related relationships at least. When my personal hanko or wariin is used, or the described obi is worn, it's always in a budō-related context.