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Dirtyblue929 Since: Dec, 2012
2020-03-18 00:42:06

This may be down to subtitling issues. In my experience Netflix's subtitles for anime are based on direct translations of the Japanese script rather than the actual text of the dub script, leading to differences between what is spoken and what is written (the most blatant I've seen is in Aggretsuko, whose dub makes heavy use of woolseyisms that aren't reflected in the subs)

In this particular case it sounds as though the character's name is supposed to be Louis, but the subs are using a direct transliteration of the Japanese spelling - the Japanese language famously does not have a way to express the "L" sound. I know that the character Leo in Ghost Stories was in a similar situation; he was clearly supposed to be an American named Leo but it was spelled and spoken as "Reo" in the original Japanese version.

Edited by Dirtyblue929
SebastianGray (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
2020-03-18 04:57:53

In addition to ^, after a quick search, the official English translation of the manga seems to use Louis and the series was a manga first.

Edited by SebastianGray
crazysamaritan MOD Since: Apr, 2010
2020-03-18 10:53:38

Add a mention of this to Spell My Name With An S on the work page and make sure the character is otherwise spelled "Louise".

Link to TRS threads in project mode here.
RallyBot2 (Elder Troper)
2020-03-18 11:02:52

^^ If the manga came over first, that means the anime is the more recent translation (and the one we should use.)

This is fairly likely just the subtitles using literal transliterations for everything. If that's the case, we stick to Louis.

Edited by RallyBot2
SamCurt Since: Jan, 2001
2020-03-18 11:15:26

^ I'm not sure. While for translated names there's the "most recent official name" guideline, I don't know how it interacts with the more general rule that the source media takes precedence over the derivative.

While I do not think we need a rigid, bright-line rule on this, but a specific thread on the appropriate forum (and which one?) is ripe just to discuss this rule and its specific applications. As a (mainly) anime troper, field guidance on this rule is frequently needed.

Scientia et Libertas | Per Aspera ad Astra Nova
SebastianGray (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
2020-03-18 11:24:15

Also both the anime and the manga are curranty still being released (I think) with their own spellings so they are technically both the most recent translation.

HighCrate Since: Mar, 2015
2020-03-18 11:53:30

I'm not sure. While for translated names there's the "most recent official name" guideline, I don't know how it interacts with the more general rule that the source media takes precedence over the derivative.

The "most official recent name" thing is not an official rule, just one of those informal things that people tend to repeat any time the subject comes up. I've never heard of any "source media takes precedence over derivative" rule.

Attempts to actually codify a coherent, consistent policy have always ended in tears.

Edited by HighCrate
crazysamaritan MOD Since: Apr, 2010
2020-03-18 13:58:24

Attempts to actually codify a coherent, consistent policy have always ended in tears.
True, but "we require usage of the official name of the work" is policy, and that means if the name of the work changes, we move the page to the official name of the work.

Link to TRS threads in project mode here.
SamCurt Since: Jan, 2001
2020-03-18 14:09:56

^^ It's not my wish to codify such rules beyond what is already written. What I think is some case-by-case guidance. This is not Wikipedia.

Scientia et Libertas | Per Aspera ad Astra Nova
WarJay77 (Troper Knight)
2020-03-18 14:14:13

I think the "most recent name" thing is just because it's assumed the most recent translation is the new official translation, so in keeping in line with the one rule Crazy points out, we need to account for the possibility that, if the official translation changes...

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bwburke94 (Y2: Electric Boogaloo)
2020-03-18 17:52:37

^^^^^ There are two ongoing translations, but saying "they're both more recent" would create a world of trouble.

This is a bog-standard dueling translations case.

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rjd1922 Since: May, 2013
2020-03-18 21:05:27

It's pronounced Louis, spelled that way in the manga, and obviously meant to be Louis, so we should leave it there.

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