A question for someone fluent in Japanese.

[garrisonchisholm]

So, playing a Japan game, I created a CA class of 3 ships.  Their names are Izumo, Iwate, and Azuma.  Now to my Anglo-thinking mind these three names have some poetic symmetry.  They all have 3 syllables, a similar cadence off the tongue, and seem to suggest (to me) a beginning middle and end with their similar sounds.

But my question is, to a native Japanese speaker to these thee names have the same synchronicity?  To a Japanese mind what ship names "go together' to the ear and mind?

[oldpop2000]

Jun 9, 2019 11:09:20 GMT -6 garrisonchisholm said:

So, playing a Japan game, I created a CA class of 3 ships.  Their names are Izumo, Iwate, and Azuma.  Now to my Anglo-thinking mind these three names have some poetic symmetry.  They all have 3 syllables, a similar cadence off the tongue, and seem to suggest (to me) a beginning middle and end with their similar sounds.

But my question is, to a native Japanese speaker to these thee names have the same synchronicity?  To a Japanese mind what ship names "go together' to the ear and mind?

Izumo is a city located in Shimane Prefecture, Iwate is a prefecture and Azuma was the old name for  eastern Japan now called Kanto and Tohoku. 

[hmssophia]

Jun 9, 2019 11:09:20 GMT -6 garrisonchisholm said:

So, playing a Japan game, I created a CA class of 3 ships.  Their names are Izumo, Iwate, and Azuma.  Now to my Anglo-thinking mind these three names have some poetic symmetry.  They all have 3 syllables, a similar cadence off the tongue, and seem to suggest (to me) a beginning middle and end with their similar sounds.

But my question is, to a native Japanese speaker to these thee names have the same synchronicity?  To a Japanese mind what ship names "go together' to the ear and mind?

We mispronounce japanese words in English, generally using the wrong stresses. I-zoo-moe is actually i-zuh-moh with a deeper and shorter O sound. So they are not nearly as similar to a native speaker.

[Antediluvian Monster]

Izumo and Azuma are somewhat similar but Iwate isn't really. You could search for pronunciation guide for kana syllabry to see how they are pronounced (Japanese is highly regular is this regard, unlike English) or put the kanji characters of the name (wiki should have them) to google translate text to voice for somewhat acceptable result.

[shota]

I am Japanese.
I do not understand English very much.

I'm participating using Google Translate.

put the kanji characters of the name (wiki should have them) to google translate text to voice for somewhat acceptable result.

↑ I agree. It sounds quite accurately.
Below are the names of the ships on the agenda, the names of the three ships, and the Japanese battleship in kanji.
(Can not be displayed depending on the browser ...)

Izumo　出雲

Iwate　磐手

Azuma　吾妻

戦艦　battle ship

大和　yamato

武蔵　musashi

長門　nagato

陸奥　mutsu

伊勢　ise

日向　hyuga

扶桑　fuso

山城　yamashiro

Kanji(=Chinese characters=漢字)
The kanji was used to mark the actual Japanese Navy vessels.
The current RTW2 can not display kanji.
Can you display kanji in the sense of expressing a historical flavor, would not lead to making the game interesting?

What do you think? I would like to hear your opinion.

If you can use kanji in RTW2, above all Japanese, I and the Japanese should be very happy.

[garrisonchisholm]

Thank you for interjecting! I will ask about foreign language support, at the moment I'm not sure where our conversations left off.

As far as my original question, I am gathering that any 'symmetry' I perceive in those 3 names in particular exists only in my own mind. :]
Thank you everyone for helping me answer this question.

[shota]

Jun 9, 2019 22:14:44 GMT -6 garrisonchisholm said:

Thank you for interjecting! I will ask about foreign language support, at the moment I'm not sure where our conversations left off.

As far as my original question, I am gathering that any 'symmetry' I perceive in those 3 names in particular exists only in my own mind. :]
Thank you everyone for helping me answer this question.

I'm sorry if I made a mistake because it is a google translation.
... Symmetry of the name of the ship.
Since there is a standard of symmetrical ship name, it introduces.

There are three eras of Japanese ship name standards.
The first is roughly before the Russo-Japanese War
Second, after the Russo-Japanese War
The third is roughly after the Washington Convention

First, before the Russo-Japanese War, B and CA are the names of mountains

Second, after the Russo-Japanese War
BB is the name of the prefecture (pre-empire was the country)
BC is the name of a mountain
Cruiser is the name of the river

Third, after the Washington Convention
BB is the same.
BC integrates with BB
Name of mountain to CA (The treaty type CA is the name of the river. It will be longer if you talk in detail.
CL is the name of the river

The Washington Peace Treaty has created many exceptions.
For example, while CV Akagi was made as BC, it was changed to CV and the name of the mountain. CV Kaga was BB, so the name of the country.
etc

I got an opportunity to learn history by virtue of the RTW series. It is a foreign battleship. I am grateful.

[mycophobia]

Jun 9, 2019 22:14:44 GMT -6 garrisonchisholm said:

Thank you for interjecting! I will ask about foreign language support, at the moment I'm not sure where our conversations left off.

As far as my original question, I am gathering that any 'symmetry' I perceive in those 3 names in particular exists only in my own mind. :]
Thank you everyone for helping me answer this question.

Here is a Chinese speaker who have studied Japanese for sometime but by no means expert.

I can say that from a rhyming perspective, Izumo and Azuma does kind of "rhyme" when pronounced in Japanese, but I cant speak for how strongly a native Japanese speaker would feel the 'symmetry'. Iwate doesn't sound as symmetric as the other two to me.

Since most of Japanese ship names are based off rivers, mountains and provinces, the 'symmetry' in the sound of their names tends to be coincidental. In English terms it will be like "Carolina" and "Alabama" kinda rhymes but there really is no strong symmetry between the two terms besides they are both States of USA. Though there are intended symmetries in the naming conventions as well, -Kazes (-Winds) are common to later Japanese DDs that name themselves after weather patterns. The earlier Mutsuki class all follow the -tsuki format that follows archaic names for the different months of the year. Shokaku/Zuikaku is another good example of this, being Soaring/Auspicous Cranes respectively. 

Perhaps due to my Chinese background but I tend to see symmetry in Japanese ship names based on their Kanji characters. (Even though meaning, pronunciation and symmetry can be quite difference between the language.)

To bring things back to your original question, I think of the three names, at least Izumo/Azuma does sound 'symmetric', but I cant say the same for Iwate. I don't think they have any symmetry from a naming scheme or meaning perspective tho. 

[shota]

Symmetry was used in such a nuance.

Japanese proper nouns are often represented by two kanji characters, which I think are often three or four sounds. For example, it also includes the last name of a person's name.
In other words, it is a temperament familiar to Japanese people.
In that sense, I would like to confirm that it is symmetry.
The three mentioned for pronunciation are symmetry.
The number of vowels may also be affecting. Japanese has only 5 sounds. Do you have 30 sounds in English?

I hope it will be a better game.

Mr. mycophobia
I think in the opinion only of Chinese people who share the meaning of kanji.
I'm glad there are people who are interested in Japan. I am also very interested in Chinese pronunciation as well as English. Not studying but lol

[mycophobia]

Jun 10, 2019 16:18:58 GMT -6 shota said:

Symmetry was used in such a nuance.

Japanese proper nouns are often represented by two kanji characters, which I think are often three or four sounds. For example, it also includes the last name of a person's name.
In other words, it is a temperament familiar to Japanese people.
In that sense, I would like to confirm that it is symmetry.
The three mentioned for pronunciation are symmetry.
The number of vowels may also be affecting. Japanese has only 5 sounds. Do you have 30 sounds in English?

I hope it will be a better game.

Mr. mycophobia
I think in the opinion only of Chinese people who share the meaning of kanji.
I'm glad there are people who are interested in Japan. I am also very interested in Chinese pronunciation as well as English. Not studying but lol

Thanks for the clarification, as I said I am far from good with Japanese so I probably cant catch most nuances in the language. 

And yes, "Symmetry" is used in a very nuanced way here, in fact now Im not even that sure what it means here in this discussion

English have the same 5 vowels, but unlike Japanese they do get pronounced more differently more often. 

As for Chinese, if you just type in Kanji, I feel most Chinese nowadays watched enough Japanese shows to know what you are talking about