Kanji to Hiragana/English Question (日本刀じないです）

[Justin Grant]

おはようございます、

 

I need to convert 種田 山頭火 into hiragana or English. The name is Taneda Santoka, with a long O in Santoka. My question is, if I spell this out in English, it is Santouka or just Santoka? The kanji 頭 is unknown to me, so I am not sure of it's spelling.

 

This is for my Zen Buddhism class and I need to write a paper on this monk. My teacher is Japanese and a stickler for proper spelling of Japanese names in English.

 

Many thanks!

 

Justin

[cabowen]

Here it is in hiragana:

 

たねだ　さんとうか

 

Taneda Santōka (o with the macron) seems reasonable. Perhaps ask your instructor what he prefers. Some can be quite anal about it.

[Justin Grant]

Thanks Chris! Typing his name a million times in a 15 page paper with the macron would be time consuming, so I will use the Santouka in the English rendering.

 

Thanks a bunch!

[cabowen]

Thanks Chris! Typing his name a million times in a 15 page paper with the macron would be time consuming, so I will use the Santouka in the English rendering.

 

Thanks a bunch!

 

 

You are welcome...No cut and paste?

[Drago]

We learned "ou" instead of "ō" in Japanese - our teacher was Japanese too. Both work if you use the Hepburn system.

 

I think what's most important is that you only use one style and only one romanization system - and that consistently.

[cabowen]

That's the problem, there are several different approaches to the romanization of Japanese:

 

"The three main ones are Hepburn romanization, Kunrei-shiki Rōmaji (ISO 3602), and Nihon-shiki Rōmaji (ISO 3602 Strict). Variants of the Hepburn system are the most widely used."

 

That is why I mentioned asking the instructor which he prefers.

[Drago]

True.

 

Btw: Cut+paste is one way. But you can also set autocorrect/autoreplace. Might be faster.

[Justin Grant]

Thanks all!

 

Cut and Paste would be a lot of time, and like most older adults that return to college, I am waiting until the last minute to do my paper!

 

I just received an email form the Professor and Santouka is perfect.

 

ありがとうございます！