eruruw/aruruw tags?

Can I ask some rationale from whoever submitted the tag change from Eruru/Aruru to Eruruw/Aruruw? ANN (which I'd like to remind everyone is user-editable) is split on the issue, and the 'official' spelling (http://aquaplus.jp/uta/characters.html) is エルルゥ (Eruruu) and アルルゥ (Aruruu).

I've heard an 'Ainu spelling' argument (suggesting that Utawarerumono is inspired by the Ainu culture), but reading over the wiki page on the Ainu language (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ainu_language -- yes, it's also user-editable, but with stricter verification and sourcing standards than ANN) I see no special case which would suggest the use of w for ウ or ゥ using either the katakana or roman typography, so I can't see where this would follow there either.

So, this said, I'd like to propose a change: either restore the previous eruru/aruru (yes, I know it's available as an alias but I think the relationship is backward in this case), or set the tags as eruruu/aruruu, with aliases all around. I'd personally prefer the latter case as it follows with the trend of giving consideration to correct romanization.

Resources:
Utawarerumono homepage: http://aquaplus.jp/uta/
Ainu language: http://en.wikipedia.org/Ainu_language
Hepburn/MH/RH romanization: http://en.wikipedia.org/Hepburn_romanization

Edit: fixed broken parentheses.

pretty awful romanization, there.

i've always known it as eruru/eruruu and aruru/aruruu

I've studied Ainu a bit in the past. Unlike Japanese, their language allows for syllable codas (consonants at the end of their syllables), but still uses Japanese's syllabic katakana orthography when written. To make it work, codas are encoded by small versions of the other kana. So at the end of the Ainu word for their language ("Ainu itak"), they use a small "ク".

In your case ゥ would be used for a syllable final "w", which is certainly possible in Ainu phonology. My guess as to why ゥ isn't included on the chart in Wikipedia is that that section was meant to discuss the Unicode extension for Ainu, wheras ゥ is already commonly used in Japanese and didn't need extended.

I haven't watched Utawareumono, and can't tell if the Ainu argument is valid or not. But the transcription is definately valid for the language. As far as "correct romanization" goes, "Eruruw" would be more correct for the romanization of an Ainu word that ends in w, "Eruru" would be more correct for a made up Japanese word, or the romanization of an Ainu borrowing into Japanese.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ainu_language#Diphthongs talks about final ゥ, which is written w in Latin script.

Eruruw and Aruruw are right. Yume no Hikari, you earn a Monster Fail Award for looking up all that material and not noticing the answer right under your nose. :)

LaC: That still assumes the Ainu derivation is correct... and was the personal attack really necessary?

The clothing in the series is reminiscent of the traditional Ainu dress, so I'd say it's not unreasonable to say that the producers were aiming at Ainu names. Therefore final w makes sense, even if there are no actual Ainu names spelt "Aruruw" or "Eruruw".

Given the resistance I'm seeing here, it seems sensible to concede this point now, though I'm still unsold at best on the logic. There's a feature request to be had in relation to this, but that's for another thread.

yume_no_hikari said:
LaC: That still assumes the Ainu derivation is correct...

You've got it backwards. We don't think those are Ainu names because it is an Ainu-based series; rather, those clearly アイヌっぽい names (where else would you see a ルゥ?) are one of the reasons why that series is said to have an Ainu feel. Of course, the presence of other Ainu-inspired elements, such as the clothes, only strengthens the atmosphere.

and was the personal attack really necessary?

Just a friendly poke.

im still learning japanese so forgive me if i get something wrong...
anyway... arcording go the Utawarerumono Desktop Characters sold at Himeyashop.com
Leaf writes it Eruruu
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/9435/imagemagicqi8.jpg