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ArchivesMizi/Mitsiko?
(This is my first time posting a message on the message board, so I hope I've done it right)
Yesterday my mom and I were talking about my Opa's U.S military service back in WW2. He was stationed in Japan, which I had known previously, but I didn't know that a Japanese girl had fallen in love with him. Long story short, the girl's name was Mitsiko (pronounced Mih-TSEE-koh). I'm pretty sure this isn't a Japanese name because the Japanese don't have a 'Tsee' sound, but my mom swears it is. Apparently in collage my mom also had a half Japanese friend who's mother's name was Mitsiko who told her that it was a very common name.
Is this an actual name, or just a mispronunciation of Mitsuko?
Yesterday my mom and I were talking about my Opa's U.S military service back in WW2. He was stationed in Japan, which I had known previously, but I didn't know that a Japanese girl had fallen in love with him. Long story short, the girl's name was Mitsiko (pronounced Mih-TSEE-koh). I'm pretty sure this isn't a Japanese name because the Japanese don't have a 'Tsee' sound, but my mom swears it is. Apparently in collage my mom also had a half Japanese friend who's mother's name was Mitsiko who told her that it was a very common name.
Is this an actual name, or just a mispronunciation of Mitsuko?
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Replies
You're right about the devoiced "u" in certain environments. Mitsuko can sound like "Meets-ko", but it wouldn't sound like mi-TSEE-ko, which is how the OP said her grandfather and mother were saying the name.
There is no "tsi" or "tsee" sound in Japanese.
There is no "tsi" or "tsee" sound in Japanese.
This message was edited 10/14/2010, 11:43 AM
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Not what I was saying....
I'm saying that if the Japanese person said it but the OP's relatives misheard it, it may have sounded like Mitsiko to them.
I'm saying that if the Japanese person said it but the OP's relatives misheard it, it may have sounded like Mitsiko to them.
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You are correct. There is no "Mitsiko" or "Miziko" in Japanese nor is it a possible combination of sounds.
I think it is very likely that your Opa misheard either Mitsuko or Michiko. (In certain transcription systems which were formerly common but not much used any more, Michiko is written Mitiko, so it's also possibly that he saw the name written this way and misinterpreted it). Mitsuko and Michiko were both very common names during WWII and for some decades thereafter.
I think it is very likely that your Opa misheard either Mitsuko or Michiko. (In certain transcription systems which were formerly common but not much used any more, Michiko is written Mitiko, so it's also possibly that he saw the name written this way and misinterpreted it). Mitsuko and Michiko were both very common names during WWII and for some decades thereafter.
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