Aeris vs. Aerith

[Doc Holliday]

At first I always liked Aeris better, but lately, Aerith just looks better and sounds nicer to me



No it isn't. Aerith is the correct way to say her name. I believe that is how it is pernounced in the Japanese version...and that is where the game was made. In Advent Children it was also Aerith.

For my opinion: I never knew her real name was Aerith until a couple years ago. I always called her Aeris till then, now I think Aerith is a much better name, it sounds nicer and looks prettier.

No, Aerisu is the correct way to SAY the name.

That's all a matter of opinion, but I personally think Aerith sounds like you're trying to say "Aeris" with a lisp. And I find it awfully pompus that people called her Aeris for ten friggin years, only to change it to Aerith later. That's dumb and elitist, if you ask me.

It is very elitist, isn't it?

 

[eisprinz]

Okay, let's get things straight.

The creators wanted the name to be Aerith, because her name was meant to be an anagram of I Earth, thus showing her connection to the Planet as a Cetra.

The reason for the name Aeris is that in Japanese, there is no way to pronounce the phoneme of /th/. The closest linguistic phoneme is /s/. Notice that people who are not native speakers of English will often mispronounce the /th/ sound (e.g. French replace it with /z/, Japanese with /s/).

Thus, the Japanese kana was written: エアリス [E-a-ri-su].

When the game was translated, the localizers didn't know that the creators intended her to be called Aerith, and translated the name directly from the Japanese kana, so エアリス---->Earisu---->Aeris.

 

[Ryushikaze]

Nancy.


Between Aerith and Aeris, though, Aerith.


But really Nancy.

Addendum:

No, Aerisu is the correct way to SAY the name.

Do you also say Sefirosu?

 

[eisprinz]

I'd also like people to note that I asked you all to disregard which name came first and which name the creators intended. I solely base this poll on what people think sounded the best.

 

[JDawg]

The creators wanted the name to be Aerith, because her name was meant to be an anagram of I Earth, thus showing her connection to the Planet as a Cetra.

Earisu, according to the developers, is a Japanese translation of the English word "earth", not an anagram for "I Earth"

The reason for the name Aeris is that in Japanese, there is no way to pronounce the phoneme of /th/. The closest linguistic phoneme is /s/. Notice that people who are not native speakers of English will often mispronounce the /th/ sound (e.g. French replace it with /z/, Japanese with /s/).

Thanks for the linguistics lesson. But that does not shed any light onto why her name is Aeris.

When the game was translated, the localizers didn't know that the creators intended her to be called Aerith,

She wasn't intended to be called Aerith! What in the world makes you think that? If they translated her name from what the word was supposed to MEAN, then her name in the English verison would have been EARTH, not Aerith. Aerith is a nonsensical name with no basis. That's not how it looks or sounds in Japanese, and again, if they really wanted to literally translate her name from the intended meaning, it would have been Earth, not Aerith.


Again, her name means "Earth," but that does not mean "Aerith" is correct. There are two options: Aeris (the way it sounds in Japanese) or Earth (the English-language meaning of the name). Aerith is nonsense.

 

[Ryushikaze]

Earisu, according to the developers, is a Japanese translation of the English word "earth", not an anagram for "I Earth"

It happens to be both, actually.

She wasn't intended to be called Aerith! What in the world makes you think that?

The fact that that's her name on her original Japanese profile, as well as in Advent Children's credits, Crisis Core's Japanese promo page, etc. etc. etc.

If they translated her name from what the word was supposed to MEAN, then her name in the English verison would have been EARTH, not Aerith. Aerith is a nonsensical name with no basis.

Aeris is different how?

That's not how it looks or sounds in Japanese, and again, if they really wanted to literally translate her name from the intended meaning, it would have been Earth, not Aerith.

So, are you a supporter of Sephirosu?

Again, her name means "Earth," but that does not mean "Aerith" is correct. There are two options: Aeris (the way it sounds in Japanese) or Earth (the English-language meaning of the name). Aerith is nonsense.

Except that Aerith is sourced from the japanese editions originally.

 

[Grimoire Valentine]

She'll always be Aeris to me.

 

[JDawg]

It happens to be both, actually.

How do you figure?

The fact that that's her name on her original Japanese profile,

Care to link me?

in Advent Children's credits, Crisis Core's Japanese promo page, etc. etc. etc.

Different developers, friend.

Aeris is different how?

It's how they spelled it in the game, for starters. Second, it's the Kanji translation. Well, the Kanji translation could have been /th/ or /s/, but the point is that it doesn't make sense for it to be /th/.

So, are you a supporter of Sephirosu?

No. No more than I'm a supporter of Aerisu. I'm a supporter of Aeris. This does beg the question, however, of how they managed to figure out that Sephirosu was Sephiroth, but not that Earisu was Aerith? Doesn't that make you think that perhaps Aerith isn't the correct spelling?

Except that Aerith is sourced from the japanese editions originally.

Again, I'd like to see where, exactly. And if it was RIGHT THERE, why did the American localizers screw it up?

 

[Grimoire Valentine]

I know nothing about this but it seems that Jdawg has some good points.

 

[Ryushikaze]

How do you figure?

It IS an anagram.
BTW, they wanted it to sound like earth, not BE earth.
Otherwise, her name in kana would be 'Aasu'.

Care to link me?

http://www.ffshrine.org/ff7/nomuraart/ff7_4.jpg

http://www.square-enix.co.jp/ccff7/

Under characters.

Different developers, friend.

Nojima, Kitase, and Nomura are different people than the three people of the EXACT SAME NAME who worked on FF7? What a coincidence!
You may have gathered that I'm not buying your different developers excuse for a second.

It's how they spelled it in the game, for starters. Second, it's the Kanji translation. Well, the Kanji translation could have been /th/ or /s/, but the point is that it doesn't make sense for it to be /th/.

So, you don't know a damn thing about Japanese, do you? Her name was never in Kanji. It was an adapted word. In Katakana.

No. No more than I'm a supporter of Aerisu. I'm a supporter of Aeris.

Sephiros, then.

This does beg the question, however, of how they managed to figure out that Sephirosu was Sephiroth, but not that Earisu was Aerith? Doesn't that make you think that perhaps Aerith isn't the correct spelling?

"This guy are sick"
In case you didn't catch that, that's a no.
Sephiroth and Aerith have the exact same kana finishing their name in the japanese. Your argument for Aerith's pronunciation applies just as equally to Sephiroth.

Again, I'd like to see where, exactly. And if it was RIGHT THERE, why did the American localizers screw it up?

"Attack while the tail is up!"
"Get counterattacked!"

"Hmmm...So that's how you fooled them."
"Hmm... So that's how you'll fool them."

To say nothing of the insertion of pronouns into the final lines of the game.

 

[JDawg]

OK, well the evidence points to her official name being Aerith. Still, it sounds nothing like Earth, so I'll asume the evidence is circumstantial.

Regardless, she'll always be Aeris to me--and to most of us--because that's how it was in the game. I'm sorry, but if you tell me your name is Bob, then tell me ten years later that it's really Bart, I'm not going to stop calling you Bob.

See what I'm saying? It doesn't even matter what her name is supposed to be; her name IS Aeris in the game.

 

[Warbsywoo]

Eh, I'd just go with Aerith since there's the feminine sound to it. I may be wrong, but...

 

[Scarlet]

I like Aerith better than Aeris. Aerith is better sounding than Aeris in my opinion.

Her name is Aerith in the Japanese version. Aeris is the English translation. Oh well, not a big deal.

 

[Ryushikaze]

OK, well the evidence points to her official name being Aerith. Still, it sounds nothing like Earth, so I'll asume the evidence is circumstantial.

Actually, it sounds quite a lot like Earth from a linguistics standpoint, but that's a long aside. In any case, the tale of her name comes from Dismantling, and was echoed in the UOG, if memory serves.

Regardless, she'll always be Aeris to me--and to most of us--because that's how it was in the game. I'm sorry, but if you tell me your name is Bob, then tell me ten years later that it's really Bart, I'm not going to stop calling you Bob.

I'm not saying you can't call her Aerith. I'm just saying that's not her official name. It's like the FF6 characters. I don't care if you prefer Terra, but her prime source name is Tina.

See what I'm saying? It doesn't even matter what her name is supposed to be; her name IS Aeris in the game.

Only once you get to the naming screen, actually. If you go to the debug room at the start of the game, or go later and choose to set all names to default, her name changes to Aerith. The name code is strange, in that it stores two names for characters, their data name and the name that appears on the naming screen.
Then there are the copies in which the name in the naming screen still appears as Aerith.

 

[eisprinz]

Thanks for the linguistics lesson. But that does not shed any light onto why her name is Aeris.

Actually it does. My point is that the original name was Aerith, but since Japanese doesn't have a character to stand for the /th/ sound, they used the kana for /su/. I just figured that you were smart enough to make that connection without me spoon feeding it to you.

She wasn't intended to be called Aerith! What in the world makes you think that? If they translated her name from what the word was supposed to MEAN, then her name in the English verison would have been EARTH, not Aerith. Aerith is a nonsensical name with no basis. That's not how it looks or sounds in Japanese, and again, if they really wanted to literally translate her name from the intended meaning, it would have been Earth, not Aerith.

What makes me think she was intended to be called Aerith? Maybe because it's been said by the creators that it was their intention. Maybe because the Japanese production materials from the original game spell her name out as Aerith.

If Aerith is nonsensical, what sense does Aeris make? Aeris does not translate to Earth, by the way (romanization and translation are not the same thing). They wouldn't call her Earth because that's blatant and heavy-handed writing. Using an anagram gives it subtlety.

Again, her name means "Earth," but that does not mean "Aerith" is correct. There are two options: Aeris (the way it sounds in Japanese) or Earth (the English-language meaning of the name). Aerith is nonsense.

If Aerith is really nonsense, why do you think the creators insist on using it?

 

[Rockman X]

I like Aeris better, Aerith doesn't sound bad to me but the name just pisses me off because it seems to mostly be used by elitists who go "IT'S AERITH AND WUZ ONLI SPELLED AERIS BECUZ OF A BAD TRANSLATION!!!1!!"

Yes yes yes, we all know that they wanted the name to be "aerith" but due to japanese writing/pronunciation it was spelled "aerisu" or whatever and the translation just turned into "aeris." I don't care, i'll use either. But it's fun to use "aeris" just to piss of the elitists.

 

[eisprinz]

I like Aeris better, Aerith doesn't sound bad to me but the name just pisses me off because it seems to mostly be used by elitists who go "IT'S AERITH AND WUZ ONLI SPELLED AERIS BECUZ OF A BAD TRANSLATION!!!1!!"

Yes yes yes, we all know that they wanted the name to be "aerith" but due to japanese writing/pronunciation it was spelled "aerisu" or whatever and the translation just turned into "aeris." I don't care, i'll use either. But it's fun to use "aeris" just to piss of the elitists.

Despite the fact that I've been spending time defending "Aerith", I totally agree with your standpoint. I'll take Aeris over Aerith any day and it's hilarious that people actually get mad about it.

What's not hilarious is when people are trying to argue with incorrect facts. I still can't believe this turned into a debate when the facts are so clear.

OK, well the evidence points to her official name being Aerith. Still, it sounds nothing like Earth, so I'll asume the evidence is circumstantial.

The pictures are hard evidence. Nothing circumstantial about that.

Regardless, she'll always be Aeris to me--and to most of us--because that's how it was in the game. I'm sorry, but if you tell me your name is Bob, then tell me ten years later that it's really Bart, I'm not going to stop calling you Bob.

See what I'm saying? It doesn't even matter what her name is supposed to be; her name IS Aeris in the game.

That's how I feel. I like Aeris over Aerith because I'm used to it and think it sounds better.

But that's not what you've been arguing for the past couple posts, so don't be trying to settle this without admitting you're wrong.

 

[einlanzer]

I still can't believe this turned into a debate when the facts are so clear.

That does seem to happen a lot in this franchise.

Anyway, no argument here. Aerith is what the gods decreed. I prefer Aeris personally. In any case I never say either name out loud, so it's all about saving a keystroke for me.

 

[Rockman X]

Despite the fact that I've been spending time defending "Aerith", I totally agree with your standpoint. I'll take Aeris over Aerith any day and it's hilarious that people actually get mad about it.

What's not hilarious is when people are trying to argue with incorrect facts. I still can't believe this turned into a debate when the facts are so clear.

Aeris sounds better to me, Aerith just sounds like a bad lisp. And of all the VII things to get worked up over, Aeris/Aerith is even more ridiculous than the eternal Clerith/Cloti debate.

And I can totally believe people are arguing over it despite the facts being clear, it happens all the time as einlanzer said.

Also, keep in mind JDawg that while Aeris might be the name we all know and grew up with...many of the VII fans out there worship Nomura and anything he does, so I doubt any of them would particularly care that Aeris turned into Aerith. After all, plenty of them don't seem to notice how Cloud went from being "let's move on from Aeris's death and let her rest in peace" in the game to "omg Aerith waaaah omg visions of you cheating on me with Zack waaah" in Advent Children.

 

[eisprinz]

All I've seen is a picture. For all I know, it was doctored. I'm not saying it was, I'm just saying that I don't know for a fact that it's the truth.

True, true. Just those pictures really isn't evidence enough - I guess

What's even less hilarious is how some people turn into condescending assholes when know they're right. So what if it's her real name? I didn't go into the "debug room", whatever the hell that is, so I only (like millions of others) say "Aeris". Hell, I changed her name to "Jen" anyway! hahaha

The reason I'm being pissy is because you started off by making it seem like the name "Aerith" was stupid and that anyone would be stupid to prefer it.

Would that make you feel better about yourself, Captain Insecurity? Do you need me to admit that I was wrong, and that you were right in order for you to get to sleep tonight? Fine, don't fret your wittew head anymore. I was wrong, and you were right; the developers intended her name to Aerith.

But no matter the case, the name the American audience was shown was "Aeris". So, no matter what you say, her name to the US audience was "Aeris", not "Aerith". So whatever.

Are we done now? Has your fragile ego been soothed by my concession?

Yeah, I was being an asshole (and I apologize for it) in trying to cow you into admitting you were wrong - but I wasn't doing to because I wanted validation. I just wanted to make sure no one would try to pick up where you left off and argue with incorrect information. I started this thread, so I feel like I have to let people know the real facts of the topic.

It's not so much that I wanted you to admit you were wrong, but with you agreeing which facts are correct and which are not, the debate is officially settled and no one can try to pick it up again.

So here's my official apology for being a real dickhead to you: I'm sorry. Online debates (and over something like this) can be really stupid.

But in addition - my thread wasn't even supposed to be about which came first, or which one you're used to. It's which one you think sounds better (although I can see how being used to one version can make it sound better).