Lallation
Lallation (ラレーション)[1] is a process by which the English phonemes "R" and "L" are incorrectly substituted for one another. Lallation is a common issue when native Japanese speakers use English. When Ace Combat games are localized from Japanese to English, the letters "R" and "L" tend to be incorrectly substituted in names of units and locations.
Description
Languages spoken worldwide, including English, tend to have two liquid consonants: one lateral and one rhotic. To English speakers, lateral consonants sound like the English "L", whereas rhotic consonants sound like the English "R". This is exemplified in the words led and red.
The Japanese language, however, only has one liquid consonant that is traditionally romanized as "R" but can also be romanized as "L", depending on the phonetic context. This leads to Japanese speakers having difficulty discerning between the English "R" and "L", since they sound very similar.
The slang term Engrish is derived from the lallation process (the "L" in "English" being replaced by "R").
Ace Combat
Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere
The names of the R-531 Mobura and the UI-4052 Cralias are lallations of Mobula and Clarias, respectively. Mobula is a genus of ray fish, and Clarias is a genus of catfish, following the game's naming convention for fictional aircraft after fish (R-101 Delphinus #1, etc).
Connection For Flight Interface was incorrectly spelled as "Connection For Fright Interface" on a lore page for New Space Order -Link of Life-, part of the United Galaxy Space Force continuity.[2]
Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies
The crater next to Farbanti is referred to by in-game dialogue as "Ryker Crater" (レイカークレーター).[3] The maps of Strangereal released afterward changed the crater's name to "Laker Crater".[4][5] Technically, both are incorrect, since the proper translation of the Japanese レイカー would be "Raker".
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War
The name of Galm Team is a lallation of Garmr, the guardian of Hel's gate. Ace Combat: Joint Assault is the only game since to change the unit's name to "Garm".
The Ruchs Transport Unit should have been named "Luchs Transport Unit". In keeping with Belka's similarities to the German language, "Luchs" is German for "lynx".
Directus was initially displayed as "Dilectus" in Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War briefing maps. Since both words are real Latin participles, it's unclear which spelling would have been correct.
During the mission briefing for "The Final Overture", the briefing officer names the operation as "Operation Bloom". However, the in-game name for the operation is Operation Broom. It's unclear which spelling would have been correct.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy
The ACE COMBAT 3D: CROSS RUMBLE Original Soundtrack features a track incorrectly titled "Zone of Endress". It plays during the player's first encounters with Zone of Endless.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
"Aulick Bay"[6] was initially displayed as "Aurick Bay" in Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War briefing maps. "Aurick" is correct, since it is a real German name.
References
- ↑ "Cowboys and Japanese". The New York Times. Published on 8 March 1988. Retrieved on 31 August 2018.
- ↑ http://www.newspaceorder.com/linkoflife/world/minsyu_geo.htm
- ↑ Siege of Farbanti, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ File:Strangereal Map.jpg.
- ↑ File:Strangereal Map AC7.jpg.
- ↑ https://youtu.be/lgyqYq80PW0
