Pairing names.

[elwen]

Mm, so it was pointed out to me that I sound really "sad" in all of my entries about studying lately, so I thought I should make clear that, while I do have a rather bleak outlook on the whole thing, it's not really affecting my sanity in general.

To prove it, I thought I'd make a post that I've been pondering for a while...

What I always wonder is, how do people come up with pairing names, specifically the ones that combine the two characters' names, and how do other people become aware of them? I've slowly picked up more and more, largely thanks to iconfiend100, but the process in general is still beyond me.

For example, all of the pairing names I've seen so far make perfect sense, but none of the ones I've tried to come up with on my own are any good at all.

Ones I've seen:
Shinkumi = Shin + Yankumi
Ishihime = Ishida + Orihime
Sorashi = Sorata + Arashi
Hemuloki = Heimdall + Loki
(and many more that I can't think of right now)

One's I've attempted: (don't laugh . . . too hard)
Subaru + Seishirou = Sushirou? Susei? Seibaru? It just doesn't work... @_@
Ayumu + Hiyono = Ayono? Hiyumu? Hiyomu?
(and many more that I don't want to think about right now)

On a related note, I have a similar question regarding the Japanese-style short names for anime series. Americans tend to prefer letter abbreviations like RK or KGNE, whereas Japanese fans do it by syllable like RuroKen and KimiNozo (for Rurouni Kenshin and Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, respectively). Sometimes I feel like I understand the rule, but then there are some bizarre exceptions like Kokumono for Saiunkoku Monogatari. And generally you use two syllables, but then there are ones like MaLoki.

So, yeah. Just random linguistic-ish ponderings of mine.

Ironically, the decision to post this now was actually inspired by a pairing name that isn't even a combination of names and thus doesn't really interest me: Elricest. *shudder* Name aside, the concept is all kinds of wrong.

ETA: (3/6/07) I figured out one of them! Subaru + Seishirou = Subashirou. XD

Comments

[ling84.livejournal.com]

I went to a "Women in Academia" talk one night, and one of the profs there was from Law. She said that the first year's supposed to be a pain, but from there on out it gets much better when you finally get to pick classes for yourself ... so hang in there. Grad school's chewing us all up. :)

[grey-damaskena.livejournal.com]

Hallo-- got your response, but not your email. My hotmail account is working, I dunno what happened to it . . . you can try me on gmail, though. WhettedKnife@gmail.com. Depending on what you're interested in, though, I might not be able to get it before I have to leave for the States on Friday . . .

[ctrl-a.livejournal.com]

Uh... I guess I should have replied here, too, to let you know that I resent the message to gmail. My email is freaksvarietyshow@yahoo.com, 'case it got screened out or something.