GLOSSARY

Shakespeare’s name in Japanese

Shakespeare’s name has been written in at least twenty different ways since he was first mentioned in Japanese in 1841, although that number is small compared to the hundred or so English variants. In the Meiji era (1868-1912), Shakespeare was given his Chinese appellation 沙翁, pronounced ‘Saō’ (or ‘Shaō’), a combination of two characters meaning ‘sand’ and ‘old man’. Nowadays, he is usually called シェイクスピア, pronounced ‘Shei-ku-su-pia’.

Japanese titles of Shakespeare’s works

Vowels are short except where indicated as long with macrons. A Midsummer Night's Dream is nowadays called Natsu no yo no yume (A Summer Night's Dream), although the pre-war Manatsu no yo no yume (A Midsummer Night's Dream) is also sometimes used. Likewise, the pre-war translation of The Tempest as Arashi (The Storm) is also still used.