[aidoru] shinsekai yori (from the new world) - glossary of terms

Shinsekai Yori (From the New World) Glossary by Aidoru Translations 1

Glossary of Terms in Shinsekai Yori (From the New World) Chapter 1 & 2

護摩壇護摩壇護摩壇護摩壇 "Gomadan" (Noun)

Homa altar.

Literally, "altar of the holy fire (Homa)" in Buddhist terminology.

真言真言真言真言／／／／マントラマントラマントラマントラ "Shingon/Mantora" (Noun)

Mantra

Buddhist terminology for words that invoke spiritual transformation.

Shingon Buddhism is one of the mainstream schools of Buddhism in Japan.

筑波山筑波山筑波山筑波山 "Tsukuba-san" (Noun)

Mount Tsukuba

This is a real mountain in southern Ibaraki prefecture that rises above the

surrounding landscape. Its shrine is considered to be one of the oldest in the

region.

神栖神栖神栖神栖 "Kamisu" (Noun)

Kamisu

This is a real city in Ibaraki prefecture.

郷郷郷郷 "Sato" (Noun)

Hamlet

Small settlements, of which Kamisu Town 66 is one.

注連縄注連縄注連縄注連縄 "Shime-nawa" (Noun)

Festoon

Shinto terminology for sacred straw festoons.

紙垂紙垂紙垂紙垂 "Shide" (Noun)

Paper chains

Shinto terminology for the paper chains hanging from sacred straw festoons.

渡辺瑞穂／杉浦敬渡辺瑞穂／杉浦敬渡辺瑞穂／杉浦敬渡辺瑞穂／杉浦敬 "Watanabe Mizuho / Sugiura Takashi"

The names of Saki’s parents. Although legal, there is no custom of having

different surnames among spouses in current-day Japan.


八丁標八丁標八丁標八丁標 "Hacchou-jime" (Noun)

The Ropes

Obscure Shinto terminology. "Hacchou" refers to a certain length, "Shime

(Jime)" refers to sacred straw festoons (decorated ropes).

"Hacchou-jime" is an obscure terminology for one specific type of the sacred

straw festoons used in religious contexts, such as for marking off borders in

Shinto shrines or lining the streets during festivals.

In-universe, the term is treated in a more symbolic sense, hence the

translation.

化けネズミ／バケネズミ化けネズミ／バケネズミ化けネズミ／バケネズミ化けネズミ／バケネズミ "Bake-nezumi" (Noun)

Goblin Rat

Literal translation. The former form of the written word is used when Saki's

father first mentions the creature, and its mix of Kanji and Katakana follows

the rules of regular usage when affixing an adjective to a noun, with 化け

and ネズミ usually being written in that way.

The latter form of the written word, used throughout the rest of the book,

follows the rules of binomial nomenclature in the Japanese language.

風船犬風船犬風船犬風船犬 "Fuusen-inu" (Noun)

Balloon Dog

Literal translation.

悪鬼悪鬼悪鬼悪鬼 "Akki" (Noun)

Demon

Buddhist terminology. Literally, "Evil monster (Oni)".

業魔業魔業魔業魔 "Gouma" (Noun)

Deed-devil

Buddhist terminology. Shorthand for the concept of bad deeds getting in the

way of the path to enlightenment, metaphorically represented by an evil

creature.

祝霊祝霊祝霊祝霊 "Shukurei" (Noun)

Celebratory spirits



猫騙し／ネコダマシ猫騙し／ネコダマシ猫騙し／ネコダマシ猫騙し／ネコダマシ "Neko-damashi" (Noun)

Faker-cat

Literally, "cat deceiver". Originally an obscure Sumo terminology for a rare

move usually translated as the "clapper", involving the wrestler clapping

loudly to distract the opponent at the start of the match.

The former form of the written word is used when Saki's father first mentions

the creature, and its mix of Kanji and Katakana follows the rules of regular

usage when affixing an adjective to a noun, with 猫 and 騙し usually being

written in that way.

The latter form of the written word, used throughout the rest of the book,

follows the rules of binomial nomenclature in the Japanese language.

不浄猫不浄猫不浄猫不浄猫 "Fujouneko" (Noun)

Fell-cat

Literally, "Cat of Impurity". This is the term used by adults to refer to the

creature that children refer to as "Nekodamashi", or "Faker-cat" (see above).

呪力呪力呪力呪力 "Juryoku" (Noun)

The Force / Force powers

"呪い" when read as "majinai" refers to a charm/spell/incantation with

magical properties; whereas, when it is read as "noroi", it refers to a curse.

On the other hand, "力" means "power" or "force". Hence, "呪力" as a word

can mean anything from "sorcery" to "evil powers" depending on context.

However, we have decided to use "the Force / Force powers" for our

translation of this term in this particular book for the following reasons:

1. The powers are implied to be distinct from anything "magical" and

not conflicting with the science fiction theme;

2. The powers are a specific physical phenomenon - a 'force' -

equivalent to the concept of psychokinesis;

3. There is no notion of good or bad inherent in the power or its

usage

4. No incantation is required for its use.

松風の郷松風の郷松風の郷松風の郷 "Matsukaze-no-sato" (Noun)

Pine-wind Hamlet



茅輪の郷茅輪の郷茅輪の郷茅輪の郷 "Chinowa-no-sato" (Noun)

Cogon-ring Hamlet

Literal translation. Shinto terminology.

"茅" refers to the species Imperata cylindrica, a tall perennial grass commonly

known as the cogon grass, among other names. A large ring made from the

cogon grass is used during the annual Summer Exorcisms at Shinto shrines,

during which people climb through it in order to cleanse themselves of

accumulated evils.

白砂の郷白砂の郷白砂の郷白砂の郷 "Shirasuna-no-sato" (Noun)

White-sands Hamlet


水車の郷水車の郷水車の郷水車の郷 "Mizuguruma-no-sato" (Noun)

Water-wheel Hamlet


見晴の郷見晴の郷見晴の郷見晴の郷 "Miharashi-no-sato" (Noun)

Lookout Hamlet


黄金の郷黄金の郷黄金の郷黄金の郷 "Kogane-no-sato" (Noun)

Golden Hamlet


櫟林の郷櫟林の郷櫟林の郷櫟林の郷 "Kunugibayashi-no-sato" (Noun)

Oak-woods Hamlet

Literally, "Hamlet of the Woods of the Chestnut Oak".

利根川利根川利根川利根川 "Tone-gawa" (Noun)

Tone river

A real river, with its mouth in Kamisu. Its drainage basin covers a large part of

the Kanto region.


家路家路家路家路 "Ieji" (Noun)

"Going Home".

The name of a song, it is an adaptation of the second movement of Antonín

Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 in E Minor "From the New World", with lyrics

originally written by William Arms Fisher and very liberally translated into

Japanese in the pre-war era.

The song is the subject of nostalgia in Japan due to the melody being played

over loudspeakers from school buildings at dusk, urging those still staying after

school to go home. The lyrics in this translation are not Fisher's version but a

translation of the commonly known Japanese version as presented in the

novel.

ミノシロミノシロミノシロミノシロ "Minoshiro" (Noun)

Minoshiro

Section 1, Chapter 6 of the book states several possible etymologies, with

possible derivations being:

a. 蓑代衣蓑代衣蓑代衣蓑代衣 "mino-shiro-goromo", or "clothes used in place of straw

raincoats";

b. 蓑蓑蓑蓑 "mino"＋白＋白＋白＋白 "shiro", or "Straw raincoat" + "White";

c. 霊の代霊の代霊の代霊の代 "mi-no-shiro", or "object said to contain a soul" (from the

belief that spirits of the dead dwell within objects);

d. 海の社海の社海の社海の社 "mi-no-shiro", or "shrine of the sea" (since they usually

live on land but return to the sea to lay their eggs);

e. 美濃城美濃城美濃城美濃城 "mino-shiro", "Mino Castle" (because when they meet an

enemy, they raise their tail-end reminiscent of the fish gargoyles that

adorned the main keeps of ancient castles, although this theory has

become unpopular ever since Nagoya Castle, said to have been

famous for its fish gargoyles, was found to have been located in the

adjacent region of Owari, not Mino)

f. 三幅四郎三幅四郎三幅四郎三幅四郎 "mino shirou" (三幅 refers to a length three times that

of a cloth used to make a kimono, at approximately 108 centimeters),

g. 巳の四郎巳の四郎巳の四郎巳の四郎 "mi-no-shirou", "Shirou the snake" (since the many

tentacles that move around look like snakes).

It is noted as probably being a direct descendant of a certain species of sea

hare (clade Aplysiomorpha).


ミノシロモドキミノシロモドキミノシロモドキミノシロモドキ "Minoshiro-modoki" (Noun)

Faux-minoshiro

Literal translation. See "Minoshiro" on the previous page.

和貴園和貴園和貴園和貴園 "Waki-en" (Noun)

Waki-en

This is a school, named for a part of the Japanese constitution of 604 AD (the

first Constitution of Japan), said to have been authored by Prince Shōtoku.

The section of the constitution literally means "Harmony is to be valued".

Literally translated, this would be "Harmony School".

友愛園友愛園友愛園友愛園 "Yuuai-en" (Noun)

Yuuai-en

Literally "Friendship School".

徳育園徳育園徳育園徳育園 "Tokuiku-en" (Noun)

Tokuiku-en

Literally "Moral Education School".

三羽烏三羽烏三羽烏三羽烏 "Sanba-garasu" (Noun)

Triumvirate crows

Although implied to be an in-universe creature, the actual word is an idiomatic

expression for a trio of experts or geniuses.

茅の巣作り／カヤノスヅクリ茅の巣作り／カヤノスヅクリ茅の巣作り／カヤノスヅクリ茅の巣作り／カヤノスヅクリ "Kayanosuzukuri" (Noun)

Thatcher

In-universe creature.

Literally, "maker of nests using grasses and reeds used as roofing material".

追儺追儺追儺追儺 "Tsuina" (Noun)

The Exorcism

A traditional driving-out of evils, done on the last day of winter in the

traditional lunar calendar at Shinto shrines.

The ritual has been modified in this novel.

[aidoru] shinsekai yori (from the new world) - glossary of terms

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