Pronounciation of "Bulma"?

[linkdude20002001]

I'm English too. Although maybe it's a north/south thing, since I see you're in Manchester. I'm down in Dorset, and I've never pronounced them the same. Bulb, bulk, bulge, and so on always have a slightly different sound than bull to me.

Bull sounds like the "ba" in balloon.

When VegettoEX was saying "bull-muh", he meant it with an "uh" sound. Accents are confusing. Lol. In the US, bull and bulb are pronounced bll and bllb (at least, that's what I've always heard).

[VegettoEX]

It has nothing to do with how anyone's pronouncing the "Bul" in "Bulma", and everything to do with the fact that none of us are saying "bloo" as would be approximated from her actual name instead of the "Bulma" romanization.

[Gaffer Tape]

It has nothing to do with how anyone's pronouncing the "Bul" in "Bulma", and everything to do with the fact that none of us are saying "bloo" as would be approximated from her actual name instead of the "Bulma" romanization.

Ahhh, yeah. Keep talking dirty to me!

Still, it's going to take me a while to make that transition, even though I've been lobbying for its correctness. Thankfully, at least I've usually been saying her name more or less "Buruma" (or at least "Boolma") for a while now, so that should make it a bit easier.

[Amigo Ten]

I doubt we'll ever see Bulma replaced by something else. I'm not particularly bothered that it should be either, really.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

I doubt we'll ever see Bulma replaced by something else. I'm not particularly bothered that it should be either, really.

Yeah, I agree. It's not like FUNi is going to start using "Blooma" out of no where.


While we're on that subject, has any dub actually used "Blooma"?

[linkdude20002001]

It has nothing to do with how anyone's pronouncing the "Bul" in "Bulma", and everything to do with the fact that none of us are saying "bloo" as would be approximated from her actual name instead of the "Bulma" romanization.

So, d'you think it should be written Bluma, then? That spelling kinda bothers me... The perfectionist in me demands that I use Bulma 'cause that's how Toriyama spells it... Is Bulma really that incorrect if one pronounces it boolma?

[Amigo Ten]

Well, I'd think her name was most likely just Bloomer. But it's been alphabetized as Bulma since forever by the author himself, so Bulma's good enough for me.

[Gaffer Tape]

Well, is bloomer written in kana with an elongated "a" like freezer? And is the character's name missing the elongated "a"? Seriously, I'm asking. I don't know.

But let's remember, this is asking about the pronounciation of the name, so I don't think it's fair to the original poster to delve into spelling any more than we have to. Like Mike said, it's hard to discuss the pronounciation without getting into the spelling, but I don't want us to appear rude either.

[Amigo Ten]

The character's name doesn't have an elongated "a". The word itself can go with or without it as far as I know. But Trunks and Brief are just the basic words with no twist, so I'd go with Bloomer.

If I wasn't satisfied with Bulma that is, which I am. As for pronunciation, I just pronounce it like Funi does (which, as I've said, is different from how I would pronounce bull(as in the animal)-ma).

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Well, is bloomer written in kana with an elongated "a" like freezer? And is the character's name missing the elongated "a"? Seriously, I'm asking. I don't know.

Bulma is written like this: ブルマ (buruma) and bloomers is written like this: ブルーマー (buruumaa).

[Amigo Ten]

I thought "bloomer" was just ブルマ/buruma or ブルマー/burumaa.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

I thought "bloomer" was just ブルマ/buruma or ブルマー/burumaa.

I didn't actually know myself, so I just used a translator and ブルーマー and ブルマー both came up. Not sure about ブルマ though.

[linkdude20002001]

ブルーマー, ブルマー, and ブルマ all get used in Japan. I feel like her name should be Bloomer, but to me, it's not as long as Toriyama says it's Bulma... :/

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

ブルーマー, ブルマー, and ブルマ all get used in Japan. I feel like her name should be Bloomer, but to me, it's not as long as Toriyama says it's Bulma... :/

That's the dilemma, isn't it? I could use "Bloomer", but that's too close to the pun for me and not used a lot in any official media or merchendise. And then there's the fact that Toriyama and FUNi uses "Bulma".

[Cipher]

And then there's the fact that Toriyama and FUNi uses "Bulma".

Except Toriyama doesn't know a lick of English.

This is a case where the entire world seems to have set its standard to Toriyama's Engrish.

[linkdude20002001]

That's the dilemma, isn't it? I could use "Bloomer", but that's too close to the pun for me and not used a lot in any official media or merchendise. And then there's the fact that Toriyama and FUNi uses "Bulma".

FUNi using Bulma is irrelevant. And so is Bulma being too close to the word; it is the word. Brief, Bloomer, Trunks, Bra. And Panchy?

[Gaffer Tape]

This is a case where the entire world seems to have set its standard to Toriyama's Engrish.

I really don't feel like getting back into this discussion again (transplanted from the "FR IEZA" thread, no less), but I just have to say, AHHHH. And, I'm tempted to make that my sig. And now.... voip, I disappear.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

And then there's the fact that Toriyama and FUNi uses "Bulma".

Except Toriyama doesn't know a lick of English.

This is a case where the entire world seems to have set its standard to Toriyama's Engrish.

It's just that "Bulma" is used in a lot of official merchendise and consistently in the Anime and Manga. I don't want to be contrary to that.


And I've been using "Bulma" since I became a fan and I don't wanna change.

That's the dilemma, isn't it? I could use "Bloomer", but that's too close to the pun for me and not used a lot in any official media or merchendise. And then there's the fact that Toriyama and FUNi uses "Bulma".

FUNi using Bulma is irrelevant. And so is Bulma being too close to the word; it is the word. Brief, Bloomer, Trunks, Bra. And Panchy?

Briefs, Bloomers and Panties are the words, but you do have a point. I explained why I use "Bulma" above.

[linkdude20002001]

I can understand the desire to stick with Bulma, but it doesn't make sense...
I'm going to try out Bloomer for a while. I'll probably go back to Bulma (bool-muh) after a while, but I think it would certainly be interesting to call her something more accurate for a while.

[Olivier Hague]

And then there's the fact that Toriyama and FUNi uses "Bulma".

Except Toriyama doesn't know a lick of English.
This is a case where the entire world seems to have set its standard to Toriyama's Engrish.

This is a case where you're assuming that's Engrish.

I can understand the desire to stick with Bulma, but it doesn't make sense...

Why not?