PadDONski
Member
Lapras' English name is merely a casualty of translation error from its Japanese name, Rapurasu, which could have been intended to translate as Laplace. In the Japanese language, the sounds for "R" and the sounds for "L" are not separate as they are in English, both sounds sharing the same set of symbols. Therefore, translation of these symbols is up to the translator to decide if it should be an "L" or an "R" sound. Also, in Japanese, sounds involving the English use of the letter "C" would be formed using the symbols from the "S" category, again, leaving it up to the translator to decide how that symbol is to be translated into English. Therefore, both translations, Lapras and Laplace, are technically correct, though obviously, the original meaning is lost if the English spelling is skewed. Logically, it makes sense if we translate the name as Laplace, as this may be a reference to Pierre-Simon Laplace, a mathematician who wrote several books on the mathematical properties of the sea and tides, or also from the French word la place, referring to how passengers sit on its back like a seat to be ferried across bodies of water. Its Japanese name might also be a combination of references, as it could be derived from Lapis, a bright blue gem.
