Segoe Kensaku/ Discussion

Bill: I actually met him in his late 70s, without knowing who he was, this friendly old man. Later I bought one of his books that had his picture in it and recognized him. The Tesuji Dictionary, which he wrote with Go Seigen, gives the pronunciation of his name as Segoshi, which I take to be correct.

exswoo:I think you misread the furigana on his name. The Nihon Ki-in website states his name as Segoe Kensaku. To add a translation note, name translations are very tricky in Japanese and since both readings are possible from his kanji (瀬越憲作) , this error is understandable.

Bill: Nope, the furigana are Segoshi. Do you have a URL for his Nihon Kiin reference?

DaveSigaty: Interesting! I have a copy of the 7th printing (1978-02-28) where the furigana is Segoe. Is your copy earlier or later than mine, Bill? Bill: 1975-05-01. Further evidence that Segoshi was an error. Exswoo: It's http://www.nihonkiin.or.jp/lesson/knowledge/history08.htm, right by "Nihon Ki-In no Saiken (Re-birth of the Nihon Ki-in)"

Bill: Thanks! Nice picture, too. :-) I reckon Seibundo Shinkosha is more likely to have made a mistake than the Nihon Kiin. ;-)

AndrewGrant: As I understand it, his name was Segoshi then he changed it to Segoe. This was just a change in pronunciation, as has been mentioned before the kanji are identical. Alternatively, there's a story I once heard, which I'm not sure I believe, that his name was Segoshi but he wrote it as Segoe by mistake when signing his name in western fashion. Apparently he had been told that the relevant kanji could be written either as "goshi" or "goe", and, not understanding the Roman alphabet, he chose the wrong one.