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Does laputa have any relevance to the spanish meaning?

So the answer is no, it isn't meant to have any connection with the Spanish phrase meaning "the whore"

The name "Laputa" (in the Japanese, originally written as ラピュタ, "Rapyuta") was probably borrowed for its exotic sound, from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.

Quote:

The name "Laputa" (in the Japanese, originally written as ラピュタ, "Rapyuta") was probably borrowed for its exotic sound, from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.

No, it was borrowed because in Gulliver's Travels, the floating city of Laputa was a home of great technology and such that used it to extort the masses. Laputa is supposed to be Laputa of Gulliver.

At the risk of nudging this thread entirely off topic, I'd like to point out that nearly every pair of languages has some subset of words which are innocuous in one of the languages, but sound dirty in the other language.

English-speaking visitors to Denmark often get a laugh out of the legend on the elevators, where it says: "In use". You see, the Danish phrase is: "I FART".

Similarly, a Thai acquaintance of mine whose name is Porntip, was teased mercifully during a stay in the U.S.

So, Laputa can be read as a dirty word in Spanish. In fact, it's even possible that the name originally invented by Swift took its inspiration from the Spanish phrase (which Swift would certainly have been familiar with - satirists pick up on these things).

So what? In this case, it's just a name.

Sword of Whedon wrote:

No, it was borrowed because in Gulliver's Travels, the floating city of Laputa was a home of great technology and such that used it to extort the masses. Laputa is supposed to be Laputa of Gulliver.

I disagree - I don't think Miyazaki intended for this Laputa to thought of as the very same one which existed in Swift's story. When I say "borrowed for its exotic sound", I mean: instead of a Japanese-sounding name. Naturally, Miyazaki borrowed an exotic name which was more or less applicable.

I disagree - I don't think Miyazaki intended for this Laputa to thought of as the very same one which existed in Swift's story. When I say "borrowed for its exotic sound", I mean: instead of a Japanese-sounding name. Naturally, Miyazaki borrowed an exotic name which was more or less applicable.

abunai wrote:

Sword of Whedon wrote: No, it was borrowed because in Gulliver's Travels, the floating city of Laputa was a home of great technology and such that used it to extort the masses. Laputa is supposed to be Laputa of Gulliver. I disagree - I don't think Miyazaki intended for this Laputa to thought of as the very same one which existed in Swift's story. When I say "borrowed for its exotic sound", I mean: instead of a Japanese-sounding name. Naturally, Miyazaki borrowed an exotic name which was more or less applicable.

To abunai: Rewatch it at 17:22, where spoiler[Pazu told Sheeta about how his father took the picture of Laputa and the story behind it. Pazu even mentioned Gulliver's Travel and Swift's name.]

There is a bit more in common between Swift's Laputa and Miyazaki's Laputa than just the name. They are both floating cities with advanced technology, bordering on magic in Miyazaki-sama's version. There seems to be some disagreement on where Swift got the word, it is possible it was meant to be "the whore," perhaps conecting it to some sort of "Babylon the Great" or others point out that "put" was a common term of the day for dolt or idiot. Today we inherit the word "putz." If that was the case then it would mean that the "scientific" city of laputa was actually filled with idiots, conforming to Jonathan Swifts rather disparaging view of science.

After dinner my company withdrew, and a person was sent to me by the king's order, attended by a flapper. He brought with him pen, ink, and paper, and three or four books, giving me to understand by signs, that he was sent to teach me the language. We sat together four hours, in which time I wrote down a great number of words in columns, with the translations over against them; I likewise made a shift to learn several short sentences; for my tutor would order one of my servants to fetch something, to turn about, to make a bow, to sit, or to stand, or walk, and the like. Then I took down the sentence in writing. He showed me also, in one of his books, the figures of the sun, moon, and stars, the zodiac, the tropics, and polar circles, together with the denominations of many plains and solids. He gave me the names and descriptions of all the musical instruments, and the general terms of art in playing on each of them. After he had left me, I placed all my words, with their interpretations, in alphabetical order. And thus, in a few days, by the help of a very faithful memory, I got some insight into their language. The word, which I interpret the flying or floating island, is in the original Laputa, whereof I could never learn the true etymology. Lap, in the old obsolete language, signifies high; and untuh, a governor; from which they say, by corruption, was derived Laputa, from Lapuntuh. But I do not approve of this derivation, which seems to be a little strained. I ventured to offer to the learned among them a conjecture of my own, that Laputa was quasi lap outed; lap, signifying properly, the dancing of the sunbeams in the sea, and outed, a wing; which, however, I shall not obtrude, but submit to the judicious reader.

- from the Project Gutenberg edition of Gulliver's Travels (emphasis in dark red is mine)

So, if Sheeta is an orphan, how did she support herself before she met Pazu?