How is となりのトトロ supposed to be perceived in Japanese?


How is the title of the well-known cartoon となりのトトロ supposed to be perceived in
Japanese?

What is the device behind the トトロ? Is it alliteration, word-play or something
else?




Mei, the main character in the movie, has a tendency to mispronounce words.

**「トトロ」** is a mispronunciation of the word **「トロル」** or **「トロール」** , meaning
**"troll"** — which _may_ refer to the antagonist of the classic children's
story "The Three Billy Goats Gruff".

Sources:

[From Nausicaa](http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/totoro/faq.html#what)

[From EN Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Neighbor_Totoro#cite_note-5)




Mei, the main character in the movie, has a tendency to mispronounce words.

**「トトロ」** is a mispronunciation of the word **「トロル」** or **「トロール」** , meaning
**"troll"** — which _may_ refer to the antagonist of the classic children's
story "The Three Billy Goats Gruff".

Sources:

[From Nausicaa](http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/totoro/faq.html#what)

[From EN Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Neighbor_Totoro#cite_note-5)

