> but there is no problem to solve.

Hasn't stopped us yet.

The ultra-pedantic problem, however, is whether "shanty/ chantey" derives immediately from English "chant," French "chantez/chanter" or English "shanty."

The evidence shows that we can reasonably rule out the last.

Spelling and pronunciation only became an issue because chantey collectors cringed when they heard landlubbers say "tchanty." But now that the "shanty" pronunciation is well established, and the songs themselves in no immediate danger of being lost forever, I think we can afford to be more tolerant.