Current location:travel >>
VOX POPULI: Ruling may be near on how to best romanize Japanese
travel6284People have gathered around
Introduction“It is hoped that the entire Japanese public opinion will calmly and wisely judge and act from the b ...
“It is hoped that the entire Japanese public opinion will calmly and wisely judge and act from the broad perspective of Japan in the world.”
This appeal was made 71 years ago by Masao Onishi, then president of the Phonetic Society of Japan, in The Asahi Shimbun’s op-ed section.
At that time, a heated debate was raging over which of two ways to romanize Japanese should be adopted, with the “Kunrei” camp pitted against the “Hepburn” faction.
The history of this controversy dates to the Meiji Era (1868-1912).
The Hepburn system, developed by James Curtis Hepburn, an American missionary who came to Japan at the end of the Edo Period (1603-1867), is designed to represent Japanese pronunciation in an English-language style.
On the other hand, around the time of the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), a chorus of voices arose arguing that a system more closely aligned with the Japanese phonetic system that systematically shows the 50 sounds in the Japanese syllabary was more suited for the Japanese, leading to the development of the Kunrei system.
After Japan’s defeat in World War II, the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, led by the United States during the occupation of Japan, called for the adoption of the Hepburn system, causing the conflict between the two factions to be ideologically charged.
The Kunrei system proponents argued that the Hepburn system was not internationalism but a continuation of the occupation policy, while the Hepburn camp countered that the Kunrei system represented misguided patriotism.
Aiming to establish a unified way of romanizing Japanese, the government decided in a Cabinet Notification in 1954 on the use of the Kunrei system, in principle.
This is also the system taught to elementary school students in their Japanese language classes.
It seems this notification is about to be revised.
A draft report recently published by the Council of Cultural Affairs pointed out that the Hepburn system is more widely used than the Kunrei system, and it is expected that the notation will be adjusted to reflect this.
It is surprising because the writing system has not changed for about 70 years, but if confusion can be avoided, the change is to be welcomed.
In the digital age, romanized Japanese is used to input words on smartphones and personal computers.
The Kunrei-style “zya” is longer than the Hepburn-style “ja,” but conversely, “tu” is shorter than “tsu.”
A faster and more comprehensible way is clearly preferred.
Can a “calm and wise” conclusion be reached this time?
--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 25
* *
*Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Stellar Scope news portal”。http://guadeloupe.arnoldview.org/content-97b199893.html
Related articles
'The Apprentice,' about a young Donald Trump, premieres in Cannes
travelCANNES, France (AP) — While Donald Trump’s hush money trial entered its sixth week in New York, an o ...
【travel】
Read moreJoel Embiid stars with 23
travelJoel Embiid spearheaded the Philadelphia 76ers in a one-point win over the Miami Heat in Wednesday's ...
【travel】
Read moreFire in truck carrying lithium ion batteries leads to 3
travelCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Authorities evacuated an area of Ohio’s capital, Columbus, for several hours o ...
【travel】
Read more
Popular articles
- Nuggets blow 20
- Browns' draft still affected by Deshaun Watson trade. Team without first
- Dropping the ball: Jags hope to end decades of ineptitude when it comes to drafting receivers early
- Mother charged in death of 14
- Jessica Biel CHOPS her long locks into a bob after book signing in Studio City
- The Arizona Coyotes are officially headed to Salt Lake City
Latest articles
Elon Musk gets approval from FDA to implant his Neuralink brain chip into a second patient
Trump hush money trial: Jury selection follows familiar pattern with an unpredictable outcome
Armenian victims group ask International Criminal Court to investigate genocide claim
The Titans go into the NFL draft flexible at No. 7 with lots of needs to fill
Mystery artist who erected signs comparing pothole
Zimbabwe frees prisoners, including those sentenced to death, in an independence day amnesty
LINKS
- China guides college graduates in supporting western development
- New art space integrates art with technology
- UN report gives cautiously optimistic near
- Soulful singer Michael McDonald looks back in his new memoir, 'What a Fool Believes'
- Bank of America trader, 25, dies suddenly 'of a cardiac arrest' during work event
- I caught a Ryanair flight and saw so many people making the same £46 mistake
- Wolf and Bakrar each score a goal, NYCFC beats Red Bulls 2
- Russia warns to intensify attacks on Western arms storage in Ukraine
- Bell hits tying homer as Marlins score 4 in 9th off struggling Díaz and rally past Mets 10
- Hong Kong to hold historical French fashion exhibition