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AniDB Definition:Romanisation: Difference between revisions
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The information on this page is provided as ''guidelines'' on the use of romanised Japanese (''rōmaji'') in [[AniDB:About|AniDB]]. Please be aware that this is not an exact science, there are many viable solutions to the same problem, though when submitting [[How_to_update_or_correct_existing_entries|change requests]] on romanised titles users are expected to adhere to the 'house style' of the database. When there is contention over a particular issue, this page will provide both alternatives. External links to Wikipedia are provided throughout for ideas and terms that might be unfamiliar. | The information on this page is provided as ''guidelines'' on the use of romanised Japanese (''rōmaji'') in [[AniDB:About|AniDB]]. Please be aware that this is not an exact science, there are many viable solutions to the same problem, though when submitting [[How_to_update_or_correct_existing_entries|change requests]] on romanised titles users are expected to adhere to the 'house style' of the database. When there is contention over a particular issue, this page will provide both alternatives. External links to Wikipedia are provided throughout for ideas and terms that might be unfamiliar. | ||
== What romanised titles are for == | == What romanised titles are for == | ||
* '''Primarily''', to provide a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcription_%28linguistics%29 transcription] of the Japanese title that is ''aurally recognisable'' and ''readable'' by a user with little or no knowledge of the language. In using roman script, this is obviously targeted at speakers of European languages, however as this consitutes a majority of the poulation of AniDB users, this is a fair restriction. | |||
* ''Secondary'' purposes include enabling rough pronunciation of titles, providing an alternative method of searching for a japanese title, assisting novices in reading unfamiliar words, and clarification of the reading of a particular word or phrase where it might be ambiguous. | |||
*''Secondary'' purposes include enabling rough pronunciation of titles, providing an alternative method of searching for a japanese title, assisting novices in reading unfamiliar words, and clarification of the reading of a particular word or phrase where it might be ambiguous. | |||
== What romanised titles aren't for == | == What romanised titles aren't for == | ||
* There is no requirement to be able to reconstruct the original title from romanised form. With [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_writing_system three distinct scripts plus roman], a wide range of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophone homophones], and typographic intricacies such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furigana furigana] usage, this is beyond the scope of a 26 letter alphabet. In all cases the Japanese title should be presented as well, a romanised form is in no way a replacement for this. | |||
*There is no requirement to be able to reconstruct the original title from romanised form. With [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_writing_system three distinct scripts plus roman], a wide range of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophone homophones], and typographic intricacies such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furigana furigana] usage, this is beyond the scope of a 26 letter alphabet. In all cases the Japanese title should be presented as well, a romanised form is in no way a replacement for this. | * Further more, the romanisation need not be a lossless [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transliteration transliteration] of Japanese spelling. Though less so than English, Japanese pronunciation deviates somewhat from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoneme phonemic] spelling. As the aim is to provide an aurally recognisable transcription, it is more important to better reflect the sound than exact spelling. | ||
*Further more, the romanisation need not be a lossless [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transliteration transliteration] of Japanese spelling. Though less so than English, Japanese pronunciation deviates somewhat from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoneme phonemic] spelling. As the aim is to provide an aurally recognisable transcription, it is more important to better reflect the sound than exact spelling. | * Romanised titles do not need to provide a basis for correct Japanese [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collation collation] of titles. This is a technical problem that would be better handled correctly through its own system, and would interfere with the primary purpose of the romanisation. | ||
*Romanised titles do not need to provide a basis for correct Japanese [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collation collation] of titles. This is a technical problem that would be better handled correctly through its own system, and would interfere with the primary purpose of the romanisation. | * Romanisations need not have an 'official' status. Though both the Japanese makers and international licencees might provide a romanised title, this is irrelevant to a transcription of the japanese title - except arguably in the case of [[{{PAGENAME}}#What to do with names and invented terms|names]]. | ||
*Romanisations need not have an 'official' status. Though both the Japanese makers and international licencees might provide a romanised title, this is irrelevant to a transcription of the japanese title - except arguably in the case of [[{{PAGENAME}}#What to do with names and invented terms|names]]. | |||
= Hepburn romanisation = | = Hepburn romanisation = | ||
The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepburn Hepburn] romanisation system was devised for a Japanese–English dictionary, published in 1867. Despite having no official status, variations of it are used for a vast majority of transcriptions, both inside and outside Japan. Unlike the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%8Dmaji two other main romanisation schemes], it concentrates of representing Japanese phonology rather than the underlying spelling. | The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepburn Hepburn] romanisation system was devised for a Japanese–English dictionary, published in 1867. Despite having no official status, variations of it are used for a vast majority of transcriptions, both inside and outside Japan. Unlike the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%8Dmaji two other main romanisation schemes], it concentrates of representing Japanese phonology rather than the underlying spelling. | ||
== Table of kana romanisation == | == Table of kana romanisation == | ||
Each [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mora_%28linguistics%29 mora] represented in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kana kana] spelling of a Japanese word can be transcribed into roman letters according to the table below, with a few special cases that are listed in the following sections. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiragana hiragana] is on the left, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katakana katakana] is on the right. | Each [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mora_%28linguistics%29 mora] represented in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kana kana] spelling of a Japanese word can be transcribed into roman letters according to the table below, with a few special cases that are listed in the following sections. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiragana hiragana] is on the left, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katakana katakana] is on the right. | ||
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== Special cases == | == Special cases == | ||
Hepburn also has a few extra rules to deal with particular cases, the ones below the AniDB house style adheres to. | Hepburn also has a few extra rules to deal with particular cases, the ones below the AniDB house style adheres to. | ||
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=== Particle は as ''wa'' === | === Particle は as ''wa'' === | ||
[http://www.guidetojapanese.org/particles.html#part2 Intro to は by Tae Kim] | [http://www.guidetojapanese.org/particles.html#part2 Intro to は by Tae Kim] | ||
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=== Particle へ as ''e'' === | === Particle へ as ''e'' === | ||
[http://www.guidetojapanese.org/particles2.html#part4 Intro to へ by Tae Kim] | [http://www.guidetojapanese.org/particles2.html#part4 Intro to へ by Tae Kim] | ||
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* Common practice amoungst fansubbers | * Common practice amoungst fansubbers | ||
* Some titles including the particle へ are generally called by names romanised with 'e' by fans | * Some titles including the particle へ are generally called by names romanised with 'e' by fans | ||
:{{ | :{{a|1321|Kita e: ~Diamond Dust Drops~|北へ。 ～Diamond Dust Drops～}} also particularly resistant to using more sensible [[#Punctuation|punctuation]]. | ||
* There's not ''much'' difference between pronunciation of /he/ and /e/ | * There's not ''much'' difference between pronunciation of /he/ and /e/ | ||
=== Particle を as ''o'' === | === Particle を as ''o'' === | ||
[http://www.guidetojapanese.org/particles2.html#part2 Intro to を by Tae Kim] | [http://www.guidetojapanese.org/particles2.html#part2 Intro to を by Tae Kim] | ||
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* Common practice amoungst fansubbers | * Common practice amoungst fansubbers | ||
* Many titles including the particle を are generally called by names romanised with 'wo' by fans | * Many titles including the particle を are generally called by names romanised with 'wo' by fans | ||
:{{ | :{{a|21|Full Moon wo Sagashite|満月(フルムーン)をさがして}} | ||
:{{ | :{{a|336|Mimi wo Sumaseba|耳をすませば}} | ||
:{{ | :{{a|1072|Ace wo Nerae!|エースをねらえ!}} | ||
Discussion: [http://www.anidb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2056 2004.06] / [http://www.anidb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2063 2004.06] / [http://www.anidb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4020 2005.07] (warning: profanity) <!-- Ehehehe, kidding rows. --> | Discussion: [http://www.anidb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2056 2004.06] / [http://www.anidb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2063 2004.06] / [http://www.anidb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4020 2005.07] (warning: profanity) <!-- Ehehehe, kidding rows. --> | ||
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* May better represent pronunciation | * May better represent pronunciation | ||
* Some common words are best known with a 'tch' transcription | * Some common words are best known with a 'tch' transcription | ||
:{{ | :{{a|3083|Anime TV de Hakken! Tamagotchi|アニメ ＴＶで発見!! たまごっち}} The toys are best known as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamagotchi Tamagotchi], the spelling 'tamagocchi' not used. | ||
:{{ | :{{a|241|Touch|タッチ}} ''(tatchi)'' is a pun on たっちゃん Tat[suya]-chan, but the っちゃん ending can be used for any name. | ||
''When part of a word, always transcribe っ by doubling the following consonant'' | ''When part of a word, always transcribe っ by doubling the following consonant'' | ||
* Once less rule to remember | * Once less rule to remember | ||
* Some common words are best known with a 'cch' transcription | * Some common words are best known with a 'cch' transcription | ||
:{{ | :{{a|242|Futari Ecchi|ふたりエッチ}} [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecchi Ecchi] has been borrowed back into English, and almost always spelt with the 'cch' - though this particular title is arguably just 'Futari H'. | ||
=== っ when exclamation === | === っ when exclamation === | ||
Commonly either given as an exclamation mark or just dropped, the former is preferable. | Commonly either given as an exclamation mark or just dropped, the former is preferable. | ||
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* The っ as suprise/intonation marker is broadly equivalent to an exclamation mark | * The っ as suprise/intonation marker is broadly equivalent to an exclamation mark | ||
* !! is っ! is ! semanticly, typography isn't important for transcriptions | * !! is っ! is ! semanticly, typography isn't important for transcriptions | ||
:{{ | :{{a|27|AA! Megami-sama!|ああっ女神さまっ}} | ||
:{{ | :{{a|3144|Tsuruhime Ja!|つる姫じゃーっ!}} | ||
''Discard っ at the end of a word in transcription'' | ''Discard っ at the end of a word in transcription'' | ||
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=== ん before vowels as ''n''' === | === ん before vowels as ''n''' === | ||
Accepted. | Accepted. | ||
== Deviations from Hepburn == | == Deviations from Hepburn == | ||
These are rules in Hepburn that the AniDB house style does not follow, for reasons given. | These are rules in Hepburn that the AniDB house style does not follow, for reasons given. | ||
=== Macron usage for long vowels === | === Macron usage for long vowels === | ||
Accepted. | Accepted. | ||
=== ん before labial consonants as ''m'' === | === ん before labial consonants as ''m'' === | ||
Accepted. | Accepted. | ||
== Loanwords in Japanese == | == Loanwords in Japanese == | ||
{{missing}} | |||
=== Spell in original language where possible === | === Spell in original language where possible === | ||
{{missing}} | |||
=== What to do with wasei eigo terms === | === What to do with wasei eigo terms === | ||
{{missing}} | |||
=== What to do with names and invented terms === | === What to do with names and invented terms === | ||
{{missing}} | |||
= Other orthography issues = | = Other orthography issues = | ||
{{missing}} | |||
== Spacing == | == Spacing == | ||
Separate each 単語 and 助詞. | Separate each 単語 and 助詞. | ||
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== Capitalisation == | == Capitalisation == | ||
Use an initial capital letter for 単語. | Use an initial capital letter for 単語. | ||
== Punctuation == | == Punctuation == | ||
{{missing}} | |||
= Practical guide = | = Practical guide = | ||
{{missing}} | |||
[[Category:Guidelines]] | |||
[[Category:Guidelines]] [[Category:Definitions]] | [[Category:Definitions]] | ||