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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 [[ | 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 [ | * '''Primarily''', to provide a [[Wikipedia:Transcription (linguistics)|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 constitutes a majority of the population 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 [ | * There is no requirement to be able to reconstruct the original title from romanised form. With [[Wikipedia:Japanese writing system|three distinct scripts plus Roman]], a wide range of [[Wikipedia:Homophone|homophones]], and typographic intricacies such as [[Wikipedia: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 [ | * Further more, the romanisation need not be a lossless [[Wikipedia:Transliteration|transliteration]] of Japanese spelling. Though less so than English, Japanese pronunciation deviates somewhat from the [[Wikipedia: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 [ | * Romanised titles do not need to provide a basis for correct Japanese [[Wikipedia: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 licensees might provide a romanised title, this is irrelevant to a transcription of the Japanese title - except arguably in the case of [[ | * Romanisations need not have an 'official' status. Though both the Japanese makers and international licensees might provide a romanised title, this is irrelevant to a transcription of the Japanese title - except arguably in the case of [[#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 [ | 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 [[Wikipedia:Rōmaji|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 [ | Each [[Wikipedia:Mora (linguistics)|mora]] represented in the [[Wikipedia: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 [[Wikipedia:Hiragana|hiragana]] is on the left, [[Wikipedia:Katakana|katakana]] is on the right. | ||
Table adapted from [ | Table adapted from [[Wikipedia:Hepburn romanization|wikipedia article on Hepburn]]. Obsolete kana are shown in <font color=red>red</font>. | ||
{{:AniDB Definition: Romanisation/Table}} | {{:AniDB Definition: Romanisation/Table}} | ||
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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 [ | :{{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 [[Wikipedia: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. | :{{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.'' | ||
* One less rule to remember. | * One 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}} [ | :{{a|242|Futari Ecchi|ふたりエッチ}} [[Wikipedia: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 === |