Re: Universal iconic language - (was - Sanskrit as computer programming language)?

From: Steve Schafer (see_at_reply.to.header)
Date: 07/09/04 

Date: Fri, 09 Jul 2004 14:27:17 GMT

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 11:00:14 +0900, Alex Shinn <foof@synthcode.com>
wrote:

>Usually they will know, and if not at least have an idea, much like you
>would expect asking an American how to pronounce an obscure English
>word.

Again, my experience runs counter to this. The people I talked to
wouldn't even hazard a guess as to the pronunciation of unfamiliar
kanji--the necessary context just wasn't there.

At train and subway stations throughout Japan, the signs that display
the names of the stops are always in kanji, kana and romaji. It's
obvious that the romaji is there for the benefit of us gaijin, but if
kanji-literacy is so high, then why the kana?

-Steve

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