XPost: rec.arts.anime.misc   
   From: usenet-2007@planetcobalt.net   
      
   In rec.arts.anime.misc sanjian  wrote:   
   > Ansgar -59cobalt- Wiechers wrote:   
   >> In rec.arts.anime.misc Phil  wrote:   
   >>> I know from the Japanese standpoint, it's just romaji - using Roman   
   >>> characters to transliterate Japanese.  The 'official' system is   
   >>> (Shin-)kunreishiki which corresponds to the Japanese syllabary but   
   >>> is not always phonetic.   
   >>   
   >> Both romanization systems are known here, but I believe Hepburn is   
   >> the most commonly used one, because it's a transcription system   
   >> rather than a mere transliteration system like Kunrei.   
   >   
   > How are those different?   
      
   Transliteration from transcription? Transcription takes pronounciation   
   into account, whereas transliteration is merely expressing glyphs from   
   one script with glyphs from another script. Basically transliteration is   
   a superset of transcription.   
      
   IMHO you can see that pretty good if you compare Kunrei-shiki to   
   Hepburn-shiki. The former focuses on the homology of the consonant/vowel   
   combinations, whereas the latter focuses on the pronounciation of the   
   kana.   
      
   >>> Many people, however, use modified Hepburn which is much more   
   >>> phonetic (from an English speaker's standpoint) but doesn't match up   
   >>> as well to the Japanese syllable table.  The Hepburn system was   
   >>> designed by an English speaker.  Kunreishiki was designed from the   
   >>> perspective of Japanese speakers and thus should be apply equally to   
   >>> English and German speakers.   
   >>>   
   >>> Despite its 'official' status and being taught in schools, the   
   >>> government of Japan still uses Hepburn for place names, train, and   
   >>> road signs.  Most people would not recognize Mount Fuji in   
   >>> kunreishiki - Mount Huzi.   
   >>   
   >> That's the problem with transliteration systems: they don't   
   >> necessarily take pronounciation into account. Which is why I prefer   
   >> Hepburn. There are some phonetic mismatches WRT german language, but   
   >> all in all it's far better readable than Kunrei, especially if you   
   >> have some prior knowledge in English (which is true for most   
   >> Germans).   
   >   
   > I should hope so, considering our language is a derivative our German.   
      
   Both languages may have common roots, but they don't really have much in   
   common nowadays. So knowing German does not give you any knowledge in   
   English. Most Germans do, however, learn English as their first foreign   
   language, usually starting in 5th grade.   
      
   cu   
   59cobalt   
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