5 ms·

> Do they actually block hiragana and katakana? If they do that's probably grounds to sue. many websites in Japan has two name field: one is kanji, another is

• Dalewyn 3y ago
  The お名前 (onamae) field is for your name as written in Japanese normally, and it should take any of kanji, hiragana, or katakana as appropriate so long as it is 全角 (full width) and the programmer didn't screw up. The フリガナ (furigana) field is to indicate how the name given above is read, because kanji can have many readings including completely arbitrary ones. This also serves to indicate how computers should index and sort the names when storing and processing them, so it's still applicable even if the name is all hiragana or katakana and immediately obvious. Furigana is also used to indicate how to read kanji in ordinary text, oftentimes when dealing with rare kanji or special readings, when the text must be comprehensible by everyone (eg: emergency bulletins), or when the text is written for people learning Japanese (eg: school textbooks). Furigana is usually written using hiragana, so the reason 全角カタカナ (full width katakana) is specified instead of just full width is to inform the form's filer that he shouldn't write hiragana like he otherwise probably would.
  • qingcharles 3y ago
    Does a lot of that come from the fact that names can use kanji outside of the common 2000+ Jōyō kanji? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C5%8Dy%C5%8D_kanji https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C5%8Dy%C5%8D_kanji Is it common to come across names using kanji outside that range? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinmeiy%C5%8D_kanji https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinmeiy%C5%8D_kanji
    • Macha 3y ago
      That's one part but another is names that use kyuujitai (pre-simplified kanji forms) or names that use unusual readings because if you're named after your father's (father's father's....) name then the pronunciation of your name might not have evolved the same way the reading of the kanji has in actual words. Also regional uses that get replaced by standardised uses in words but not names. Or someone just made it up generations ago and it caught on. Or your ancestor didn't know how to write and just picked a kanji they thought was right. Even in English this happens, look at all the variations of Robert (Rob, Bob, Robb, Robbie, Bobbie, ...) or similar names.
      • Dalewyn 3y ago
        >Even in English this happens, look at all the variations of Robert (Rob, Bob, Robb, Robbie, Bobbie, ...) or similar names. That doesn't quite grasp the magnitude. We're talking on the level of writing "Charlie" and reading it as "Alexander". Why? Because yes, that's why. Providing readings using furigana is the mechanical answer to a very human problem.
        • qingcharles 3y ago
          How do everyday Japanese deal with the problem? Do they have the furigana on their business cards? (or the katakana reading) I'm thinking.. I've only ever seen someone's name, will I make serious faux pas if I mispronounce it with the regular reading when I meet them? (this is less pronounced in English because most of the time you can tell how to pronounce it by reading it. My last name suffers from the fact there is multiple possible pronunciations, so whenever I meet someone who has never heard my name they always stumble and look at me for help)
          • Macha 3y ago
            In person, if they think you'll have to write their name: "My name is XYZ, that uses the kanji for A and B" As for business cards, yes, if they have some non-obvious reading they will have kana or romaji there somewhere. (Usage of romaji on business cards is wider than you might expect, since it's seen as kind of the equivalent of a modern sans-serif logo for a business in some circles) e.g. Card with furigana: https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstat.ameba.jp%2Fuser_images%2F20180207%2F21%2Fmtake-design%2Fb9%2F78%2Fj%2Fo1507096914127222246.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=93f75eca1eb9cfd108caeab44d8f85654687212c3cd2ea9874e8dce53c8b3cbe&ipo=images https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2F... Card with kana elsewhere: https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic-cse.canva.com%2Fblob%2F219577%2F200311coolbc10.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=ad72a78dbf2a79ebc56889031c7d66d207a6150324dd705eab123058ef8606f3&ipo=images https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2F... Card with romaji: https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fshop.aidmax.co.jp%2Fupload%2Fsave_image%2F0481-02.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=e5e231b6ff22946c5ab0556669ca2a94214e8fb0c54e5dd2ba7d592b47302190&ipo=images https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2F...
  • ytch 3y ago
    Thanks for your explanation. It reminds that the "onamae" name for Japanese people could contain hiragana or katakana. I almost forget it.
  • sgarland 3y ago
    I have an even deeper respect for people working on collations and character sets. Good LORD.