Blast from the Past: Transcription Styles in Older Works

Index » The Japanese language

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Reply #1 - 2009 October 01, 11:21 am
woodwojr Member
From: Boston Registered: 2008-05-02 Posts: 530

So I've been sick the past few days, during which time I finished reading ぼくらの (well, the bits that have been released as tankoubon) and started in on AKIRA.

Man, have things changed since 1982. Kanji use is distinctly heavier throughout than in more modern manga, but in particular I found it interesting that まで is written as kanji 迄 throughout (it's curiously given furigana once, not even close to the first time it appears—presumably it has some other reading I don't know about that could have been appropriate there). 云 actually sees some play.

Anyone else notice any significant differences in older-but-not-that-old works?

~J

Reply #2 - 2009 October 01, 5:15 pm
yukamina Member
From: Canada Registered: 2006-01-09 Posts: 761

I wonder if it's stylistic? I was reading a new manga that took place in older times and the kanji usage was very different. Assumably how people wrote at that time. Of course target audience will make a difference too.

Reply #3 - 2009 October 01, 7:08 pm
woodwojr Member
From: Boston Registered: 2008-05-02 Posts: 530

It's not impossible, but I doubt it; the setting, on the off-chance you're not familiar with it, is slightly futuristic (2019, or 27 years from date of first publication), so it's not reflecting any real past period.

The kanji are also used by street hoodlums, so it's not indicating refined gentry, either.

~J

Last edited by woodwojr (2009 October 01, 7:08 pm)

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Reply #4 - 2009 October 02, 4:25 pm
Fillanzea Member
From: New York, NY Registered: 2009-10-02 Posts: 534 Website

I don't think I've ever seen that in a manga -- and I've read a fair few manga from the 1970s, shoujo stuff by Ikeda Ryoko and Hagio Moto. But AKIRA is targeted at an older audience, who would no doubt recognize those kanji from their literature classes. I've seen that kanji usage, but mostly in pre-war literature like Mori Ogai and Souseki.

The author may be doing it to sound Literary. wink

Last edited by Fillanzea (2009 October 02, 4:26 pm)

Reply #5 - 2009 October 03, 9:38 am
strugglebunny Member
From: Okachimachi Registered: 2007-11-10 Posts: 139 Website

I've actually seen that kanji at a shop here in Takadanobaba. It's not dead yet!

Reply #6 - 2009 October 03, 11:09 am
Jarvik7 Member
From: 名古屋 Registered: 2007-03-05 Posts: 3946

迄 isn't a rare kanji.. It's on signs all over the place here in Nagoya.

Reply #7 - 2009 October 03, 12:13 pm
woodwojr Member
From: Boston Registered: 2008-05-02 Posts: 530

Is it in place names, or are they actually using it for standard words?

~J

Last edited by woodwojr (2009 October 03, 12:16 pm)

Reply #8 - 2009 October 03, 12:53 pm
Jarvik7 Member
From: 名古屋 Registered: 2007-03-05 Posts: 3946

For standard words: Eg: Breakfast served until(まで) 10am.

Reply #9 - 2009 October 03, 2:32 pm
woodwojr Member
From: Boston Registered: 2008-05-02 Posts: 530

Huh. Maybe it's local, or maybe it's just in contexts that I only would have had an opportunity to see back when I wouldn't have been able to identify it.

Thanks.

~J

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