[EVA] Rei's Anatomy [off-topic]

[Zhou Tai An]

>## They are called "rubi", or "furigana". They all indicate the supposed
>## pronounciation of the kanji. *However* sometimes the pronounciation
>## is deliberately different from the kanji. This is used to mean a 
>## situation when the spoken words may not be clear enough in the context.
>## For example, the furigana might say "he", but the kanji might be, say,
>## "Shinji Ikari". That clears up the reference.

Interesting. I didn't know that.

>## The reason why there are furigana in this manga is because the manga
>## is considered as a shonen manga - a manga for the youngsters (though
>## many adults also read them). Both shonen manga and shojo manga 
>## usually write the pronounciation with the kanji. And I find that it
>## is a superb way to learn the pronounciation of kanji!! ^_^ On the
>## other hand, for those Japanese people (or those whose first language
>## is not Chinese), this is a superb way to learn the writing of kanji,
>## putting education in entertainment :-)

Definitely. You won't believe how many kanji one has to learn...^_^

>## Man's comics and Lady's comics, by contrast, no longer have those
>## furigana beside the kanji. You are supposed to be proficient enough
>## in reading the kanji by that time (meaning past high-school). 
>## enough to read those kanji.

How many Japanese are there like that? I am not very sure of an average
Japanese person's kanji proficiency...

>most Japanese don't like kanji any more than I do ^_^ (In fact, one source 
>has it that "the Japanese consider kanji as wordless globules of meaning) 
>
>## Hey! This should be taken as a negative example -- one should take
>## it as the reason why you should study Chinese.

That was a joke, Patrick! ^_^

>You see, the Japanese
>## growing up speaking the kanji words without knowing the writing of 
>## kanji, and they end up very confused with all the writing and 
>## differences of meaning because they cannot associate with the 
>## pronounciation and the writing. That's why good background in Chinese
>## goes far for people learning kanji. You would not go the way many
>## Japanese have gone.

Agreed. This is a proven fact.

>## I think you are right here, but most likely is that they forget or
>## remember wrongly the writing of the kanji. This is quite common.

That too. Especially because they use "Old" Chinese for their writing...some
kanji can have up to 50 strokes! ^_^ (Not that you'd see those in manga.
Maybe up to 30, max)

>## How long does it take for Singapore to have the manga?

Not very long. I am not a manga fan, but I would hazard a month or so? 

Zhou Tai An (kain at pacific.net.sg) "There is no one simple truth." - Rune Walsh

"Who is this? This is I. Who is I? What is I?		   - Rei Ayanami
I am myself. This object is I. The figure that forms me."

When someone stands in the light but does not give it out, a shadow is created.

The ways of nature and of life are strange and deep. They are not to be
understood. In the midst of angers and of wars love's secret work goes on,
and binds us all by blood, and this, whether love is denied or bestowed. -
Pearl S. Buck