Reinen?

[Jonathan M. Hall]

Dear Greg,

I think there's little doubt that the conventional reading of ? 
? is reinen, a word that is as Japanese as any other. (Do words  
too have citizenship tests now?)  The problem is one we addressed  
earlier on this list, namely what to make of a title when furigana  
are deliberately used to suggest an alternate reading with its  
alternate nuances.  I think your son's primary school math teacher  
might be good in kokugo too...

Respectfully submitted,
Jonathan



On Mar 12, 2007, at 2:24 AM, Gregory S. Johnson wrote:

> I'm completely ignorant of the film Nippon reinen or if you prefer  
> Nippon/Ni
> hon zero nen, but the Japanese title of the film Osama (directed by  
> Siddiq B
> armak) ?????? is Afugan reinen, isn't it? The director's  
> age and the t
> heme of the film might also provide clues to a euphonic reading. My  
> son's pr
> imary school math teacher makes them read ? as rei, because  
> he says zero is
>  English.  Of course rei is ostensibly an approximation of the  
> Chinese ling,
>  therefore not necessarily more Japanese than zero. Perhaps that's  
> why he's
> not teaching kokugo?
>
> Greg Johnson
>