I came across an interesting illustration of the linguistic 'otherness' of
Japanese in 'Mishima's sword' by Christopher Ross. The writer is discussing
the difference between 'hara-kiri' (the Harry Cary of English
mispronunciation, he remarks) and 'seppuku':
" Seppuku is written using the same two kanji used fir hara-kiri, the order
reversed, and pronounced with the Chinese reading or On-yomi. It is commonly
pointed out that hara-kiri is a vulgarism, but this is a misunderstanding.
Hara-kiri is a Japanese reading or Kun-yomi of the characters, and as it
became customary to prefer Chinese readings in official announcements only
the term seppuku was ever used in writing. So hara-kiri is the spoken term
and seppuku the written term for the same act."
--
David Bircumshaw
Website and A Chide's Alphabet
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/david.bircumshaw/
The Animal Subsides http://www.arrowheadpress.co.uk/books/animal.html
Leicester Poetry Society: http://www.poetryleicester.co.uk
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