Re: [edict-jmdict] enamdict

[René Malenfant <rene_malenfant@***********>]

>I guess what I"m getting at is that enamdic isn't really about  
translation into English.  Its more about translating kanji into  
readings.  Jim will undoubtedly let me know if I'm smoking crack on  
this one.
Personally, I have to disagree with that.  I think that's the way  
that enamdict primarily operates now, but I would hope this isn't the  
ideal.  Romaji shouldn't act only as a pronunciation guide.  That's  
why the hiragana is there.

As I said in my last message, it's obvious that you wouldn't try to  
translate something like 亜希子 ("Akiko") into "Asian Hope  
Child", but for an entry like 中央病院, I think it would make  
the most sense to translate it as "Chuo Hospital" (or *possibly*  
"Central Hospital", since the meaning of the word is obvious here.)   
This helps beginning Japanese learners, because they won't think  
"Chuuoubyouin?  What the hell kind of place is a 'chuuoubyouin?'"   
With no spaces between the romaji, it's difficult for people to  
figure out where one word ends and the next begins.  Of course,  
"byouin" is easy, so imagine it with something like 城址  
("joushi", "remains/ruins of a castle"), which almost all users would  
be unfamiliar with.

There are lots of other places where the romaji pronunciation would  
be of no help, especially with famous places, which is why I asked  
about this.  A word I submitted today, for example: 原爆ドーム =  
A-bomb Dome; Hiroshima Peace Memorial.  "Genbaku dome" is pretty much  
useless, as it has no meaning to most English speakers, and Japanese  
speakers already know the pronunciation.  (But I added it anyway.)


Rene