I'm replying to this for two reasons: one is simply to get that damn
header changed to something appropriate.  I don't think 'Ranma's Fiancee
Problem' applies anymore.  Hopefully, though, after the last part of this
message, this thread can die off?  Please?

On Wed, 13 Aug 1997, Thomas R Jefferys wrote:

 Although one point:  The English/Navaho
analogy was way off.  At least Japanese was derived from Chinese.

No, it wasn't. This is one of the most common myths about the language.
Chinese is a Sino-Tibetan language. Japanese... well, there is a huge
disagreement to what language family Japanese is, but it most certainly

...[snip]...

Japanese did do a lot of lexical borrowing from Chinese, but that is
different. Far different.

 While
Navaho has nothing to do with English.  I am no linguistics expert, but
that much I'm certain of.

Well, I am more of a linguistics expert than you. I took a course. As I
said, this so-called "certainty" is a *myth.*

He's correct; in fact, Navajo is one of the better examples.

The spoken language of the Dineh (a.k.a. Navajo) is from an Athapaskan
base, if I recall correctly, which has nothing to do with English. 
However, English writing style was borrowed to create a written language. 
(If you want a pronunciation nightmare, find a map of Big Reservation with
all the landmarks labeled in Navajo.) 

Similarly, spoken Chinese and Japanese have no similarity WHATsoever.  (My
mother and I can speak Japanese, my father can speak Chinese, believe me,
there's no tie between the spoken forms.)  However, long ago, Chinese
writing was stolen - and somewhat bastardized - for the kan'ji system.
Again, a totally unrelated language taking a writing system from another
language.

Now, that portion of the argument, which I felt inclined to back up,
aside...

FOR GOD'S SAKE, FOLKS.  You're discussing the name of the springs as if
they honestly have ANY MAJOR BEARING WHATSOEVER on the story.  Takahashi
had -no- problems with contradicting her own earlier writing in the
series.  I don't think Ranma was ever intended to be a series that -had- a
canon that stood up to serious scrutiny.  Could Ranma age?  Yes/no?
I can think of at least one manga storyline (the 'magic age mushrooms')
which indicates yes.  But sure, you can find evidence throughout the manga
of 'no'.

It's up to the individual fan or author to interpret it as they choose.
Maybe you don't agree with a given interpretation, but using that, they
might still come up with a good fanfic you want to read.

Just trying to put things into perspective, having watching this thread
drag on for rather longer than is needed, and go into WAY more depth. ^_^;

----[Loki]-----------------------------------------------------------------
Jeremy Blackman / Anime fan/fanfic author, Game Designer/Engineer
loki@maison-otaku.net (personal mail) / Maison Otaku Productions founder
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