Re: International numbering styles

An another example, which perhaps exhibits the difficulty in developing a
rational or exaustive list of numbering schemes....

There are two conventional orders for the Japanese sylabic alphabet, the
hirigana.  One is called "gojun-on zu" (fifty-sounds table) and it is based
on a phonetic arrangement.

Of the second: "In addition to the Goju-zun, the hiragana may be ordered
according to the Iroha arrangement, which is presented in Table 7. While
both systems delveloped during the Heian period, the Iroha is falling into
disuse in this century. The Iroha arranges all the hirigana in the form of
a Buddhist poem, and today is used mostly for labeling things in sequence,
such as subheadings or items in a list." (quote from _Kanji and Kana_
revised edition by Wolfgang Hadamitzky & Mark Spahn ISBN 0-8048-2077-5)

Iroha order begins: i,ro,ha,ni,ho,he,to,chi,... and includes the obsolete
hirigana for wi and we; making it about as obivious to one outside the
culture as roman numerials.



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    Albert Lunde                      Albert-Lunde@nwu.edu

Received on Sunday, 11 January 1998 09:35:43 UTC