Modern Occurrences of Obsolete Kana
Post-war reforms of the Japanese writing system made the
kana for yi/wi (hiragana ゐ, katakana ヰ)
and for ye/we (hiragana ゑ, katakana ヱ)
officially obsolete. However, they can still be spotted
in occasional use today. Here is a collection of some recent
sightings.
Ye ヱ:
-
on bottles and cans of "Yebisu" beer
(established 1887):
「ヱビス」
(daily, 2000)
-
on a sign in front of an old shop
(established 1868)
called "Sayegusa" in Tokyo's Ginza district:
「サヱグサ」
(fall, 2002)
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Copyright © 2000-2005 Craig R. Bina.