Japan-JPN 640: Mysteries of Modern Japanese Fiction: ローマ字

• Syllabic nasal: ん (n)

Since ん has been romanized differently throughout the years, it is best to check two ways of romanizing it:

(1) ん = n before m, b, and p
   
    ex: しんぶん = shinbun    ほんま = honma

(2) ん = n before p, and m before b
   
    ex: しんぶん = shimbun    ほんま = homma

You will probably find more records for type (1), but please be aware that some older records will use type (2) instead.
 

• Long vowels and Diacritics: おお, おう,  ええ, うう (oo, ou, ee, uu / ō, ō, ē, ū)

Double vowels (oo, ou, ee, uu) are not used in the catalog (with two exceptions, see below), but instead are represented by single vowels with long marks over them (ō, ō, ē, ū).  However, when you search the catalog, you can ignore these long marks, and simply type single vowels. 
   
    ex: きのう = kinō = kino
    ex: おおさか = ōsaka = osaka
    ex: きゅうしゅう = kyūshū = kyushu

    Exception 1: use the double ii for adjectival forms and other words.

    ex: おおきい = ōkii = okii
    ex: かなしい = kanashii
    ex: きいろい = kiiroi
   
    Exception 2: when う appears as a verb ending after another vowel, type both vowels.

    ex: おもう (思う) = omou
    ex: すう　(吸う) = suu

• Double consonants (geminate consonants): using small つ　(小さい「つ」）

Double consonants are marked by doubling the consonant following the つ, except in the case of し, ち, and つ.
  
    ex: ちょっと = chotto
    ex: いっぴき = ippiki
   
    し → ssh    ex: まっしろい = masshiroi
    ち → tch    ex: あっち / こっち = atchi / kotchi
    つ → tts    ex: よっつ = yottsu

NOTE: In the case of 日本 as "Nihon" vs. "Nippon", try both if you are unsure of the reading.
 

• Particles: へ, は, を (e, wa, o)

When へ, は, and を are used as particles, they are romanized
    へ = e    は = wa    を = o

江戸川乱歩     Edogawa, Ranpo/Rampo

村山槐多      Murayama, Kaita

黒岩涙香　  Kuroiwa, Ruikō/Ruiko

小酒井不木  Kozakai/Kosakai, Fuboku

横溝正史     Yokomizo, Seishi

甲賀三郎     Kōga/Koga, Saburō/Saburo

久山秀子    Hisayama, Hideko

浜尾四郎    Hamao, Shirō/Shiro

夢野久作    Yumeno, Kyūsaku/Kyusaku

久志芙沙子／富佐子 Kushi, Fusako