Re: Layer 2 and "idn identities" (was: Re: [idn] what are the IDN identifiers?)

["Maynard Kang" <maynard@pobox.org.sg>]

Bruce Thomson wrote:
> I am belatedly trying to come up to speed on SC/TC, and
> I see that it does have a lot of merit. But I think that the
> notion of "equivalent characters" is really trying to take
> this game too far. There are two words ways to write "egg"
> in Japanese, pronounced the same, but one is written
> with two characters, and one with only one character. Are
> going to call these words "equivalent"? Sounds like you
> would like to do that, if I understand your concept.
>

I find the notion of comparing TC/SC equivalence to Japanese
Kanji/Hiragana/Katakana equivalence rather compelling and far-stretched to an
extent.

Having gone through an institutionalized form of Chinese-language education
exclusively in SC with hardly any opportunity (or neccessity) to learn TC, I
must say that if not for the availability of TC/SC conversion programs (e.g.
NJStar), it would be a mammoth task for me to communicate with my Taiwanese
friends over e-mail, since my knowledge of TC characters is almost as sparse
as my knowledge of Arabic (i.e. practically non-existent).

Compare this with Japanese; I do not think you can find two Japanese-speaking
individuals, one having knowledge of "egg" in Kanji ONLY and one having
knowledge of "egg" in Hiragana ONLY.

Chances are most Japanese-speakers know both equivalent forms.
Chinese-speakers may not.

regards