In Japan there were parents by putting their children the name of “Pokémon” or “Doraemon”. The government has said enough

Japan has a Name, word or expression For almost all those things that we have a whole phrase. You have it to explain the Great demographic challenge of the nation, for the Young phobia To go to school, to explain How tokyo hell grows While the rest sinks, to explain that you can take a nap at work without fear to fire youand you even have it to explain the inexplicable: men who ram To women. Thus, how weren’t they going to have one to explain the fashion of extravagant names to babies?

In fact, now they have said enough.

Coto to “creativity.” The Japanese government has introduced new norms that limit freedom with which parents They can name to their children, focusing specifically on the pronunciation of Kanji characters allowed in the Civil Registry. This reform seeks to contain the growing wave of attention, the names Kirakiranickname received by striking or extravagant names, which since the 1990s have caused confusion in administrative and sometimes teasing to children.

Although the use of Kanji (the Chinese characters adapted to the Japanese) is not prohibited, from now on the parents must Declare phonetic reading of the name and stick to officially recognized pronunciations, with the aim of avoiding unusual or controversial interpretations.

Response to linguistic chaos. I think I don’t walk very disabled if I say this problem It is not unpublished from Japanbut there, apparently, the proliferation of these names with unconventional readings has represented a growing problem for schools, hospitals and public services, especially in a society that It depends on digital records standardized.

Some parents have brought their eagerness to originality to the extreme, choosing names like Pikachu, Pokémon, Kitty, Naiki (Nike), Pū (Winnie The Pooh), ōjisama (Prince) or even Akuma (Demon), which has generated both social and institutional criticisms. Although these names often employ legal kanjis, their pronunciation was not precedent, which turned their interpretation into a real puzzle.

Japanese alphabet

Tradition that clashes. The new regulations is also a way to balance the tension between the desire to highlight and the weight of the Japanese tradition, which usually privileges homogeneity and social harmony. In a country where collective values ​​even influence breeding, many parents defended their elections as An act of personal expression in front of a culture of strong conformism.

Here are emblematic cases such as the Seiko Hashimoto politicswhich called his children Girishia (Greece) and Torino (Turin) in tribute to games Olympic, cases that illustrate how even public figures have challenged traditional codes, although with consequences of misunderstanding by the environment.

Pragmatic adjustment in order. Plus: the law does not intend to eliminate the variety of names, but rather ordering the use of language: of the about 3,000 kanji allowed, many have multiple accepted readings, but certain phonetic combinations They were so extravagant that They were unintelligible.

In this way, from now on, parents who opt for unusual pronunciations must justify their choice in writing and, if it is not considered reasonable, they will have to Propose an alternative more understandable. The authorities have indicated that only the most extreme cases will be rejected, which suggests that reasonable regulation is sought, rather than a strict prohibition.

An exceptional change. History is still relevant news in the case of Japan. The reform is a rare modification of the kosekithe legal registry of the Japanese family unit, which includes the names and birth dates of the head of the family, his spouse and children.

In that sense, the New criteria of pronunciation marks a precedent: it is the first time that not only the written character is regulated, but also your readingas a mechanism to protect the administrative and linguistic integrity of the system. If you want also, in an era more and more digitized, where data coherence becomes essential, Japan, who if not, has chosen to protect your system through the language, channeling personal creativity, but within understandable and functional limits.

We feel it deeply, Charmander. You are in danger of extinction.

Image | Pexels, PRINTERVAL, Itoldya Test1

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