Talk:Kunyomi


 * The Kunyomi reading system is characterized by its balanced consonant-vowel structure (similar to that of Spanish).

What is meant by this phrase? If it just means that vowels and consonants alternate, isn't that nothing but a consequence of the Japanese syllabary, applying just as much to onyomi? I may be wrong, but in either case this sentence needs clarifying or reworking. --AlexChurchill 13:32, Jul 14, 2004 (UTC)


 * I would guess that what was meant was that on'yomi usually consist of exactly two mora: one "ordinary" consonant-vowel mora plus one of &#12354;&#12356;&#12358;&#12360;&#12435;. As opposed to kun'yomi which most of the time have a pure alternating pattern.  E.g. &#26481;: on'yomi t&#333;, kun'yomi higashi.  Or &#38647;: on'yomi rai, kun'yomi kaminari.  See what I mean?  The same pattern fits in most cases: it's what allows us to guess whether a compound is on' or kun' by sound even if we've never heard it before (though I'd never actually realized it before reading this article :).  I agree that the article needs to be clarified, though. --Shibboleth 15:50, 16 Jul 2004 (UTC)