japanese scripts and writing thread

[kentaku_sama]

Well first I'd like to discuss Hentagana , a interesting complex version of hiragana, what I wonder is why there are so many symbols. There are like 70 japanese hiragana and 160 hentagana, did japanese use to have sounds that they no longer use?

Also what is this for and how do I type it: ヽヾゝゞ ??

Why were these removed: ゑ ゐ

[becki_kanou]

Here you go: hentaigana.

I'm sure someone else can give a more detailed explanation, but the simple explanation is that language and writing, like everything else change over time, and one of the effects of the standardization of the writing the Japanese language was the loss, or fall into disuse of some characters.

[richvh]

Also what is this for and how do I type it: ヽヾゝゞ ??

They're ditto marks for unvoiced and voiced katakana and unvoiced and voiced hiragana respectively. You can type them in with おなじ, or きごう.

[Yudan Taiteki]

Why were these removed: ゑ ゐ

The sounds they represented no longer exist, and haven't existed for a very long time.