- The katakana combination クォ occurs in loanwords only, as a representation of the sound sequence k + w + o. This combination will be symbolized by kwo in romanization.
Example:
ラテンクォーター ratenkwootaa 'Latin Quarter'
In the less innovative variety of Japanese, クオ kuo (i.e., two syllables) occurs instead. - When katakana ウ is followed by a reduced vowel symbol ィ、ェ、 or ォ, it is assumes the consonantal value of the w- of wa. Thus, while ワ is equivalent to romanized wa both in native Japanese words and loanwords, ウィ、ウェ、ウォ represent wi, we, wo which occur only in loanwords. In the less innovative variety of Japanese, ウイ ui, ウエ ue, ウオ uo - all two-syllable sequences - occur instead. A long u vowel (ウー) continues to be the correspondence for English 'w' + 'u' (as in 'wool', 'woman', etc.).
Examples:ウィンブルドン
ウェーク
ミルウォーキー | winburudon 'Wimbledon'
weeku 'Wake'
miruwookii 'Milwaukee' |
|
