Rebus principle
The Rebus principle describes the use of symbols or characters as phonetic characters (phonogram), without regard to the original meaning of the characters. The principle is found in many logographic scripts - scripts based on word signs.
In logographic scripts such as Chinese, the characters usually do not contain any information about the exact pronunciation. This is why the rebus principle is used when reproducing proper names, foreign or loan words . Instead of inventing a new character whose pronunciation would be unknown to the reader, existing characters are combined that sound similar to the new foreign word.
In addition, characters used according to the rebus principle are occasionally found in traditional characters. Abstract concepts were represented by characters that sounded similar. With these loans , however, the character was partially expanded and the pronunciation changed.
Examples
Written: A $ example sentence for the rebus principle.
Read: A dollar example sentence for the rebus principle.
Got it: A great example sentence for the rebus principle.
The meaning of $ as a currency symbol is ignored.
Written: T # s home, happiness alone.
Read: T rute s home, happiness alone.
The importance of the occasional diamond -called double cross # is ignored.
Written: 麦克风 (Chinese)
Read: màikèfēng (Mandarin Chinese)
Understood: Microphone (English)
The meaning of 麦 (wheat), 克 (can) and 风 (wind) is ignored.
Written: 吉他 (Chinese)
Read: jítā (Mandarin Chinese)
Understood: Guitar (English)
The meaning of 吉 (happy) and 他 (he) is ignored.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Entry "Pictograms". WinShuttle.de - a service of the DFN, archived from the original on July 31, 2005 ; Retrieved October 5, 2012 .
- ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from October 15, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
