Nippon-to instead on nihonto?

[estcrh]

From an article titled "Some Jap swords are good" Popular Science - Jul 1946. Just an interesting piece of history.

http://books.google.com/books?id=TCEDAA ... ord&f=true

[Bugyotsuji]

Eric, an interesting discovery there. As you know, the pronunciation Nip-pon is used by people proud of their country and wishing to make a point of it in speech, eg Nationalists, Right-wingers, etc. Since the war the softer Ni-hon has been the norm, but nowadays you do hear more and more usage of the Nip-pon on TV etc. With swords, however, I have not heard anyone calling them Nip-pon-to on the ground here in Japan............. yet.

[estcrh]

I wonder when the terms changed in the west?

[Brian]

http://www.spadegiapponesi.com/eng/index.html

 

 

Brian

[Bugyotsuji]

When was that originally published, Brian?

[Nobody]

My understanding about the pronunciation of Nihon/Nippon is almost the same as Piers’ opinion. And I usually do not pronounce “Nippon”. I have also not heard Nippon-to until today.

 

However; I found that the term was used in Japanese history, though it might be rare.

There is a war song composed in 1892 by Nagai Kenshi (永井建子) who was an officer of a military band. The title of the song is Genko (元寇). The term “日本刀” is pronounced as “Nippon-to” in the second verse.

 

Its lyrics: http://62145040.at.webry.info/201010/article_1.html

Singing voice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ed5rx6fRn4

At 1 min 20 sec in the above video, you can hear the term.

[paulb]

I think the book illustrated by Brian was published in the late 1940s or 1950. It was written to offer an introduction to the occupying forces after the war. I think in the hope that swords might be better protected if better understood.

[Lorenzo]

When was that originally published, Brian?

 

 

The book in the link, was published I think not more than 2 years ago and written by an Italian nihonto scholar. I'm not sure why he choose that title, but I guess it was just to have a title different than usual.

 

The book on the picture is unknown to me.

 

I had some talk about the use of nippon-tou instead of nihon as well; to me, as the nomenclature nihonto already include "nihon" making very clear the topic, calling them "nipponto" is an unnecessary forcing.

[Nobody]

When was that originally published, Brian?

Ref. http://www.africasia-primitive-and-anti ... store.html