i18n@... wrote:

>
> Peter T. Daniels wrote:
>
> >
> > > I can't give an instance right now, but I can imagine that there have
> > > been times in history where spoken languages were modified by fiat. so,
> >
> > No, there have not.
> >
> > Ask in any country that has an "Academy." In France, it's ignored. In
> > Israel, it's a laughing-stock.
> >
> > All such authorities can do is impose spelling reforms, and they never
> > seem to get it right.
>
> How about reforms in Japan that led to the elimination of certain kana
> from accepted use - those syllables were replaced with others or
> eliminated in the spoken language, as I understand it. I have some old
> pre-war grade school texts I have shown to more modern folks and they
> were puzzled by some of it.

Then you must misunderstand it.

Some references would be appropriate.

The kana were not standardized until 100 or so years ago.
--
Peter T. Daniels grammatim@...