From: Martin Danerud FY CHALMERS SE> Date: 18 jan 1996 Subject: Re: notation Dear shogi friends, Mr. Hiroki Kawada wrote: "I think Kanji (including Japanese letters) are not so necessary in the international notation. Kanji is convenient to Japanese people, though, there is technical difficulty in communication by computers. Most of shogi players outside Japan do not have special fonts for Kanji. Also using Japanese pronunciation, Gin(Gn) for Silver for example, does not seem to be sticking to our Japanese culture, because alphabets are still used anyway. We should consider many shogi players outside Japan were international chess players before starting shogi. Using one of the conventional notation systems is the most practical and better to spreading shogi to the world. Once we make something to be 'international', it is no more focused on Japanese people. It must be EASILY understood by most of the peoples in the world. Today, alphabet notation and English terms (Silver, King etc.) are the easiest way. Even if the notation would become English style, most of the future shogi players must know shogi came from Japan, and still they may use Japanese technical terms; Tesuji, Furigoma, Yagura and so on, which satisfies nationalism of the some Japanese. Japanese people don't have to worry so much about loosing Japanese cultre. Let's think what's going on in Judo, for example. The association of Judo in Japan is sticking to white uniform, while European association started using colorful uniform. I know the white uniform means something in Japanese culture, but Judo is not the property of Japanese culture, any more. It is played by many peoples in the world. Too much Japanese style may be sometimes disturbing for 'international' games." I totally agree with Mr. Kawada. Imagine for instance that we, the Swedes (bronze medalists of the last World Cup), were not "allowed" to use our own soccer terms, and that we had to use the soccer terms of the Englishmen (not qualified for the last World Cup). No language or culture can possibly own the ideas of a game. No one can be mistaken about the origin of shogi. The only thing that matters now is that the popularity of shogi should be increased all over the world among human beings regardless of nationality, race or sex. And then we must realize that the competition is harder than ever. It must be EASY to at least get an idea of the beauty, the fun and the intellectual battle of shogi, otherwise the potential beginners will try something else. Sincerely yours, Dr. Martin Danerud