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W3C eBooks & i18n WorkshopJapanese Typography issue for Novel and Textbook

2013/06/04Yasuki Ikeuchi

ACCESS CO., LTD.

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We are developing a internet browser for over 10 years.

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ACCESS EPUB3.0 Engine

Compliant to EPUB3.0 standard (Japanese, vertical reading, ruby, etc.)

EPUB3.0 Engine released in Oct., 2011 We contributed these

modifications toReadium

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Background

We have experienced authoring EPUB content which based on real books

Several issues which is difficult to find a work-around Long Ruby Line-break (Nakiwakare) in Light Novel Kanbun for Japanese Textbook

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Ruby Nakiwakare for Light Novel

Ruby is used for special e.g.

Commenting Translation

The body characters may have long rubycharacters

These cases are frequently appeared on a light novel

A light novel is a style of Japanese novel Targeting middle and high school students The culture is similar to Japanese Manga

How to reflow long ruby characters?

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Ruby Nakiwakare

ExampleCurrent behavior of Safari

Expected?Expected?

Reflow

Second line of ruby is even

inter-character spacing.

Looks wired?

Second line of ruby is even

inter-character spacing.

Looks wired?

Likes justifyLikes justify Add a line-break opportunity ruby.Add a line-break opportunity ruby.

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Kanbun(Japanese Kanbun Ideographic Annotation)

Kanbun is a reading method for Chinese classic text A method to read Classical Chinese text in translation by

Japanese c.f. interlinear gloss for European tradition

Japanese public education requires Kanbun from elementary school

Kanbun is necessary for digital textbookin Japan

Some feature can realize by CSS-Ruby However, it is not enough for Kanbun Composition

JIS X4051, reference spec of JLREQ, declarea spec of Kanbun It may be necessary to make a spec likes JLREQ

春

眠

不

覚

暁

エ

ヲ

ㇾ

ㇾ

しゅん

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Kanbun Composition

春眠不覚暁

春眠暁ヲ覚エ不

春

眠

不

覚

暁

エ

ヲ

ㇾ

ㇾ

OkuriKana

OkuriKana

KaeriTen

KaeriTen

しゅん

みん

Ruby

Ruby

1春

眠

不

覚

暁

エ

ヲ

ㇾ

ㇾ

2

3

4

5

しゅん

みん

Classical Chinese

TextKanbun

Re-order the characters for Japanese reader

Re-ordered

春眠暁を覚えず

Japanese

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Kanbun Examples

莫

待

無

花

空

折

枝

カレ二

チテ

ク

シク

ル

ヲ

ㇾ

ㇾ一

KaeriTen

KaeriTen

置

酒

沛

宮

|二

ス

ノ

ニ。一

KuTen

TateTen

過

猶

不

及

スギタル

ホ

ルガ

バ

ㇾ

シ

OkuriKana

◎text-

emphasis

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Conclusion

These two issues are difficult to resolve in current CSS Ruby spec

We believe that we have to resolve these issues for the future of digital publishing in Japan