Asian languages use syllabic and meaning-based symbols, making traditional Roman-type keyboards less efficient. Japanese keyboards have one or two symbols per key and include Roman letters. Chinese keyboards use input method software, including the Wubi and Pinyin methods, handwriting, and speech recognition.
Where Western alphabets are divided into individual letters, Asian languages use syllabic and meaning-based symbols which are less straightforward. These inherent differences between Western and Eastern language systems make traditional Roman-type keyboards less efficient for Chinese and Japanese. As a result, modified keyboards were created for use in China and Japan. Other languages, including Russian, also have their own modified keyboards.
Japanese, also called nihongo, is a syllabic alphabet that is translated quite simply on a computer keyboard. Like a Western keyboard, most Japanese keyboard designs have one or two symbols per key, conforming to the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS), a system similar to the Western QWERTY system. To type words on a Japanese keyboard, you simply write the word by syllable as you would if you were writing it.
Most computers can also take transliterated Japanese words, that is, Japanese words written phonetically in Roman characters, and translate them into Japanese characters. Therefore, Japanese keyboards also include Roman letters and symbols. Having Western characters on your keyboard is also useful when engaging in Western-based businesses, such as Internet commerce. Some keyboards include a “mode” key that allows users to switch between Japanese and Roman syllabic alphabets.
Chinese keyboards are considered more difficult to standardize as the written language consists of thousands of meaning-based symbols. A keyboard that contains all the characters of the alphabet is further rendered impractical as each character can have different meanings dictated by pronunciation and context. To get around these problems, Western keyboards are retrofitted with input method software. There are many different kinds of input methods for Mandarin and Cantonese, the two separate “Chinese” languages that rely on the same characters.
The Wubi input method uses a keyboard marked with the various lines used to draw characters by hand. The typist then presses the keys the way they would write the character. With more complicated “words,” the user enters the first three units and the last unit to get a list of possible options. While this method has the advantage of eliminating pronunciation or spelling differences caused by the many Chinese dialects, it is considered extremely difficult to learn. The skilled typist, however, can use these methods to type quickly enough.
Most Chinese computer users use the Pinyin method which takes the Roman transliteration and translates it into the correct Chinese character. Many Pinyin input methods also have a suggested word completion feature, which suggests the word you’re trying to type to reduce your typing time. Dialects and contextual differences can cause problems with the Pinyin method.
Less popular methods for Chinese keyboards include handwriting and speech recognition. These can be useful for those computer users who are not used to typing. However, rigorous training is required to ensure that the computer recognizes the user’s voice or script.
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