At 8:48 PM -0700 10/7/03, Anand Chelian wrote:
--- David Gao <ukiechan2003@yahoo.com> wrote:
--siaru 14mar02/06oct03
>"tabi" and "zori" are probably not on your usual fanfic readers'
vocabulary list. I'd recommend reworking to use brief descriptions
instead of the Japanese names - although they give a clue to the
timeframe of the story.�
Actually, if I understand correctly, this is a traditional trip to
the shrine on New Year's Day. The outfit is very specific (for
females anyway), and I don't think anything is wrong with using
the specific terms. Other terms like kimono, yukata, and obi got
by without comment, so I'd suggest that these be kept. (A note or
glossary at the end might help though.)
I'm puzzled at you both complaining about the use of these words. The
author gives a clear definition of both *within* the very paragraph
you're objecting to.
Take another look:
Well before the others slipped their tabi socks into their zori,
she had seized her purse and was down the stairs and out the
front door, still slipping her feet securely into the heeled
shoes. Then she shrugged her coat tighter around her against the
bleak cold and bitter darkness and walked out the gate and down
the street.
"tabi socks". "heeled shoes". Seems pretty clear to me.
You may perhaps object that the story could have done perfectly
well without any mention of either at all; and you might not be
wrong. However, the author has chosen to use the specific, correct
terms, *and* cleverly, and almost invisibly, embedded enough
information for you to understand them. Well done, I'd say.
Cheers,
Angus