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So, 42 eh?

Zaph · 2008-07-02 22:26:01

Well as we all know it is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything. But suppose Deep Thought made a mistake and 42 wasn't the answer, what would it be?

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#32 24-10-2020 7:03pm
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#33 24-10-2020 10:17pm
Steve

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Because the Japanese numbers 4 and 2 are pronounced "shi" and "ni", respectively. These words are homynyms for (they sound exactly like ) "death" and "you" in Japanese, although they obviously are represented by different kanji.

For this reason, Japanese has an alternative pronunciation for 四 - "yon" - to avoid saying "shi" (死).

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#34 26-08-2023 11:04am
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