necoandjeff wrote:
> declan_murphy@hotmail.com wrote:

> > You aren't even trying :-)
> >
> > and yet you are getting close.
> >
> > I worked out the first bit last night on the way back from the
> > airport. Try working it out from "とん、きる" or
> > "とん、きって行こう！" It was Jeff's statement "hyojungo
> > equivalent of トン is also written in katakana" that confused me.
> > Hiragana is fine for this particular conveyance.
>
> Well, it is true that there's probably no particular reason to write ton in
> katakana (I think I heard the etymology of ton a long time ago, but if I did
> I've forgotten it). But the hyojungo equivalent can only be written in
> katakana. It is clearly gairaigo.

It is for you and me, and for almost the entire population, but I would
argue that hiragana is fine for the demographic* most likely to use the
term.

(*ie those of an age who still refer to the local bus stop as an eki,
catch the kisha on the kokutetsu etc. I have seen old photos of this
particular conveyance with the name written in hiragana as well.)