declan_murphy@hotmail.com wrote:
> 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.

Do you mean the demographic most likely to use ton or most likely to use the
hyojungo equivalent? The demographic most likely to use the latter is pretty
much people of all ages and walks of life.

> (*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.)

Anyway, it's been long enough, so I'll give the answer for those who haven't
figured it out. トンきる means タクシーに乗る. So トンきってきゃーりょう
みゃー means タクシーに乗って帰りましょう。

Jeff