1. East Asia Numerals New Proposal for ALA-LC Japanese Romanization Table
Numeral SubGroup, CTP/CJM Joint Working Group on ALA-LC Japanese Romanization Table
For 2018 CEAL Cataloging Workshop
March 20, 2018

2. CTP/CJM Joint Working Group on ALA-LC Japanese Romanization Table (Apr
CTP/CJM Joint Working Group on ALA-LC Japanese Romanization Table (Apr Mar. 2018)
Membership: 
Rob Britt (University of Washington)
Ryuta Komaki (Washington University)
Fabiano Rocha (University of Toronto)
Chiaki Sakai (The Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa)
Koji Takeuchi (Library of Congress)
Yukari Sugiyama (Yale University), Co-chair
Keiko Suzuki (The New School), Co-chair (April - Sept. 2016)
Chiharu Watsky (Princeton University), Co-chair
CTP & CJM chairs, ex-officio: 
Michiko Ito (-2016) and Fabiano Takashi Rocha (2017-) (Committee on Japanese Materials)
Charlene Chou (Committee on Technical Processing)
Advisors/Consultants/Collaborators: 
Bruce Johnson (LC, retired in Dec 2017)
Numeral Subgroup

3. Basic Question: How to input 一九八三年 in MARC Latin Fields?
Use Latin characters and "sen-kyūhyaku-hachijūsannen“?
How often Americans use "nineteen eighty-three“ as 1983?  Not often!
Then why we do it?
 ALA-LC Romanization Tables (RT) for Numerals: Maybe does not always means strictly *Romanize*? The numeral instructions could be how to write numeric characters in romanized text fields.

4. Two ways to do Numeral in CURRENT ALA-LC Japanese Romanization Table
In fact, Japanese catalogers have been doing … 千九百八十三年 --> sen-kyūhyaku-hachijūsannen but 一九八三年 --> 1983-nen Isn’t the latter more clear? Could we expand the practice?

5. Procedural Guidelines for Proposed New or Revised Romanization Tables (
III Guidelines
2. Mapping characters to the Latin script:
- d. Include a table for numerals if the non-Latin script uses characters other than Western Arabic numerals."
This implies that CJK numerals may be mapped to Arabic numerals in romanization tables such as Burmese example below.
Although our numerals won’t be that simple …

6. How about RDA & LC/PCC-PS?
For how to transcribe or record numeric characters in original script fields, consult the appropriate cataloging rules.
 The subgroup does not intend to change any cataloging rules. If RDA instructs us to transcribe CJK numerals as they are, our catalogers need to transcribe as such in 880s. When instructed to convert to Arabic numerals, catalogers must do so in 880s.
The RT instructions show how to write numeric characters in romanized text fields.
 However, for the purpose of creating romanized fields (the main MARC fields), it is necessary to use Latin script, and for that we need the RT. This is where the RT instructions for numerals come in. For this reason, the subgroup believes that our new instructions do not interfere with current cataloging rules.

7. FoR Example, RDA 1.8 & LC/PCC PS …
RDA 1.8.1: … When recording numbers expressed as numerals or as words in a transcribed element, transcribe them in the form in which they appear on the source of information. Apply the general guidelines on transcription (see 1.7), as applicable.
LC-PCC PS 1.8.2: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Perso-Arabic, Cyrillic, Greek: substitute Western-style Arabic numerals when non-Latin script numerals appear on the resource. If important for identification, the cataloger may record a note showing the non-Latin script form of the numeral found on the resource.
These cataloging instructions are talking about how to record in ORIGINAL SCRIPTS
ALA-LC RT is the instructions how to do the same info in Latin Scripts!!
Item in hand: 千九百八十三年 item in hand: 千九百八十三年
880/264 $c: 1983  LC-PCC PS /245 $a: 千九百八十三年  RDA
264 $c:  proposed ALA LC RT $a: nen  proposed ALA LC RT

8. New Japanese RT proposal for Numerals
In general when romanizing, East Asian numerals are converted to Arabic numerals for clarity. However, there are many exceptions to this. Notable exceptions are covered in 7.4. When in doubt, use your own judgement, and provide cross-references as needed.

9. Challenges We still need to spell-out when … Personal Names
三郎| Saburō ; 五十嵐| Igarashi
Corporate Names
第一勧業銀行| Daiichi Kangyō Ginkō ; 第六次開拓團| Dairokuji Kaitakudan
Specific Events
ニ・ニ六事件| Niniroku Jiken ; 第二次世界大戦| Dainiji Sekai Taisen
Common Nouns
八百屋| yaoya ; 百科事典| hyakka jiten

10. Challenges Reading Variations if Spell-out Contractions*
一夫一妻| ippu issai ; 八方美人| happō bijin
*Contractions may occur with the numerals 一, 八, 十followed by カ行, サ行, タ行 and パ行 OR with 六and 百, followed by カ行 and パ行
Large Value Numbers
百二十五年史編纂委員会| Hyaku-nijūgonenshi Hensan Iinkai
Counters, Prefixes
第三勢力| daisan seiryoku ; 第二次大戦| Dainiji Taisen

11. Challenges Cross-reference if important & possible
item in hand: 千九百八十三年
880/245 $a: 千九百八十三年
245 $a: nen
246 $a: sen-kyūhyaku-hachijūsannen
item in hand: 3・11を超えて
880/245 $a: 3・11を超えて
245 $a: o koete
246 $a: San'ichiichi o koete

12. Questions? Discussion!
CTP/CJM Joint Working Group on ALA-LC Japanese Romanization Table (Apr Mar. 2018):
Working Group’s Annual Report including the draft proposal: OM%20WG.pdf
Numeral Subgroup:
Fabiano Rocha
Chiaki Sakai
Chiharu Watsky
Keiko Suzuki
Also talk about WG's status report and plan for the proposal