About working with Japanese text
In addition to proofing tools such as the grammar and style checker and AutoCorrect list, Microsoft Office 2003 Proofing Tools provides tools designed specifically for working with Japanese text in Microsoft Office 2003 programs.
Japanese Input Method Editor (IME)
By using the Japanese Input Method Editor (IME), which is available on the Language bar, you can enter Japanese text phonetically, in a variety of character types, in Office documents. You can also specify how you want to enter that text.
- Enable editing for Japanese.
- On the Language bar, make sure the language indicator shows JP or Japanese. If it does not, click the language indicator, and then click Japanese.
- Place the insertion point where you want to enter Japanese text.
- On the Language bar, click Input Style, and then click IME Standard or Natural Input.
- Click Input Mode, and then click the type of characters you want to enter
— for example, if you want hiragana to appear on the screen, click Hiragana. Note This setting determines which characters appear on the screen as you type. It does not change the language setting of your keyboard.
- Type the text phonetically by using your keyboard.
The characters you press on the keyboard are replaced by equivalent characters of the input mode you selected. For example, if you select hiragana as the input mode, and you type a phonetic character string, the IME enters hiragana characters as you type.
As you type, a dotted line appears beneath the character string. This indicates that the string is “undetermined,” or awaiting your confirmation before being entered into your document. This undetermined state provides an opportunity for you to change the string if the characters were not transliterated exactly as you want, if you made a typo, or if you want to convert it to kanji.
- To determine the text and enter it into your document, do one of the following:
- If the text is correct, press ENTER.
- To change a character or characters, press the arrow keys to move around in your text, and then delete or retype characters as necessary. When the text is correct, press ENTER.
- To convert your text to kanji, press SPACEBAR. A thick solid line appears under the first phrase of the resulting character string. If the entire string is correct, press ENTER. If one or more characters are not converted correctly, press the arrow keys to position the thick solid line underneath the phrase you want to change, and then press SPACEBAR again to display a list of alternate candidates. Click the candidate you want, type the number beside it, or press SPACEBAR again until the candidate you want is selected, and then press ENTER.
- The more text you type before converting to kanji, the higher the conversion accuracy. Try to type entire phrases and sentences rather than single words.
- To switch between direct input mode and the character input mode selected on the Language bar, press ALT+SHIFT+LEFT ARROW+~.
For more information about using the Japanese IME, see Help for that IME.
Japanese Consistency Checker
By using the Japanese Consistency Checker, you can identify instances in a document where different characters are used for words with the same meaning. You can then make sure you use characters consistently by selecting the appropriate characters from the suggested revisions. The consistency checker is available only in Microsoft Office Word 2003.
Identify and change inconsistencies
- Enable editing for Japanese.
- On the Tools menu, point to Language, and then click Japanese Consistency Checker.
The inconsistencies in the active document appear in the Word list box.
- In the Word list box, click the text you want to change.
- In the Replace with box, click a different form of the text.
- Do one of the following:
- To change the selected instance of inconsistent text, click Change.
- To change all instances of inconsistent text, click Change All.