[sumo] Word Origins for 200, Alex

[Joe Kuroda]

--- Kuramarujo <klemmerj at webtrek.com> wrote:

> 
> > Just wait until you learn the origin of 'Juryo' -
> it is a good one ;-)
> 
> 	Ok, I'm game.  What is the origin of Juryo.  And
> the other ranks while
> we're at it.

Previously I indicated about Maku-uchi and Maku-shita
as there is a clear divisible line between them. 

However the top 10 ranks of Makushita received
privileges that were similar to Makuuchi rikishis
though at lesser degree.

They are called "Ju-Mai-Me" meaning the "Ten Ranks".
At the beginning of Meiji Era in Japan, these rikishis
started getting paid a fixed amount of salary and at
the time it was Ju Ryo (Ryo being an old unit of
Japanese currency and ju meaning ten).

And basically the name stuck as it's pretty silly to
say Tochisakae is at Jumaime Sanmaime (the third rank
of Jumaime ranking) so now pretty well everyone is
calling it as Juryo but strictly speaking it should be
called Jumaime.

As for other rankings, they are based on how they show
up on the banzuke table.  Jo-Nidan is the second
column from the bottom (in this context Jo means
'beginning', 
Ni is two and Dan is ranking or perhaps column on
banzuke).  Following this, San-Dan-Me is Third Column
ranking on banzuke. 

A Jonokuchi means a beginner in Japanese but I am not
sure if the word actually started from sumo or
elsewhere.  In Ozumo they are often called
"Mushimegane" which in Japanese is a magnifying glass
as they are so hard to see....hmmm didn't Beatles have
a song like that?


.....Jonosuke 
  <  Heart  Technique  Physique      &#24515;&#12288;&#25216;&#12288;&#20307;&#12288;>

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