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Japanese to English translations [PRO] Transport / Transportation / Shipping / safety, aid to visually impaired
Japanese term or phrase:点字ブロック
A sign in the North Sydney train station (http://flickr.com/photos/maynard/3329338886/) translates this term as "tactile tiles"; 英辞郎, literally as "Braille [sic] blocks," so I ran a couple of Google searches. (FWIW, I don't see any "点字" on these tiles.)
The highest hits went to things like "studded/textured paving block" and "tactile [warning] tile."
Are these things used outside Japan? If so, what are they called?
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 6時間 (2009-03-05 03:46:03 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
"tactile paving" の検索結果 約 34,000 件
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Tactile paving (also called truncated domes, detectable warnings, Tactile Ground Surface Indicators) is a system of textured ground surface indicators found on many footpaths and train station platforms to assist blind and vision impaired pedestrians. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactile_paving
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 10時間 (2009-03-05 07:28:37 GMT) Post-grading --------------------------------------------------
TGSIs (tactile ground surface indicators) are also known as tactile guide pathways (tactile guide paths) and tactile paving. US ones are known as Detectable Warnings and use truncated domes, rather than cones. The indicators need not be any particular color, but must have sufficient contrast to be easily seen. The international work is under Working Group ISO/TC 173/WG 7 - Provisions and Means for Orientation of Visually Impaired Persons in Pedestrian Areas.
In Japan, TGSIs are commonly known as "Braille Blocks" (Tenji Block) , by analogy to Japanese braille (Tenji 点字). The paths (usually yellow) do not use braille, just the same grid of dots as used in Australia. http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/02/tactile-ground-surface-i...
Tactile paving (also called truncated domes, detectable warnings, Tactile Ground Surface Indicators) is a system of textured ground surface indicators found on many footpaths and train station platforms to assist blind and vision impaired pedestrians.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detectable_warning
Detectable Warning
A standardized surface feature built in or applied to walking surfaces or other elements to warn visually impaired people of upcoming hazards. www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/sidewalks/appb.htm
textured paving block, raised tactile paving marks
Explanation: If the context is referring to the yellow blocks on the platform in Japanese train station that has about an inch diameter raised circles or lines within the may be fifteen inch blocks, that guides blind people by the feel under their soles, it is really not a Braille pattern. I don't know the proper word for it. I have never seen it in the US. Textured paving block may be the best descriptive word.
It is literally yellow brick road!
Example sentence(s):
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/点字ブロック
Fumigator Local time: 00:29 Works in field Native speaker of: Japanese, English
Notes to answerer
Asker: TRSC.org, the owner of the trademark, uses the term for both studded and striped versions.
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peer agreement (net): +3
