Of Katakana & Ramen....

[Taiko]

:okashii: If Katakana is used for foreign words, why is it always used to spell Ramen?

[JimmySeal]

Because ramen is a foreign word.

Try not to make such strong statements. They're not absolutely true.

[Silverpoint]

Katakana is also used for many purposes in daily life. Not just for foreign words.

[doinkies]

Yeah, katakana can also be used to emphasize a word, kind of like making words bold. It's often used this way in ads and books (especially manga).

[Mike Cash]

:okashii: If Katakana is used for foreign words, why is it always used to spell Ramen?

As Jimmy pointed out, because ramen is a foreign word.

Also, katakana isn't always used to write ramen. You can also find it in hiragana, kanji, and romaji.

[doinkies]

Indeed - though I most often see it written in katakana.

The word ramen comes from the Chinese word "lo mein" or something similar sounding...