Funny Katakana Coincidence

[Ziggy]

This is a funny coincidence between two languages, that are probably the most two unrelated ones ever to exist in this universe.

It is about the way the word America is written in Katakana -

ﾆ但ﾆ陳?椎?ﾆ谷

Take a look at the shape.
Now take a look at this:

מניאק

Assuming you have the ability to see Hebrew fonts, and if the encoding actually allows it here, you should see something that looks surprisingly similar to the katakana for America.

The Hebrew word is read 'maniac', and it means '*******', yeah, it kinda got out of context, but it sure is funny to think about it. I bet some of you are going "America and ******* are written in a similar way? Why I'm not surprised" whereas the others are going to bash those who would state that here on this topic. It was exteremly funny to actually show it to all my friends. Fun fun.

 

[AngkorianKnight]

Ah hah hah, yeah interesting, but I cannot see the Hebrew font. It shows the star thing. This *

 

[Gord]

hahaha, that's such a strange coincidence. Apparently I can see hebrew fonts, which is an odd thing to learn. The second letter is a bit different but the others look identical, funny find!

 

[512kb]

wow interesting find....nice job (b^.^)b

 

[Tim33]

Cant read what it means it is star's

 

[lexico]

Amazing silimarity ! :O note: in case Hebrew codes don't show, Aramaic fonts from Wikipedia come close
QUOTE Ziggy:
katakanaﾆ但ﾆ陳?椎?ﾆ谷 A-ME-RI-KA
Hebrew מ ני א ק Q- ' -Y-N-M, read from right to left

Aramaic

Q- ' -Y-N-M, read from right to left

The Hebrew word is read 'maniac', and it means '*******'

I think you're right about the coincidence. The word origin of the bipolar mental illness mania is interesting nevertheless.

Wikipedia says it came via the Latin goddess Mania of the dead and undead from the Etruscan goddess Manea, whereas Merriam Webster's 10th Collegiate says it comes from Greek mainesthai 'to be mad' (maniac from Greek maniakos > Late Latin maniacus).

Another theory says it comes from the Persian sect of ca. 276 called Manichaeism founded by Mani the prophet (ca.210-ca.276) who learned from a Jewish ascetic group called Elkasites, yet he considered himself a disciple of Jesus. He also considered himself the last of all prophets, succeeding Seth, Noah, Abraham, Shem, Nikotheos, Enoch, Zoroaster, Hermes, Plato, Buddha, and Jesus.

(MW) '1: a syncretistic religious dualism originating in Persia teaching the release of the spirit from matter through asceticism 2: belief in religious or philosophical dualism.'

Manichees are supposed to have put much effort in bringing together into their belief all known religious traditions known at the time, including apocryphal texts such as the Gospel of Thomas who supposedly evalgelized India. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) was a Manichee in his youth. Could the enormously syncretistic tendency of Manichaeism be the origin of the idea of madness by analogy ?