ed contraction in Dutch name

[Chris Clemens]

I am working on a book about Corrie ten Boom. With her Dutch nationality, she uses street names as they are written in Dutch. An example is: Smedestraat. (yes, that is one word). I know that there is a syllable division between the e and the d: Sme-de-straat.
Should I braille it like Smede[u]st[/u]raat, the only contraction used is the "st", or should I use the "ed" contraction: Sm[u]ed[/u]e[u]st[/u]raat.

Francine

[Chris Clemens]

Hi Francine,

This new forum is not yet fully functional and if you can "Click here to view past topics" that will take you to the old forum, which is still working. However, I'll try to answer here. Is this book in English with just these Dutch names? It it's English that just happens to have a Dutch name, see EBAE for handling foreign language words and names that are present in English. In this case use contractions including the ED in Smedestraat. English braille rules apply, not foreign language. Of course, it depends on on what kind of book this is. I'll look forward to your reply, I do suggest that you try the old forum, however, but I'll take a look here too. I really need to know that in order to give an accurate answer.

--Joanna

[Chris Clemens]

Hi Joanna,
Sorry I did't get back sooner. (I did not receive a notification that the reply was posted) Thank you for your reply. I was discussing this question with other people, one transcriber, one blind proof reader. But got more confused.
The book is in English, telling about the life of a Dutch lady. Because of that, here and there you have the occasional Dutch word or name, such as of a street or town. According to the Instruction Manual whenever the name/word is in regular typeface, I should use contractions. Meaning I would use the ed contraction and the st contraction in the word Smedestraat, and also in the name of the town: Haarlem; use the ar contraction. Correct?

Now here is where the confusion arises with my friends mentioned above. When I look in the Braille Formats book (Principles of Print to Braille transcription) Rule 1 6c (1) I read that the words should not be contracted, and contractions must not be used in any proper name.
I know, it is stated at the first paragraph of Rule 1 6 (Foreign material in English context) that this rule applies only to the transcription of foreign words and phrases that appear in English educational or instructional materials.
(My friends do text book transcription.)
So, in literary braille: use contractions, in text book: don't use contractions?

Thanks for your help.

Francine

[Chris Clemens]

Hi Francine,

No No! I think we have a misreading of a rule here. I'm looking at Formats Rule 1 6c (1) that you have cited and I do not see that is says proper names are not to be contracted. In fact is says that "When used in an English context, foreign proper names and personal titles are considered anglicized... and it goes on to say what consittutes this type of name!

Go ahead and use contractions in this case in both textbook and literary transcriptions when you have foreign names in the English context. Again, I don't see anywhere that it says not to contract foreign names. Perhaps you are confusing this with something else.

--Joanna

[Chris Clemens]

Hi Joanna,

I am glad that my initial approach, using contractions, is correct.

Thank you for your help. Have a blessed day.

Francine

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