Foreign Punctuation

[Chris Clemens]

I hope I am putting this in the right forum. I am transcribing a 3rd grade English Language textbook. The attached page is from one of the stories. Many of the stories contain words and phrases from Spanish and are puctuated with the spanish "?" and "!" before and after words. As you can see in this example, I have a short phrase beginning and ending with the Spanish "?". What is the proper way to transcribe this phrase? I have read Rule 6 for foreign puntuation and know that I must use the (235) for the ! (inverted and regular) and the (26) for the ? (inverted and regular). I have been using the dot 4 before letters which are accented. Would I do this here as well, or would I use the Spanish symbols for the accented "e" in Que? Rule 1, 6c instructs me to use the dot 4 for accented letters. Do I combine these rules? Or do I use the Interim Manual for Foreign Language?

[joannavenneri]

The rules you refer to are Braille Formats and since we are looking at Formats rule, this question is posted in the wrong place. This needs to be over in Formats. But since it's here, I'll answer it here.

This is a foreign language in an English context and that is why it doesn't belong here. Rule 6 tells you to use the braille for the inverted queston mark and exclamation. Do that and list in Special Symbols. Since this is 3rd grade I would suggest that you identify these as inverted (upside down) question marks/exclaamation point to make the language more appropriate.

As you have noted, Rule 1 says to use the dot 4 for the accented letters. I don't understand what you mean about combining these rules. They are two separate rules that address two separate issues. Rule 1 addresses the accented letters (use dot 4) and Rule 6 addresses the puncutation. There is nothing to combine. Use Rule 1 where it applies, use Rule 6 where it applies.

The foreign language rules apply to foreign language textbooks. This is not a foreign language textbook, is it? And the issues you have here are addressed in Braille Formats. That's why these rules are even IN Braille Formats. Braille Formats is about how to do braille in a textbook. The foreign language rules in Braille Formats are about how to do foregn language that appears in non-foreign language textbooks. (And of course translated glossaries are different because the context changes.)

Hope this helps.

--Joanna

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