Question about Lower Wordsigns, punctuation, and typeforms

[axs.brl]

Hello.

I need clarification on the part a typeform indicator plays concerning whether or not a lower sign can be contracted.

 

In 15.1D of the Instruction Manual for Braille Transcription 2015 it says,

 

“The wordsigns for be, his, was, and were cannot be in

direct contact with any lower punctuation, even if the presence of

typeform indicators adds upper dots to what would otherwise be a

sequence with all lower dots. Disregard both capital and typeform

indicators when determining whether to use these lower wordsigns.”

 

An example in the UEB Rulebook under 10.5.1 seems, at least to me, to contradict this.

 

“<u>Was</u> that <u>his</u> car?”

8_1,0 t _18 c>80

 

If I’m understanding IMBT 15.1d “Was” should not be contracted because the lower wordsign cannot contact lower punctuation, and the upper dot in the typeform doesn’t affect lower wordsign usage. But in the Rulebook example the lower wordsign is contracted.

 

I’m thoroughly confused.

 

Thanks,

Dani

 

 

[Cindy]

<p style="font-weight: 400;">The following is cited from The Rules of Unified English Braille, Second Edition 2013.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">10.5        Lower Wordsigns</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">10.5.1    Use the lower wordsign for “be”, “were”, “his” or “was” when the word it represents is “standing alone”.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">2.6          Standing Alone</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">2.6.2      A letter or letters-sequence is considered to be “standing alone” when the following common punctuation and indicator symbols intervene between the letter or letters-sequence and the preceding space, hyphen or dash:</p>

<li style="font-weight: 400;">… opening quotation mark of any kind
<li style="font-weight: 400;">… opening typeform indicator of any kind …

<p style="font-weight: 400;">The example you provided is:</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">“<u>Was</u> that <u>his</u> car?”</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">“<u>Was</u>
Meets criteria of standing alone as the opening quotation mark and opening typeform indicator intervenes between the letter or letters-sequence (Was) and the <u>preceding</u> space.</p>
Thank you for your question and for contacting Ask An Expert.

 

Cindy Olmstead
UEB Literary Committee

[Author]

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