Single Cell Braille Contractions

[Ronnie Gilford II]

According to Tactile Graphics 2022 5.8.1.1 it is permissible to use a 3 Braille cell key. In 5.8.1.4 the use of single cell braille contractions are preferred. If we use a 2 cell contraction in a 3 cell key is this allowed? Such as C(ong) C, dots 56, g?

[Donald Winiecki]

Hi Ronnie!

You don't mention if your TG is using Nemeth or UEB. If you're using Nemeth, then no contractions are allowed.

If you're using UEB we find that 5.8.1.4 stipulates the use of single-cell contractions.  c(ong) uses a two-cell contraction for (ong).

However (!) 5.8.1.1 says <u>any</u> combinations of letters or letters and braille contractions can be used.  It also says that the first letter of the key should be the first letter or contraction of the item.  Using c(ong) satisfies these stipulations, so it is <u>permissible</u>.

That said, we will suggest that unless those cells are a really good representation of the word being keyed (the first 3 braille cells of the word itself), we would shy away from using c(ong).

[Ronnie Gilford II]

<p style="font-weight: 400;">Thank You for the help on the 3 cell contraction. The TG I was referring to was in UEB. The keyed portion was the Congaree River. The dispute was that in UEB the ong contraction would not be used. The con contraction would be used, so it would not make sense to the braille reader to use the ong contraction. That led to questions about the validity to using 2 cell contractions at all. In this situation the presence of the dot 45 for ong would be the only dot 3 or 6 in the configuration. That said, we chose not to use the c(ong) in this situation. Thank you for your assistance, we appreciate it!</p>

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