Spanish Contracted Braille

[Chris Clemens]

I understand there is a contracted braille for the Spanish language. I was given a brochure already translated into Spanish. In Duxbury 10.7, how do I translate this---in grade 1 like it was when I was in school reading braille foreign language, or in grade 2 (contracted braille)? What is the average Hispanic person able to read?

[Chris Clemens]

I don't understand completely what you have there. When you say the brochure is already translated into Spanish are you saying that this brochure is already in Spanish braille? In the United States, foreign language braille is done according to BANA (Braille Authority of North America). Those rules are published in the NBA Interim Manual for Foreign Language Braille Transcribing, available ONLY from NBA. Please contact NBA to obtain a copy if you do not have one

Foreign language braille (including Spanish) is NOT contracted, but uses the braille symbols assigned to it for accented letters. It's all in the manual. The accented letter symbols are listed in a Special Symbols page as in any other textbook transcription. This also applies to the Spanish inverted question and exaclamation marks.

Sometimes there is confusion between the braille rules of the foreign country itself. Braille as done in Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico, or any other Spanish speaking country will be done according to the braille rules of that country, which are not uniform and vary. Braille in Spain is not always the same as braille in Mexico, for instance. In the United States we use BANA rules because it is not possible to decide WHICH Spanish braille rules to apply. Please see the Winter 2008-2009 issue of the NBA Bulletin for an article on this topic.

The Spanish braille you have (or will transcribe) should be uncontracted with symbols assigned to accented letters according to the Interim Manual.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

--Joanna

[Chris Clemens]

I would like to continue this discussion by asking the last question again: what does the average Hispanic reader expect? We are transcribing a number of routine, short everyday documents (e.g., one page notices) that the customer would not want to have title pages, special symbols pages, etc. Is it OK to use grade 1 braille and the accent symbol (dot 4) before accented letters in documents like this? If we have to use all the accented letters, is it OK to explain them in a transcriber's note as opposed to a separate symbols page?

[Chris Clemens]

Braille in any foreign language that is transcribed in the United States must be done according to the NBA Interim Manual for Foreign Language Braille Transcribing, as previously explained. It is not acceptable to use uncontracted braille with the dot 4 accent indicator when transcribing material in a foreign language.

Is this transcription being done in the United States? If so, it must be done according to these rules. The dot 4 accent is used ONLY for occasional foreign language words that occur in ENGLISH text. It is not appropriate, acceptable, or of any real service to a braille reader if foreign language material is transcribed in that manner.

--Joanna

[Chris Clemens]

Joanna,
Thanks for the clarification. We have ordered the manual.
Martha

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