How do I transcribe the chapter heading for my trial manuscript?
Student: In the book I am transcribing for my thirty-five-page trial manuscript, the chapter heading is written on a page by itself. How should this be handled in braille?Instructor: In keeping with the practice of saving space in braille, whenever the print text uses an entire page for a heading, the page should be omitted in braille. The heading should be separated by a blank line from the text that precedes and follows it.
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For my trial manuscript, how do I handle notification of unusual problems in the print version?
Student: The book I am transcribing contains a lot of format
irregularities and some questionable use of punctuation. I
understand that I should indicate these irregularities in a
letter to the evaluator. However, should the letter to the
evaluator be included in the thirty-five pages of my trial
manuscript? If so, is it transcribed as a Transcriber's Notes
page?
Instructor: If you are transcribing a book that contains unusual formatting, punctuation, etc., attach a braille note to your trial manuscript to inform the proofreader about them. This note will not be considered part of your thirty-five-page trial manuscript and points will not be deducted for errors that might occur in it.
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When is the letter sign required in transcribing a combination of letters?
Student: According to Section 12a1 of the official code, English Braille, American Edition 1994, the letter sign is required when
a letter--or group of letters--immediately follows a number or is
joined to it by a hyphen as in 4-H Club. However, is the letter
sign required when a combination of letters forms a word such as
7-up, 5-mile, or 2-cell?
Instructor: No. When a combination of letters forms a word, the letter sign is not required unless the letters in the word can also represent numbers. For example, in the expressions a 200-cab operation or a 500-egg farm the letter sign is required before the first letter of the combination. Otherwise, the phrases would read as a 200-312 operation or a 500-577 farm.
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Can contractions be used in conjunction with the letter sign?
Student: I have another question concerning the use of the letter
sign. In the expression a 3-can case, should the contraction for
can be used?
Instructor: Absolutely not. By using the contraction for can, the expression 3-can case would read as 3-3 case. Thus, the word can should be written in full spelling, and the letter sign is not required.
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I'm confused about the use of the contractions "to, into, and by" in maximizing the number of cells on a braille line
Student: I have one final question. Is it now incorrect to write
out to, into, and by in order to use the maximum number of cells
on the braille line?
Instructor: No. However, Section 41b of the official code, English Braille, American Edition 1994, says that the contractions for to, into, and by may be carried to the next braille line in the following situations:
- There is not sufficient space on the same braille line
- for the lower sign and at least the first syllable of the
- connecting word.
- There is not sufficient space on the same braille line
- for the lower sign and the abbreviation and/or the braille
- equivalent for a print symbol and the joining letter or number.
However, it is still permissible to write out to, into, and by at the end of the braille line. In fact, when it is possible to save a considerable amount of space on the braille line, it may be preferable to write out the contraction. For example: The remainder of the estate was divided into $10,000 bequests.
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How do I braille the logo "USAir"?
Student: I am still puzzled about how to braille the logo "USAir" Can you clarify this for me?
Instructor: Certainly. Section 31a of the new official code, English Braille American Edition 1994, states that when abbreviations contain both upper- and lowercase letters, such as MHz (megahertz), a capital sign should be placed before each uppercase letter. Similarly, in the logo "USAir", the "u", the "s", and the "a" should each be preceded by the capital sign.
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Instructor: Good question. Letters that precede a number, whether or not
they are joined to it by a hyphen, do not require a letter sign unless the
letters constitute a short-form word. Therefore in the expression "DC-10",
the letter sign is not required. However, in the example "fr-5", the letter
sign is required since the letters "fr" compose the short-form for the word
"friend."
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Instructor: No.
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Instructor: You are certainly not alone. The print symbols for cents,
inches, percent, and yen should be preceded in braille by the symbol
indicator (dot 4). The print symbols for dollars and for pounds (sterling)
should be preceded by the symbol indicator when these symbols stand alone or
are in conjunction with a word or abbreviation. All other print symbols
should be brailled according to their braille equivalents shown in Section
31 of the official code, "English Braille American Edition 1994."
Student: Even though the print symbol indicator should precede the print
symbol for inches, it should not precede the symbols for feet and degrees.
Is this true?
Instructor: That is correct.
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Instructor: The number sign is placed only before the whole
number. (See Section 28F of the official code, "English Braille
American Edition 1994.")
Student: When two decimal fractions or a decimal fraction and a
whole number are connected by a dash, should the dash be changed
to a hyphen?
Instructor: No. Follow print.
Student: Should the number sign be repeated when two decimal
fractions, a decimal fraction and a whole number, or a decimal
fraction and a decimal mixed number are connected by a hyphen or
a dash?
Instructor: Yes. Regardless of sequence, the number sign must be
repeated in all instances cited above. Examples: #.125-#.625
#.75--#1.00 #.75--#1.9
Student: When a whole number and a decimal mixed number are
connected by a hyphen or a dash, should the number sign also be
repeated?
Instructor: Yes. Examples: #3-#4.5 #4.5--#3.
Student: Is it ever permissible to divide a decimal fraction?
Instructor: Regardless of length, a decimal fraction should
never be divided between braille lines.
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Instructor: Where print ignores normal paragraph indentation or
uses all capital letters for the first few words at the
beginning of a chapter or other division, this practice should
be disregarded in braille. Such paragraphs should be indented
into the third cell, and normal capitalization should be used.
(See Section 2.2 of the "Instruction Manual for Braille
Transcribing, 1984.")
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Instructor: Never leave a blank line between paragraphs unless
the print indicates a break in thought or scene by means of
extra spacing.
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Instructor: Yes. Even though the format for transcribing
centered headings is not presented until Lesson Eighteen, a
blank line should be left before and after the heading "School
Day", as shown in print.
Student: Also in Exercise Twelve, I am still confused about how
to transcribe the two-letter combinations "ei" and "ie".
Instructor: You are not alone. The letter sign is required when
a combination of letters standing alone can be confused with a
short-form word. Therefore the letter sign should be used in the
two-letter combination "ei". (See Section 12a3 of the official
code, "English Braille American Edition 1994".) However, the
letter combination "ie" does not stand for a short-form word,
and the letter sign is not required.
Student: I realize that because the letter sign is used in the
two-letter combination "ei", the quotation marks that appear
with it in print ("ei") are omitted in braille. However, should
the quotation marks be retained in the quoted two-letter
combination "ie" ("ie")?
Instructor: Yes. If a letter combination is written in quotation
marks and it does not represent a short-form word, the quotation
marks should be retained.
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Instructor: No. Short-form words must not be used to form parts
of common words contained in proper names, such as "Goodwill
Games"; in the name or title of a person; or in the name of a
place, a ship, or the like.
But common words do not become proper names just because
they appear in titles. In these cases, short-form words should
be used as usual. For example, the short-form word "good" should
be used in the book title "Good-bye, Mr. Chips".
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Instructor: There are special requirements. The book should
contain reasonably adult vocabulary. Children's books are not
suitable. The book you choose should be at least high school
level.
Student: Is it preferable for me to choose a book without a lot
of braille challenges?
Instructor: Your book should contain a variety of everyday
challenges that a certified transcriber is likely to encounter.
1. Your thirty-five-page trial manuscript must be submitted
according to the rules of literary braille. Therefore you should
not choose a book that requires textbook format.
2. You should not choose a book that contains a lot of
foreign names such as Chinese, Polish, Arabic, and others that
may present difficulty in determining whether they should or
should not be contracted.
3. You should not choose a book that contains a lot of
complex formatting such as tabular material.
Student: What kinds of challenges, specifically, should be
included?
Instructor: There should be
1. At least some use of italics for emphasis and for
distinction (as in book titles, foreign phrases, etc.);
2. Some use of blank lines to indicate a change of scene,
thought, or action, or to indicate quoted matter; and
3. At least some prefatory pages in addition to the title
page, such as a contents page, dedication, or preface.
Student: May I choose a magazine article for my thirty-five-page
trial manuscript?
Instructor: Magazine articles often present some very complex
formatting problems. Therefore, I would not recommend choosing a
magazine article for your trial manuscript.
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Student: When two fractions or a fraction and a whole number are
connected by a hyphen or a dash, should the number sign be
repeated after the hyphen or the dash?
Instructor: Yes. Regardless of sequence, when two fractions or a
fraction and a whole number are connected by a hyphen or a dash,
the number sign must be repeated after the hyphen or the dash.
This is a clarification to Section 28C of the official code.
Examples: #1/3-#2/3 #5/8--#3/4 #1/2-#1 #10--#1/10
Student: I understand that when one is brailling a mixed number,
the fraction is joined to the whole number by a hyphen, and the
number sign is not repeated before the fraction. However, should
the number sign be repeated when two mixed numbers, a mixed
number and a whole number, or a mixed number and a simple
fraction are connected by a hyphen or a dash?
Instructor: Definitely.
Examples: #1--#1-1/2 #2-5/8-#3-3/8 #1-1/2-#2
#1/2-#1-1/2-#2-#2-1/2
Student: In a mixed number such as 3-1/4, can the fraction 1/4
be carried over to a new line?
Instructor: No.
Student: In print, a whole number is often shown separated from
a fraction by a space, as in stock quotations. How is this
situation treated in braille?
Instructor: A whole number that is shown separated from a
fraction by a space in print should be treated as a mixed number
in braille. Example: #85-5/16.
Student: Are decimal fractions transcribed in a similar manner?
Instructor: Yes. I will discuss decimal fractions in more detail
in the next issue of "Update."
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Instructor: In keeping with the practice of saving space in
braille, whenever the print text uses an entire page for a
heading, the page should be omitted in braille. The heading
should be separated by a blank line from the text that precedes
and follows it.
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Instructor: If you are transcribing a book that contains unusual
formatting, punctuation, etc., attach a braille note to your
trial manuscript to inform the proofreader about them. This note
will not be considered part of your thirty-five-page trial
manuscript and points will not be deducted for errors that might
occur in it.
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I'm still confused about the use of the letter sign and use of hyphens
Student: I know that Section 12a1 of the official code says that the letter
sign is required when any letter or group of letters immediately follows a
number or is joined to a number by a hyphen. However, it is still not clear
to me whether or not the letter sign is used when a combination of letters
precedes the number as in the letter-number combination 'DC-10".
Is the letter sign required for writing ordinal numbers such as "3rd" or "4th"?
Student: Just one more question about letter-number combinations. When
writing ordinal numbers such as "3rd" or "4th," is the letter sign required?
Which symbols should be preceeded by the print symbol indicator?
Student: After reviewing carefully the 1991 code changes, I am still
confused about which symbols should be preceded by the print symbol
indicator (dot 4).
How do I transcribe decimal fractions in braille?
Student: The book I am transcribing contains a lot of decimal
fractions. I have a few questions about how to transcribe them
into braille.
First, when a decimal fraction is joined to a whole number to
form a decimal mixed number, where is the number sign placed?
How do I do irregular paragraph indentions
Student: The book I am transcribing also contains a lot of
irregular paragraph indentions. How is this situation handled in
braille?
Should blank lines in printed text be retained in braille?
Student: Sometimes blank lines are left between paragraphs
throughout the entire print text. Should these blank lines be
retained in braille?
I have some confusion about punctuation in abbreviations
Student: I am transcribing a book for my thirty-five-page trial
manuscript. In the proper name, Thomas R Moore, the initial r is
written without a period. Should a period be inserted in braille?
Instructor: No. Abbreviations used in print may be written with
or without a capital or a period. In braille, such abbreviations
should be written in accordance with the print copy. However,
because the letter r is written without a period, the letter sign
is required in braille. Otherwise the letter r standing alone is
read as the word rather.
What are the rules on using contractions for vocal sounds?
Student: In the book I am transcribing, a vocal sound is written
as "sh-sh." May I use the sh contraction in this instance?
Instructor: Yes. The sh contraction standing alone represents the
word shall. However, the whole-word contraction for shall may not
be joined to other letters or contractions to form parts of
words. (See Section 36a of the official code, English Braille,
American Edition, 1994.)
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Can you explain about using the letter sign for the abbreviation for Father?
Student: Is the letter sign required when the abbreviation Fr. is
used to represent Father or Friar?
Instructor: No. Even though the letters fr represent the short
form for friend, the letter sign is not required before
capitalized or uncapitalized letters when the letters are an
initial or an abbreviation followed by a period. (See Section
12b1 of the official code.)
Student: Similarly, in the book I am transcribing there is a
sentence that has a phrase me/us/rest. Should the single-letter
alphabet contraction for us be used?
Instructor: No. Single-letter contractions may be joined to other
words only with the hyphen to form genuine hyphenated compound
words such as have-nots and merry-go-round. The phrase me/us/rest
does not represent a genuine hyphenated compound word.
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Can you clarify a point about joining contractions?
Student: The book that I am transcribing contains a sentence that
reads "The committee members discussed the bookkeeping problems
of non-profit and for-profit organizations." Can the "and" and "for"
contractions be joined?
Instructor: No. The word for is part of the hyphenated word
for-profit.
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May I submit my manuscript using Interpoint braille?
Student: I have one final question. May I submit my
thirty-five-page trial manuscript using interpoint braille?
Instructor: No. There are specific rules pertaining to
transcribing materials in interpoint braille that are not covered
in the braille transcribing course. Therefore, all trial
manuscripts are to be submitted using single-sided braille.
How do I use dashes in transcribing?
In the April June 1997 issue of Update, the following entry in
the Braille Student-Instructor Dialog contained an error. The
entry should read:
Student: Throughout the book that I am transcribing, a dash is
represented in the print text by a space, a hyphen, and a space.
How is this handled in braille?
Instructor: Good question. Many authors frequently use a spaced
hyphen to represent a dash in print. However, in braille, a dash
should be transcribed as dots 3-6, 3-6. No space should be left
before or after the dash in braille.)
I have a question about blank lines and headings
Student: I am about ready to submit for evaluation Exercise
Twelve from the "Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing",
but I have one format question. Should a blank line be left both
before and after the heading "School Day"?
Can you explain about short-form words?
Student: Sometimes I still have trouble understanding the rule
concerning the use of short-form words when they form parts of
common words in proper names. For instance, should the
short-form word "good" be used in "Goodwill Games"?
Are there special requirements for choosing a book to be transcribed?
Student: Are there special requirements for choosing a book, or
can the transcriber choose any book that he/she finds appealing?How do I transcribe fractions?
Student: I am transcribing some material that contains a lot of
fractions. I have a number of questions about how to write them
in braille. First, when two fractions or a fraction and a whole
number are connected by a dash in print, should the dash be
changed to a hyphen in braille?
Instructor: No. Follow the print.
How do I transcribe the chapter heading for my trial manuscript?
Student: In the book I am transcribing for my thirty-five-page
trial manuscript, the chapter heading is written on a page by
itself. How should this be handled in braille?
How do I handle format irregularities?
Student: The book I am transcribing contains a lot of format
irregularities and some questionable use of punctuation. I
understand that I should indicate these irregularities in a
letter to the evaluator. However, should the letter to the
evaluator be included in the thirty-five pages of my trial
manuscript? If so, is it transcribed as a Transcriber's Notes
page?
