Re: Response to Everson Phoenician and why June 7?

From: James Kass (jameskass@att.net)
Date: Tue May 25 2004 - 06:31:01 CDT

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    Shemayah Phillips has kindly given permission to forward this
    response to a question about Hebrew range palaeo- fonting along
    to our public list.

    Best regards,

    James Kass

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Shemayah Phillips" <shemayah@ebionite.org>
    To: "James Kass" <jameskass@att.net>
    Sent: Monday, May 24, 2004 7:21 PM
    Subject: Re: Palaeo-Hebrew, Phoenician, and Unicode (Phoenician Unicode proposal)

    > Shalom James,
    >
    > I have a number of Hebrew fonts or transliteration fonts. The first ones
    > were assigned to the same keys as some fonts I used in the old
    > MegaWriter (ChiWriter) program. I was a means of using Hebrew, Palaeo,
    > and transliteration on our website beginning in 1996.
    >
    > But I assume you are talking about a Palaeo font which used the standard
    > Hebrew keyboard assignments. I'll be honest and tell you that I am not
    > up to speed on unicode.
    >
    > The reason for doing this was a project among us and the Karaites. They
    > asked me to do this in order that they could use a Hebrew encoded Tanak
    > text which would be available online, and readable in Internet Explorer.
    > So I am thinking this is your second scenario.
    >
    > I have no problem with a reassignment of my palaeo in order to
    > accommodate as many Hebrew glyphs as possible.
    >
    > In the Internet Explorer situation above it was possible to display
    > either Palaeo or Asshuri (square script) depending on what the html
    > asked for because of the I was asked to assign the font characters.
    >
    > The design of the characters was my attempt to capture the most typical
    > and classical forms after comparing a number of references. I have seen
    > a number of fonts since then which appear to me to atypical or just
    > importation of scanned examples from particular inscriptions, and a wide
    > variety of fonts from inscriptions. As a teacher (former at this point),
    > I used this font design also to show the similarities and history of
    > "our" Graeco-Latin characters' in Canaanite/Punic/Palaeo characters, and
    > so strokes needed to be clear and representative to younger students but
    > realistic as well.
    >
    > "rather lively discussion"? That sounds interesting. Are you interested
    > in the design of the characters for the standard? If so, as long as they
    > publically available to all, I would be receptive concerning their use.
    > I would like acknowledgement for the design/rendering of the glyphs.
    >
    > You can forward my reply if it is of interest.
    >
    > Shemayah
    >
    >
    >
    > James Kass wrote:
    >
    > >Greetings,
    > >
    > >There is currently a proposal to include the ancient Phoenician
    > >script in Unicode/ISO.
    > >
    > >Are you in contact with anyone who cares to express an opinion
    > >on the merits of the proposal? It is available on-line in PDF
    > >format at:
    > >http://wwwold.dkuug.dk/JTC1/SC2/WG2/docs/n2746
    > >
    > >Also, a question has come up in the rather lively discussion of this
    > >topic on the Unicode public list about a Palaeo Hebrew font
    > >offered on the Ebionite web pages. It seems that the font
    > >uses Palaeo Hebrew glyphs in conjunction with the Hebrew
    > >range of code points in Unicode. We wonder if the reason
    > >for this is because your community considers the ancient
    > >Palaeo Hebrew writings to be the same script as, or only a
    > >stylistic variant of, the square-style modern Hebrew letters...
    > >-or-
    > >...is the reason behind this because using the modern Hebrew
    > >range to display Palaeo Hebrew guarantees that the layout of
    > >the text will be right-to-left as expected and, in the absence
    > >of a Unicode range for Phoenician/Palaeo-Hebrew, using the
    > >Hebrew range seems to be the best choice?
    > >
    > >I am hoping that you are Shemayah ben-Avraham, who created
    > >the fonts, and that you can help us by sharing your understanding
    > >of this important writing system.
    > >
    > >If you choose to reply, may I forward your reply to the Unicode
    > >public list? (This is a list open to the public for the purpose of
    > >discussing matters relating to Unicode and is hosted by The
    > >Unicode Consortium. Please see this link...
    > >http://www.unicode.org/consortium/distlist.html
    > >...for more information about the Unicode public list.)
    > >
    > >With best regards,
    > >
    > >James Kass

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