1.) The are linguistically/phonologically two different holams:
- Lo (letter and following an /o/ or an /ô/)
- oL (/o/ or /ô/ before the letter)
2.) In some MSS and prints these different holams are
indistinguishable when before or after a waw. On the much wider
alef the difference is always visible. Both holams have the same
shape but are placed differently.
3.) That I call making the difference "proper" and Jony calls it
"rare", that I call the typological disregard of the difference
"wrong" and Jony "common", is IRRELEVANT.
Unicode does not only code ISRAELI Hebrew in which something might
be common, but HEBREW. The Israeli Academy of the Hebrew Language
has never tampered with the holam rules. Even if they had, Unicode
would have to provide code points for a distinct point used during
many centuries by good Hebrew printers.
4.) Jony wrote:
You are also suggesting to make mandatory distinctions
that are nowadays seldom made. .... the installed base is enormous
No, I do not suggest to make MANDATORY distinctions. I just say,
that distinctions made in really live (by all speakers of Hebrew,
and all GOOD printers of vowelled Hebrew) must be reflected in
Unicode.
Maybe, in order to alleviate fears that "the installed base" has
to be changed, one could add comment to 05B9 :
"standing right over of the letter,
In data bases, where LEFT HOLAM is used,
this is the holam on holam gadol or the right holam
on alef, shin or sin, signaling /o/ or /ô/ BEFORE the letter:
- can merge with shin dot.
In data bases without LEFT HOLAM used for all HOLAMs."
So I propose to add HEBREW POINT LEFT HOLAM (to 05C9 or 05BA)
with the comment: "standing left over of the letter,
signaling /o/ or /ô/ AFTER the letter:
- can merge with sin dot"
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