From: Peter_Constable@sil.org
Date: Fri Jun 27 2003 - 05:22:30 EDT
Kenneth Whistler wrote on 06/26/2003 08:54:08 PM:
> Actually, in casting around for the solution to the problem of
> introduction of format controls creating defective combining
> character sequences, it finally occurred to me that:
>
> U+034F COMBINING GRAPHEME JOINER
>
> has the requisite properties.
This seems far less problematic than either RLM or WJ, since it was
decided that it functions between bases, but has no defined function
between combining marks.
But John's objections to this whole approach have validity.
> I don't understand this contention. There is no reason, in principle,
> why this has to be surfaced to end users of Biblical Hebrew...
Your arguments in this regard, Ken, assume that the needs of Biblical
Hebrew users are going to be addressed by dedicated engineering of all the
software tools that they use with BH text. This includes rendering systems
and fonts, but also apps, input methods, various kinds of text services...
I think that's a bit unrealistic. Is something like Word (say) likely to
be written to provide correct processing of CGJ (or whatever control is
used) for BH, and do so in a way that is completely transparent to the
user? It might be theoretically possible, but it's not terribly likely.
(Perhaps just slightly more than is the likelihood that UTC will just
revise the combining classes? :-)
> Nope, just insert CGJ in *all* the sequences. That blocks all reordering
> of such sequences, and you're done.
And I suppose this is considered elegant, right?
> > and adds another level of complexity to using
> > what are already some of the most complicated fonts in existence (how
many
> > fonts do you know that come with 18 page user manuals?).
>
> That, of course, I am in no position to be able to judge.
Having reviewed the doc in question and being familiar with user manuals
for other fonts, and can assure you it's quite unusual -- surreal, almost
-- to see a user doc with the level of technical detail this one has, and
by necessity, not choice.
I just have a hard time believing that 50 years from now our grandchildren
won't look back, "What were they thinking? So it took them a couple of
years to figure out canonical ordering and normalization; why on earth
didn't they work that out first before setting things in stone, rather
than saddling us with this hodgepodge of ad hoc workarounds? How short
sighted." As Rick said, I know this will get shot down; don't bother
telling me so.
- Peter
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Constable
Non-Roman Script Initiative, SIL International
7500 W. Camp Wisdom Rd., Dallas, TX 75236, USA
Tel: +1 972 708 7485
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