Re: 'lower case a' and 'script a' in unicode

From: Philippe Verdy (verdy_p@wanadoo.fr)
Date: Tue Mar 22 2005 - 14:39:34 CST

  • Next message: vlad: "Re: 'lower case a' and 'script a' in unicode"

    Could you please name these characters correctly as they are in ISO 10646?
    Namely: LATIN SMALL LETTER A, and LATIN SMALL LETTER ALPHA

    (OK the name "alpha" is borrowed from Greek, because the italicized
    "script-a" looks very much like a greek alpha, where the one-loop roman
    "script-a" is more like the handwritten latin a with just one loop under the
    x-eight).

    The distinction of these letters are made in some African languages too (But
    is there such distinction in uppercase form in some language using this
    letter, and is there a proposal to map such letter? What is the alternate
    letter form of 'A' in that case: a 'A' with some hooks on the legs or on
    some side of the horizontal stroke? a double horizontal stroke? a taller
    M-height one-loop "script-a"? something else?).

    Thanks...

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Michael Everson" <everson@evertype.com>
    To: "Unicode Discussion" <unicode@unicode.org>
    Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 6:57 PM
    Subject: Re: 'lower case a' and 'script a' in unicode

    > At 12:54 +1100 2005-03-22, Alec Coupe wrote:
    >
    >>I would like to know why 'lower case a' is converted to 'script a' when it
    >>is italicized in unicode.
    >
    > Because that is the usual behaviour of the letter "a".
    >
    > In Uralic linguistics, both a and script-a are used. In addition, they
    > commonly represent Uralic phonetic texts in italics. This is instructive.
    > The italic shape of a is a sloped script-a as you have observed, and the
    > italic shape of script-a is similar to that of an italic Greek alpha. So
    > it *is* possible to distinguish them in italic style.
    >
    > For examples see http://www.dkuug.dk/jtc1/sc2/wg2/docs/n2419.pdf



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