6.2 Numeric mode symbols – what is visible space?
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Hello. I'm not sure if this question is in the appropriate Forum, but I didn't know where else to ask it. In the Rules of Unified English Braille Third Edition 2024, I was investigating a question from a fellow transcriber concerning numeric mode and its termination. In Section 6.2 Numeric mode symbols, there is a new item called "visible space", as shown below.
6.2 Numeric mode symbols
6.2.1 The following symbols may occur in numeric mode:
• the ten digits;
• full stop (period);
• comma;
• the ten numeric space-digit symbols;
• visible space;
• simple numeric fraction line;
• the two line continuation indicators.
Refer to: Guidelines for Technical Material, Section 1.8, for the use of
the visible space; and to Section 11.3, Technical Material, for the
definition of a simple fraction and the use of general fraction
indicators.Then after the list it states: Refer to: Guidelines for Technical Material, Section 1.8, for the use of
the visible space ... But when I go to GTM, my 2014 version does not have a Section 1.8. Are they working on an update to the GTM? And if so, any idea when it will be out?And next question, what does "visible space" mean in numeric mode? Is it different than just a space between numbers? And how does that affect the original issue about terminating numeric mode? The rule in 6.4 has not changed.
6.4 Termination of numeric mode
6.4.1 A space or any symbol not listed in 6.2.1 terminates numeric mode.Thank you for any information and/or clarification.
Thanks for the great question, Susan!
The GTM is currently being revised piecemeal and the updated sections are released as they are approved by ICEB. To my knowledge, Section 1.8 has not been released yet and I am unsure of a date for its release. Sorry I can't be of much help in this matter, but I can explain the use of the visible space and how it relates to numeric mode in particular through a little investigation of GTM 2014 and RUEB 2024. (Please forgive the length of the response, but the payoff is there, I promise!)
The visible space symbol (dots 346) is not a new symbol to GTM 2014 as it can be found in sections 3.6 (Omission Marks) and 17 (Computer Notation). As an omission mark, the visible space is used to indicate any space in print that is intentionally left blank for teaching purposes, such as a blank space indicating a missing sign of operation, a space for the student to write the answer to a math problem, an interior digit that has been omitted, a missing numerator or denominator in a fraction, or a missing radicand in a root.
In computer notation, the visible space is used to indicate precise spacing in computer coding, particularly when the number of spaces affects the output of the code string. Furthermore, in computer notation, the visible space can be shown using one of several ad-hoc characters instead of a blank space; these include, but are not limited to, Latin small b with stroke, bottom square bracket, Greek capital delta, increment, or white up-pointing triangle.
Page 9 of RUEB 2024 provides a precise definition for the visible space: "braille symbol used for a space where a blank cell does not clearly convey the intended meaning. Examples include spaces to be counted or omitted digits within a numeral." This definition was added to RUEB 2024 in the update as it did not appear in the 2013 edition of RUEB. Therefore, the visible space is slightly new to RUEB (its only reference in RUEB 2013 was in Appendix 3, which sent you to GTM 3.6 and 17). ICEB also updated the visible space itself so that it would no longer terminate numeric mode, thus eliminating the need to repeat a numeric indicator following a visible space when the visible space is used for an omitted interior digit.
Turning to RUEB 2024 Section 6.2.1, we have an example of print using two bottom square brackets to represent the omitted interior digits in the following equation regarding pi:
pi = 3.⎵⎵159
⠏⠊ ⠐⠶ ⠼⠉⠲⠬⠬⠁⠑⠊
In the example, two visible spaces are used for the two bottom square brackets and no numeric indicator is necessary following the last one because numeric mode continues from the initial numeric indicator preceding the digit 3.
Since the visible space is now listed in Section 6.2.1, Section 6.3.1 "Termination of numeric mode" has been indirectly changed.
Finally, the difference between a visible space and a space between numbers is in the representation of the number itself. If print is parsing the number into sections (i.e., one million represented as 1 000 000), then a numeric space-digit symbol (dot 5 before the braille digit) is used. If the space were being used to represent a missing digit, such as a missing zero in the number 1,000,0 0, then the visible space would be used before the last zero.
If you've made it this far, congratulations! I hope this trip down the visible space rabbit hole has been helpful in clearing up the confusion surrounding this symbol.
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