Reply To: Spacing of Function Names
Thank you for your questions about using UEB to transcribe technical material, specifically function names.
First, the Guidelines for Technical Material simply tell us, "Spacing should be used to reflect the structure of the mathematics. Spacing in print throughout a work is often inconsistent and it is not desirable in the braille transcription that this inconsistency should be preserved." (1.1.1) So, unless the print is very consistent with its spacing, we should remove spacing around function names except where spacing is necessary to avoid ambiguity.
You are correct that 9.3 deals with letters that are unspaced in print from the function name (especially Latin letters immediately preceding a function name and lowercase Latin letters immediately following a function name). 9.3 also deals with letters whose spacing in print around function names is not perfectly consistent, which is the vast majority of situations. Sections 9.3.2 & 9.3.3 also deal with letters that are unspaced in print from the function name as well as with letters whose spacing in print around function names is not perfectly consistent
9.3.1 does in fact mean that a number which immediately precedes or immediately follows a function name, with or without a blank space shown in print, should be brailled unspaced from that function name.
In regards to the items from NBA's workshop/manual "Using UEB in Technical Materials":
- In item #1:
- The number must be brailled unspaced from the function name that it immediately follows.
- The lowercase Latin letter must be brailled spaced away from the function name that it immediately follows.
- The lowercase Greek letter theta should be brailled unspaced from the function name that it immediately follows (except perhaps in the case where print is very consistent with its spacing), because the Greek letter indicator removes the possibility of ambiguity.
- In item #2:
- The lowercase Latin letter must be brailled spaced away from the function name that it immediately follows.
- In item #3:
- The capitalized Latin letter should probably be brailled unspaced from the function name that it immediately follows, because the capital indicator removes the possibility of ambiguity. Well spotted.
It is a constant process to hone our understanding and application of braille rules and to update our materials to reflect that process. Thank you sincerely for being part of that process by sharing your questions and notes on NBA materials.
–Kyle DeJute