Provisional Guidance

[Mary Mosley]

There are no examples in the Provisional Guidance on when and how to use the Nemeth switch indicators in mathematical expressions and equations “containing” words. It shows how to use them when words come “between” expressions or equations. It also shows how to use the one-word switch indicator when a single word such as “where” or “and” comes between 2 expressions or equations. But how do you use them when the expression, or equation, actually contains words? This happens a lot in measurements. Following are some examples:

On page 540, Example A, Perimeter = the sum of the side lengths, where would you put the indicators? Would you place only the equal sign inside the indicators? What about examples B and C on page 540? In instances such as these, would you place the whole equation inside the Nemeth indicators and not contract the words? Then you have the Units of Time list at the top of page 562. Would you place the entire list inside the Nemeth indicators and not contract the words? This seems like the best and least complicated way to deal with such situations. Any other way there would be a lot of code switching. Am I correct about this?

I have one more question. If I have a note on the Notes Page letting the reader know that Nemeth Code is used in all tactile graphics, would it still be necessary to use the switch indicators before and after a graphic? And, since all tactile graphics are in Nemeth Code, shouldn’t all words inside the graphic be uncontracted?

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[kdejute]

I certainly understand your question; I've also wrestled with the issue of which words to include in Nemeth mode.

After conferring with people more knowledgeable than I, I can tell you that if words are part of a math expression, they are math. So, something like "Perimeter = the sum of the side lengths" should be in Nemeth mode.

For the "Units of Time" list on page 562, I too would include all its components in one big Nemeth mode.

Units of Time begin Nemeth

60 seconds (s) = 1 minutes (min)
60 minutes = 1 hour (h), etc.
...
100 years = one century end Nemeth

As for your note on the TN page about graphics being in Nemeth, I believe you could use that note and then not include switch indicators around the graphics. Personally, I would not do this; I would include switch indicators around graphics if they are in Nemeth mode, with the reasoning that this would be more useful to the reader. Regardless, you do need to follow all the guidelines laid out in the Provisional Guidance within a graphic transcribed in Nemeth mode (including guidelines regarding words).

Thank you for your well though out and well presented question. If you have further concerns, please do let me know.

–Kyle
edited by kdejute on 11/15/2015

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