CHAPTER II

# APPENDIX 1

# THE INTRODUCTION OF GRADE 2 CONTRACTIONS

# AND SHORTFORMS INTO THE BRITISH LITERARY

# BRAILLE CODE DURING THE YEARS

# CIRCA 1870 AND 1990

INTRODUCTION

Sources

Key

SIMPLE UPPER WORDSIGNS

SIMPLE UPPER GROUPSIGNS

LOWER CONTRACTIONS

Wordsigns

Initial Groupsigns

Medial Groupsigns

Initial, Medial, and Terminal Groupsigns

COMPOSITE GROUPSIGNS

SHORTFORMS (ABBREVIATED WORDS)

SUMMARY

## INTRODUCTION

The French braille code was adapted for use in Britain in 1870, but because of perceptual problems encountered when reading embossed material, changes to the contents of the code have been made from time to time in endeavours to make it easier to read and to write. These have been described in the text. This appendix condenses the information concerning contracted words and letter strings at six stages in time from 1870 until 1990. It is possible from information given here to recognise main trends and the more specific information regarding each contraction. A summary is given at the end.

Not only are the lists of historical interest, but the information contained, coupled with a knowledge of the frequency of occurrence of the signs (e.g. Lorimer, J., Tobin, Douce, and Gill, "A Study of Braille Contractions", Vol.2, Statistical Data, 1982) will help to provide a basis for implementing future changes to the literary braille code.

Only symbols officially recognised by the British and Foreign Blind Association, the Uniform Type Committee, the British Uniform Type Committee, and the Braille Authority of the United Kingdom respectively are included in this appendix. Contents of primers have not been specifically mentioned because the information included in them is derived from the official rule books.

### Sources

Circa 1870 British and Foreign Blind Association

"Key to Braille Reading and Writing." This four-page pamphlet appears to be the first available source of information concerning the British braille code.

1895 British and Foreign Blind Association

"Dictionary of Braille Contractions with Rules." The dictionary was intended for the use of transcribers.

1905 British and Foreign Blind Association

"Revised Braille for Reading and Writing, Grade 2." This was published subsequent to the report given at the First Triennial Conference on the Blind, 1905. Only the fourth edition (May, 1912) was available with no reference to the date of the first edition, so entries have been placed under 1905.

1932 British National Uniform Type Committee together with the American Committee on Grade 2 (representing jointly the American Association of Instructors of the Blind, the American Association of Workers for the Blind, and the American Foundation for the Blind).

"Standard English Braille, Grades 1 and 2."

1960 British Uniform Type Committee

"Changes to Standard English Braille, 1st May, 1960." Several alterations to Grade 2 were considered at a working party held in 1956 between the braille authorities of Britain and America. Public opinion was sought before the changes were authorised.

1990 Braille Authority of the United Kingdom

"Changes to Grade 2 Braille, 1st May, 1990." Decisions made at the International Braille Conference held in 1988 were authorised in 1990.

### Key

· Absent from the code.

4 Present in the code.

T Transferred.

In 1905 six meanings which had previously been represented by simple upper wordsigns were given different configurations. These wordsigns could then represent new words of greater frequency.

## SIMPLE UPPER WORDSIGNS

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990
|  | but | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | can | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

Christ

4

4

### T

|  | do | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | every | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | from | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | go | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

God

4

4

### T

|  | have | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

Jesus

4

4

### T

|  | just | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | knowledge | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

lord

4

4

### T

|  | like | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | more | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | not | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | people | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | quite | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | rather | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

right

4

4

### T

|  | so | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

some

4

4

### T

|  | that | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | unto | 4 | 4 | 4 | · | · | ·

## SIMPLE UPPER WORDSIGNS (Continued)

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990
|  | us | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | very | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | will | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | it | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | you | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | as | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | and | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | for | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | of | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | the | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | with | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | child | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | shall | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | this | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | which | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | out | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | still | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

## SIMPLE UPPER GROUPSIGNS

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990
|  | AND | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | FOR | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | OF | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | THE | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | WITH | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | CH | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | GH | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | SH | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | TH | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | WH | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | ED | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | ER | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | OU | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | OW | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | ST | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | AR | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | BLE | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | ING | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

## LOWER CONTRACTIONS

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990

### WORDSIGNS

|  | be | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | enough | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | to | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | were | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | his | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | in | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

|  | into | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | was | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | by | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

### INITIAL GROUPSIGNS

|  | BE | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | CON | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | DIS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | COM | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

## LOWER CONTRACTIONS (Continued)

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990

### MEDIAL GROUPSIGNS

|  | EA | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | BB | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | CC | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | DD | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | FF | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | GG | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

### INITIAL, MEDIAL AND TERMINAL GROUPSIGNS

|  | EN | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | IN | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

## COMPOSITE WORDSIGNS

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990
|  | Christ |  |  | T 4 | · | · | ·
|  | day | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | ever | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | father | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | God |  |  | T 4 | · | · | ·
|  | here | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | Jesus |  |  | T 4 | · | · | ·
|  | know | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | lord |  |  | T 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | mother | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | name | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | one | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | part | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | question | · | · | · | · | 4 | 4
|  | right |  |  | T 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | some |  |  | T 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | time | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | under | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | work | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | young | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | there | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | character | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | through | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

## COMPOSITE WORDSIGNS (Continued)

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990
|  | where | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | ought | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | upon | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | word | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | these | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | those | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | whose | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | cannot | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | had | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | many | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | spirit | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | unto | · | · | 4 | · | · | ·
|  | world | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | their | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

## COMPOSITE GROUPSIGNS

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990
|  | OUND | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | ANCE | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | SION | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | LESS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | OUNT | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | ENCE | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | SELF | 4 | 4 | · | · | · | ·
|  | ONG | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | FUL | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | TION | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | NESS | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | MENT | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | ITY | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | ATION | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
|  | ALLY | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

## SHORTFORMS (ABBREVIATED WORDS)

Contractions are indicated by capital letters.

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990

ab | about | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
abv | above | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
ac | according | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
acr | across | · | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4
af | after | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
afn | afternoon | · | · | · | · | 4 | 4
afw | afterward | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
afws | afterwards | · | · | · | · | 4 | ·
ag | again | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
agST | against | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
alm | almost | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
alr | already | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
al | also | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
alTH | although | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
alt | altogether | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
alw | always | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
BEc | because | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
BEf | before | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
BEh | behind | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
BEl | below | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
BEn | beneath | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

## SHORTFORMS (ABBREVIATED WORDS) (Continued)

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990

BEs | beside | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
BEss | besides | · | · | · | · | 4 | ·
BEt | between | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
BEy | beyond | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
bl | blind | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
brl | braille | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
CHn | children | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
CONc | conceive | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
CONcv | conceiving | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
cd | could | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
dcv | deceive | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
dcvg | deceiving | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
dcl | declare | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
dcld | declared | · | 4 | · | · | · | ·
ei | either | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
fTH | faith | · | 4 | 4 | · | · | ·
fTHful | faithful | · | 4 | · | · | · | ·
fST | first | · | · | · | · | 4 | 4
fr | friend | · | · | · | · | 4 | 4
gl | glory | · | · | 4 | · | · | ·
gd | good | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
gr | grace | · | · | 4 | · | · | ·

## SHORTFORMS (ABBREVIATED WORDS) (Continued)

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990

grt | great | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
hERf | herself | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
hm | him | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
hmf | himself | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
hl | holy | · | · | 4 | · | · | ·
imm | immediate | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
xs | its | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
xf | itself | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
lr | letter | · | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4
ll | little | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
mCH | much | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
mST | must | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
myf | myself | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
nec | necessary | · | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4
nei | neither | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
o'c | o'clock | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
ONEf | oneself | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
OUrvs | ourselves | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
pd | paid | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
pERcv | perceive | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
pERcvg | perceiving | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
pERh | perhaps | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
qk | quick | · | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4

## SHORTFORMS (ABBREVIATED WORDS) (Continued)

|  |  | c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990

rcv | receive | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
rcvd | received | · | 4 | · | · | · | ·
rcvg | receiving | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
rjc | rejoice | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
rjcd | rejoiced | · | 4 | · | · | · | ·
rjcg | rejoicing | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
sd | said | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
sTH | saith | · | · | 4 | · | · | ·
SHd | should | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
sCH | such | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
THEmvs | themselves | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
THyf | thyself | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
t-d | today | · | · | 4 | 4 | · | ·
td | today | · | · | · | · | 4 | 4
tgr | together | · | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4
t-m | tomorrow | · | · | 4 | 4 | · | ·
tm | tomorrow | · | · | · | · | 4 | 4
t-n | tonight | · | · | 4 | 4 | · | ·
tn | tonight | · | · | · | · | 4 | 4
wd | would | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
yr | your | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
yrf | yourself | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4
yrvs | yourselves | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4

## SUMMARY

Total number of contractions contained in the British literary braille code, Grade 2, in c 1870, 1895, 1905, 1932, 1960, and 1990 respectively.

| c1870 | 1895 | 1905 | 1932 | 1960 | 1990

Simple Upper Wordsigns

Simple Upper Groupsigns

Lower Signs

Composite Wordsigns

Composite Groupsigns

Shortforms

27

12

14

9

11

0

27

12

14

9

11

24

34

13

19

36

14

73

34

13

19

32

14

73

34

13

19

33

14

78

34

13

19

33

14

76

Totals | 73 | 97 | 189 | 185 | 191 | 189

Where a sign can represent both a word and a part-word, it is only counted once.