Unit 1 The Braille Alphabet and Numbers
The braille cell is the basic unit of the braille system. Every letter, number, or sign of punctuation is formed by a pattern of raising certain dots within this cell configuration. The braille cell has six dots arranged in two columns of three and numbered down the columns like this:
A braille character is made by raising a pattern of dots in the cell. The letter "a" is made by raising dot 1 in the cell. ⠁
Here are the braille letters of the alphabet:
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j |
| ⠁ | ⠃ | ⠉ | ⠙ | ⠑ | ⠋ | ⠛ | ⠓ | ⠊ | ⠚ |
| k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t |
| ⠅ | ⠇ | ⠍ | ⠝ | ⠕ | ⠏ | ⠟ | ⠗ | ⠎ | ⠞ |
| u | v | w | x | y | z | ||||
| ⠥ | ⠧ | ⠺ | ⠭ | ⠽ | ⠵ |
Note: Notice that the braille dots for the letters ‘a’ through ‘j’ occupy the top portion of the braille cell. The letters ‘k’ through ‘t’ have the same pattern as ‘a’ through ‘j,’ with the addition of dot 3. Similarly, the letters ‘u’ through ‘z’ have a pattern like the letters ‘a’ through ‘e’ with the addition of dots 3 & 6. The only letter that does not follow this pattern is 'w.' This is because the letter 'w' was not represented in the French alphabet, which is the alphabet system on which braille was based.
Examples:
welcome
⠺⠑⠇⠉⠕⠍⠑
we hope to help a lot
⠺⠑⠀⠓⠕⠏⠑⠀⠞⠕⠀⠓⠑⠇⠏⠀⠁⠀⠇⠕⠞
my cat wants to run away to hide
⠍⠽⠀⠉⠁⠞⠀⠺⠁⠝⠞⠎⠀⠞⠕⠀⠗⠥⠝⠀⠁⠺⠁⠽⠀⠞⠕⠀⠓⠊⠙⠑
The Braille Numeric Indicator: ⠼
Braille numbers are made by placing the numeric indicator before the braille letters a through j. The number 1 is written as numeric indicator plus letter a (⠼⠁) and so on, as seen in the table below. Note that there is no space between the numeric indicator and the number. Also note that the numeric indicator is used only once within a number and is terminated by a space.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
| ⠼⠁ | ⠼⠃ | ⠼⠉ | ⠼⠙ | ⠼⠑ | ⠼⠋ | ⠼⠛ | ⠼⠓ | ⠼⠊ | ⠼⠚ |
Examples:
floor 18
⠋⠇⠕⠕⠗⠀⠼⠁⠓
5 apples
⠼⠑⠀⠁⠏⠏⠇⠑⠎
room 34 or 35
⠗⠕⠕⠍⠀⠼⠉⠙⠀⠕⠗⠀⠼⠉⠑
1000 balloons
⠼⠁⠚⠚⠚⠀⠃⠁⠇⠇⠕⠕⠝⠎