Unit 14 Lower Wordsigns (his, was, were, be, in, enough)
The following braille contractions are formed in the lower 4 dots of the braille cell and are only used as whole words. Since these symbols have other meanings, they must appear as stand-alone words, having a space in front and behind them. They may be used after a capital sign but may not be in contact with lower cell punctuation signs.
his | was | were | be | in | enough |
⠦ | ⠴ | ⠶ | ⠆ | ⠔ | ⠢ |
The lower wordsigns be, in, and enough also appear as lower groupsigns (part-word contractions) in a later lesson.
Examples:
His mother will be home soon.
⠠⠦⠀⠐⠍⠀⠺⠀⠆⠀⠓⠕⠍⠑⠀⠎⠕⠕⠝⠲
Were the children in school?
⠠⠶⠀⠮⠀⠡⠝⠀⠔⠀⠎⠡⠕⠕⠇⠦
Father said that was enough for you.
⠠⠐⠋⠀⠎⠙⠀⠞⠀⠴⠀⠢⠀⠿⠀⠽⠲
He and his dog should be quiet!
⠠⠓⠑⠀⠯⠀⠦⠀⠙⠕⠛⠀⠩⠙⠀⠆⠀⠟⠥⠊⠑⠞⠖
They were having a big festival.
⠠⠮⠽⠀⠶⠀⠓⠁⠧⠬⠀⠁⠀⠃⠊⠛⠀⠋⠑⠌⠊⠧⠁⠇⠲
Was there enough food for everyone?
⠠⠴⠀⠐⠮⠀⠢⠀⠋⠕⠕⠙⠀⠿⠀⠐⠑⠽⠐⠕⠦
Lower wordsigns may not be followed by a sign of punctuation. If they are, the uncontracted form of the word is used.
Examples:
I don’t have a box to put it in.
⠠⠊⠀⠙⠕⠝⠄⠞⠀⠓⠀⠁⠀⠃⠕⠭⠀⠞⠕⠀⠏⠥⠞⠀⠭⠀⠊⠝⠲
Where can he be?
⠠⠐⠱⠀⠉⠀⠓⠑⠀⠃⠑⠦
I didn’t know where you were, and I wondered where you could be.
⠠⠊⠀⠙⠊⠙⠝⠄⠞⠀⠐⠅⠀⠐⠱⠀⠽⠀⠺⠻⠑⠂⠀⠯⠀⠠⠊⠀⠺⠕⠝⠙⠻⠫⠀⠐⠱⠀⠽
⠉⠙⠀⠃⠑⠲