Unit 14 Shortform Words (Low B/Letter T)
Shortforms words do not require any special braille symbol. They are simply shortened forms of common words. They follow the same guidelines as the previously taught shortform words.
Guidelines:
Shortform words can be used as both whole-word and part-words.
Part-word usage is permitted for both compound and divided words.
They can also be used for proper names, as long as the shortform word represents the entire proper name.
Avoid using a shortform word if it would cause confusion in pronunciation.
Low B/Letter T + First Letter of Second Syllable Shortform Words
The following group of shortform words are 2-cell signs. They are formed using the low "b" contraction or the letter "t" followed by the first letter of the second syllable.
| Word | Shortform | Braille | Word | Shortform | Braille |
| because | (be)c | ⠆⠉ | today | td | ⠞⠙ |
| before | (be)f | ⠆⠋ | tomorrow | tm | ⠞⠍ |
| behind | (be)h | ⠆⠓ | tonight | tn | ⠞⠝ |
| below | (be)l | ⠆⠇ | |||
| beneath | (be)n | ⠆⠝ | |||
| beside | (be)s | ⠆⠎ | |||
| between | (be)t | ⠆⠞ | |||
| beyond | (be)y | ⠆⠽ |
Examples:
Zander will arrive before tomorrow.
⠠⠵⠯⠻⠀⠺⠀⠜⠗⠊⠧⠑⠀⠆⠋⠀⠞⠍⠲
Vegas was above and beyond.
⠠⠧⠑⠛⠁⠎⠀⠴⠀⠁⠃⠧⠀⠯⠀⠆⠽⠲
Sandra was behind on the paper that was due today.
⠠⠁⠯⠗⠁⠀⠴⠀⠆⠓⠀⠕⠝⠀⠮⠀⠏⠁⠏⠻⠀⠞⠀⠴⠀⠙⠥⠑⠀⠞⠙⠲
I can’t go tonight because I have to work.
⠠⠊⠀⠉⠄⠞⠀⠛⠀⠞⠝⠀⠆⠉⠀⠠⠊⠀⠓⠀⠞⠕⠀⠐⠺⠲
Between you and me, I’m bored.
⠠⠆⠞⠀⠽⠀⠯⠀⠍⠑⠂⠀⠠⠊⠄⠍⠀⠃⠕⠗⠫⠲
Aren’t below and beneath the same thing?
⠠⠜⠑⠝⠄⠞⠀⠆⠇⠀⠯⠀⠆⠝⠀⠮⠀⠎⠁⠍⠑⠀⠹⠬⠦
Look beside the chair.
⠠⠇⠕⠕⠅⠀⠆⠎⠀⠮⠀⠡⠁⠊⠗⠲
I have no other siblings besides my brother.
⠠⠊⠀⠓⠀⠝⠕⠀⠕⠮⠗⠀⠎⠊⠃⠇⠬⠎⠀⠆⠎⠎⠀⠍⠽⠀⠃⠗⠕⠮⠗⠲
NOTE: Notice that the shortform word beside (⠆⠎) can be used to form the word besides (⠆⠎⠎) by adding an extra letter "s."