Unit 20 Braille Specific Symbols and Formatting
(Symbols and formatting that does not have a print equivalent)
Braille materials are usually embossed on 11½″ × 11″ braille paper with 25 lines and a maximum of 40 cells per line. Single line spacing is used.
Although transcribers follow very specific rules for formatting specific types of texts, the following are some of the basic guidelines.
Page Numbers
Braille transcriptions contain all print page numbers. The initial page number is located on the first line of the braille page and is justified to the right. Since braille takes up more space than print, the braille transcription may have to be continued on additional pages. A print page number is placed at the right margin on line 1 and an unspaced letter marks the additional pages.
Example:
⠼⠁(page 1)
⠁⠼⠁(page 1 continued)
⠃⠼⠁(page 1 continued to a third page)
And so on.
Page Change Indicator
When a new print page starts mid-way through a braille page, the print page is indicated by a Page Change Indicator which consists of a line of unspaced dots 3-6, beginning in cell one and ending with the new print page number at the right margin.
Example:
⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠤⠼⠁⠃
Braille Page Numbers
Sequential braille pages are numbered on the last braille line at the right margin. They will often differ from the print page numbers represented in the upper right.
Headings
Headings are used to show the headings of major sections of a text and subheadings are used to denote subsections of the major heading. They provide a structure for understanding the format of the printed material. The hierarchy of headings allows a braille reader to scan the text for pertinent information.
Major Heading
Major section or first level headings are centered and are preceded and followed by a blank line.
Subheading
The next subheading begins in cell 5 and is preceded by a blank line but is not followed by a blank line. Text following this heading is generally in block form with no indentation.
Second Subheading
The subsequent heading level begins in cell 7 and is preceded by a blank line but is not generally followed by a blank line. Text following this heading is generally in block form with no indentation.
Indentation
Each new indented paragraph is indented two spaces and begins in cell 3. Runovers to the next line default to cell 1 through the end of the paragraph.
Example:
This animal can change very quickly. It is little, and it is very hungry. Can you guess what it is? …
⠀⠀⠠⠹⠀⠁⠝⠊⠍⠁⠇⠀⠉⠀⠡⠁⠝⠛⠑⠀⠧⠀⠟⠅⠇⠽⠲⠀⠠⠭⠀⠊⠎⠀⠇⠇⠂⠀⠯⠀⠭
⠊⠎⠀⠧⠀⠓⠥⠝⠛⠗⠽⠲⠀⠠⠉⠀⠽⠀⠛⠥⠑⠎⠎⠀⠱⠁⠞⠀⠭⠀⠊⠎⠦⠀⠲⠲⠲
Simple Vertical Lists
Each new list item begins in cell 1. Runovers to the next line are indented two spaces to cell 3. Each subsequent runover also indents two spaces to cell 3.
Example:
New York
California
Alaska
Washington, D.C. (also known as simply Washington, the District of Columbia, or D.C.)
Etc.
⠠⠝⠑⠺⠀⠠⠽⠕⠗⠅
⠠⠉⠁⠇⠊⠿⠝⠊⠁
⠠⠁⠇⠁⠎⠅⠁
⠠⠺⠁⠩⠬⠞⠕⠝⠂⠀⠠⠙⠲⠠⠉⠲⠀⠐⠣⠁⠇⠀⠐⠅⠝⠀⠵⠀⠎⠊⠍⠏⠇⠽
⠀⠀⠠⠺⠁⠩⠬⠞⠕⠝⠂⠀⠮⠀⠠⠲⠞⠗⠊⠉⠞⠀⠷⠀⠠⠉⠕⠇⠥⠍⠃⠊⠁⠂⠀⠕⠗
⠀⠀⠠⠙⠲⠠⠉⠲⠐⠜
⠠⠑⠞⠉⠲
Transcriber's Notes
| Opening transcriber's note indicator | ⠈⠨⠣ |
| Closing transcriber's note indicator | ⠈⠨⠜ |
| Dot locator for "mention" | ⠨⠿ |
Any wording not shown in the print text and inserted by the transcriber is a transcriber's note.
Transcriber's notes can appear anywhere in a text. Transcriber's notes must be enclosed with the opening (⠈⠨⠣) and closing (⠈⠨⠜) grouping symbols for transcriber's notes.
Example:
NOTE: This is an example of transcriber's note that describes a picture.
"Regardless of what others thought, she often wore outlandish attire."
[picture here]
⠦⠠⠗⠑⠛⠜⠙⠨⠎⠀⠷⠀⠱⠁⠞⠀⠕⠮⠗⠎⠀⠹⠳⠣⠞⠂⠀⠩⠑⠀⠷⠞⠢⠀⠺⠕⠗⠑
⠳⠞⠇⠯⠊⠩⠀⠁⠞⠞⠊⠗⠑⠲⠴⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠨⠣⠏⠊⠉⠞⠥⠗⠑⠀⠷⠀⠁⠀⠺⠕⠍⠁⠝⠀⠺⠑⠜⠬⠀⠁⠝
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠕⠗⠁⠝⠛⠑⠀⠓⠁⠞⠀⠾⠀⠏⠥⠗⠏⠇⠑⠀⠞⠁⠎⠎⠑⠇⠎
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠎⠥⠗⠗⠨⠙⠬⠀⠮⠀⠃⠗⠊⠍⠈⠨⠜
(picture of a woman wearing an orange hat with purple tassels surrounding the brim)*
NOTE: Transcriber's note added beginning in cell 7 with runovers continuing in cell 5.
Special Symbols Page
Transcribers may include a special symbols page to define less common braille symbols that occur in the text. These symbols must be preceded by the dot locator for "mention" symbol.
Example:
⠨⠿⠐⠔⠀⠁⠌⠻⠊⠎⠅
⠨⠿⠈⠯⠀⠁⠍⠏⠻⠎⠯
⠨⠿⠈⠁⠀⠁⠞⠀⠎⠊⠛⠝