Unit 6 Shortform Words (First Letter/Last Letter)
Shortform words do not require any special braille symbol. They are simply shortened forms of common 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 as whole proper names and as parts of proper names.
Avoid using a shortform word if it would cause confusion in pronunciation.
First Letter/Last Letter Shortform Words
This group of shortform words uses the first and last letter or symbol of the word it represents.
| Word | Short Form | Braille | Word | Short Form | Braille |
| children | (ch)n | ⠡⠝ | could | cd | ⠉⠙ |
| first | f(st) | ⠋⠌ | would | wd | ⠺⠙ |
| good | gd | ⠛⠙ | should | (sh)d | ⠩⠙ |
| letter | lr | ⠇⠗ | its | xs | ⠭⠎ |
| must | m(st) | ⠍⠌ | your | yr | ⠽⠗ |
| quick | qk | ⠟⠅ | him | hm | ⠓⠍ |
| paid | pd | ⠏⠙ | much | m(ch) | ⠍⠡ |
| said | sd | ⠎⠙ | such | s(ch) | ⠎⠡ |
Examples
These examples show shortform words used as whole words.
I would have if I could have.
I wd h if I cd h.
⠠⠊⠀⠺⠙⠀⠓⠀⠊⠋⠀⠠⠊⠀⠉⠙⠀⠓⠲
The puppy wags its tail so much.
The puppy wags xs tail so m(ch).
⠠⠮⠀⠏⠥⠏⠏⠽⠀⠺⠁⠛⠎⠀⠭⠎⠀⠞⠁⠊⠇⠀⠎⠀⠍⠡⠲
The children threw such a fuss.
The (ch)n threw s(ch) a fuss.
⠠⠮⠀⠡⠝⠀⠹⠗⠑⠺⠀⠎⠡⠀⠁⠀⠋⠥⠎⠎⠲
These examples show shortform words used as part of a word.
Mom said we should run quickly home.
Mom sd we shd run qkly home.
⠠⠍⠕⠍⠀⠎⠙⠀⠺⠑⠀⠩⠙⠀⠗⠥⠝⠀⠟⠅⠇⠽⠀⠓⠕⠍⠑⠲
The first grade children wrote letters to him.
The fst grade chn wrote lrs to hm.
⠠⠮⠀⠋⠌⠀⠛⠗⠁⠙⠑⠀⠡⠝⠀⠺⠗⠕⠞⠑⠀⠇⠗⠎⠀⠞⠕⠀⠓⠍⠲
This example shows the shortform word used as part of a compound word.
Mr. Goodman paid your bill.
Mr. Gdman pd yr bill.
⠠⠍⠗⠲⠀⠠⠛⠙⠍⠁⠝⠀⠏⠙⠀⠽⠗⠀⠃⠊⠇⠇⠲
This example shows the shortform word used as proper noun.
Ms. Quick said hello.
Ms. Qk sd hello.
⠠⠍⠎⠲⠀⠠⠟⠅⠀⠎⠙⠀⠓⠑⠇⠇⠕⠲