Unit 8 Modes: Contracted, Uncontracted, and Grade 1 Indicator
Unified English Braille has 3 modes: Uncontracted, Contracted, and Numeric.
Uncontracted Mode
This mode uses only letters, numbers, and punctuation.
Contracted Mode
This mode contains groups of letters that are combined into one or more cells creating a unique symbol that is faster to read and takes up less space on the page. It is the default braille mode and unless otherwise indicated, all symbols are read in contracted mode.
Numeric Mode
When the numeric indicator precedes a letter a-j, the symbol is read as a numeric digit 1-0 respectively.
Indicators:
Because the braille cell is limited to only 64 possible dot configurations, indicator symbols are placed in front of other letters or contractions to signal a change of meaning. With the exception of the numeric indicator, they are all formed from dots on the right side of the cell (dots 4-5-6).
You have already encountered two of these indicators: Capital letter indicator ⠠ (dot 6), and Numeric indicator ⠼ (dots 3-4-5-6).
| ⠁ | a | |
| ⠠ | ⠁ | A |
| ⠼ | ⠁ | 1 |
Example:
I would like 52 tomatoes.
⠠⠊⠀⠺⠙⠀⠇⠀⠼⠑⠃⠀⠞⠕⠍⠁⠞⠕⠑⠎⠲
Grade 1 Symbol Indicator:
Since contracted braille is the default mode, we can run into problems if we only want to refer to a text by its letter and not its contracted sign.
"T-shirt" could be read as "That-shirt."
-and-
Choose the correct answer: a. b. c.
-could be read as-
Choose the correct answer: a. but. can.
To avoid this mistake, we must indicate that the symbol is to be read in uncontracted mode rather than the contracted default mode. We do this by placing a grade 1 indicator ⠰ (dots 5-6) directly in front of the letter or symbol, which indicates that the following cell is to be read as uncontracted braille.
Examples:
T-shirt
⠰⠠⠞⠤⠩⠊⠗⠞
Note: The grade 1 indicator precedes the capital letter indicator.
a. b. c.
⠁⠲⠀⠰⠃⠲⠀⠰⠉⠲
Note: The letter "a" does not need a grade 1 indicator because there is no contraction for the letter "a."
Go to room m-1
⠠⠛⠀⠞⠕⠀⠗⠕⠕⠍⠀⠰⠍⠤⠼⠁
Grade 1 Word Indicator:
Like the capital indicator, two unspaced grade 1 indicators ⠰⠰(dots 5-6)(dots 5-6) tell us that the whole word is to be read in uncontracted mode. Uncontracted mode carries through the letter-symbol sequence until the next empty cell.
Example:
I spell it C-h-a-r-l-i-e
⠠⠊⠀⠎⠏⠑⠇⠇⠀⠭⠀⠰⠰⠠⠉⠤⠓⠤⠁⠤⠗⠤⠇⠤⠊⠤⠑
I always spell w-a-l-k near the dog.
⠠⠊⠀⠁⠇⠀⠎⠏⠑⠇⠇⠀⠰⠰⠺⠤⠁⠤⠇⠤⠅⠀⠝⠑⠜⠀⠮⠀⠙⠕⠛⠲