Section 18
Grammar

Grammar encompasses many topics. This section focuses on capitalization, punctuation, parts of speech, editing, and diagramming sentences. Additional information can be found in other sections of these guidelines.

When all capital letters are emphasized in print, ignore the emphasis and insert a transcriber's note to explain the print. Sample:

All capital letters in the section below are red.

Example 18-1: All Capital Letters Emphasized

When isolated letters are capitalized and emphasized (e.g., italics, bold, colored type, underlined, etc.):

a.  Follow print for emphasis.

b.  Insert a transcriber's note giving basic information about print capitalization. Sample:

The symbol .=@#2 represents red letters.

Example 18-2: Isolated Capital Letters Are Emphasized

Punctuation usage and order generally follows UEB. Use the guidelines in this section when punctuation is emphasized through the use of spacing or font attributes, or used in atypical situations.

Follow print when punctuation marks are enclosed in parentheses or standing alone. Use a grade 1 indicator if the punctuation could be misread as a contraction.

Emphasized Punctuation

a.  Follow print when punctuation marks are emphasized in print with italics, bold, underlining, or script.

Example 18-3: Punctuation Emphasized with Bold

b.  Ignore the emphasis when punctuation marks are emphasized in print with something other than italics, bold, underlining, or script. Insert a transcriber's note to explain the change to print. Sample:

Punctuation marks are green.
Quotation marks are red.

Example 18-4: Commas Are Emphasized with Red Print

c.  When isolated punctuation is emphasized with something other than italics, bold, underlining, or script, insert a transcriber's note after the punctuation mark or applicable word to identify the print emphasis.

Example 18-5: Isolated Punctuation Is Emphasized

Enlarged Print Grouping Symbols. Enlarged print grouping symbols (e.g., a bracket or brace) may be used to show a correlation between a word or phrase and a group of related words. When a word or phrase is preceded or followed by an enlarged grouping symbol enclosing a list of choices:

a.  Follow print placement for the words used.

b.  Use the multi-line bracket to represent the enlarged grouping indicator. (See UEB, §7.7, Multi-Line Brackets.)

Analogy Symbols. Use the following symbols when comparing word pairs:
3     is to
33   as

a.  Place a blank cell before and after each symbol.

b.  Do not divide a word pair between lines.

c.  List the symbols on the Special Symbols page or in a transcriber's note before the text. Sample:

Symbols used:

.=3 is to
.=33 as

There are two options when text shows abbreviations, words, parts of speech, numbers, etc., printed above or below lines of text.

Option 1

a.  Transcribe the sentence without the text printed above or below the line.

b.  After the sentence, list the words above/below the line followed by a colon and provide the corresponding word(s) from the sentence.

c.  Insert a transcriber's note to explain the format. Sample:

Each sentence is followed by a list of the parts of speech appearing above the print line with their corresponding words.

Option 2

a.  Place the abbreviation, word, or number in enclosure symbols not otherwise used in surrounding text (exercise set) and insert it after the affected text.

b.  The order of preference for enclosure symbols:
(1)  Parentheses
(2)  Square brackets
(3)  Angle brackets
(4)  Curly brackets
(5)  Vertical lines
(6)  Reverse solidus (backslash)

c.  Leave a blank cell before and after the insertion.

d.  Insert a transcriber's note to explain the format. Sample:

In braille, parts-of-speech labels above the print line are enclosed in parentheses after the corresponding word.

(See Sample 18-1: Parts-of-Speech Labels Above the Sentence on page 18-15 and Sample 18-2: Sentence Structure Labeled Above the Sentence on page 18-16.)

Marks used in proofreading and editing are difficult to reproduce in braille.

a.  Use 1-3 margins when print proofreading marks are listed.

b.  Do not devise symbols to represent these signs. Enclose the name or a brief description of each print mark in an embedded transcriber's note, followed by the meaning or function of the mark as stated in print.

c.  Proofreading marks and edits often are shown in a colored font attribute. Do not indicate this color.

d.  Follow print list of proofreading marks for use of capitalization and punctuation.

(See Sample 18-3: List of Boxed Proofreading Marks on page 18-18.)

When text shows transpositions, insertions, and/or corrections that cannot be reproduced, it is important to provide only the information that is included in the text and not give away the answers.

a.  Transcribe marked words that pertain to spelling in uncontracted braille. Contract other marked words (i.e. those relating to punctuation or adding text).

b.  Use the same keying technique as that used for text with marginal labels. (See Formats, §16.11, Keying Technique for Marginal Labels.)

c.  Devise a key by assigning a number or letter(s) to each proofreader's mark. The key should contain a dot 3 or a dot 6. Use the same terminology in the key that is found in the list of proofreader's marks in the text, as not all books use the same terminology. Follow each key item by the marked word(s), and then the instructions on what needs to be done. Enclose the complete key in a transcriber's note before the text.

d.  Place the keyed mark after the affected word or phrase, preceded and followed by a space. This keyed mark must appear on the same line as the marked word.

e.  Phrases should be enclosed in braille grouping indicators. Explain this usage in a transcriber's note.

(See Sample 18-4: Text with Proofreading Marks on page 18-19.)

When a text shows limited insertions and corrections within the flow of text:

a.  Use a transcriber-defined typeform indicator to show the crossed-out word(s). (See UEB, §9.5, Transcriber-Defined Typeform Indicators.)

b.  Explain the usage in a transcriber's note.

Note: in the example below, the second transcriber-defined indicator is used which assumes that the first transcriber-defined indicator was used elsewhere in the text.

Example 18-6: Text with Limited Insertions and Corrections

When text shows limited insertions and corrections above or below the flow of text:

a.  Follow Formats, §18.5.3 for crossed-out words.

b.  Enclose the text to be inserted in grouping symbols not otherwise used in the surrounding text, and place it after the affected text.

c.  Order of preference for grouping symbols: (1)  parentheses
(2)  square brackets
(3)  angle brackets
(4)  curly brackets
(5)  vertical lines
(6)  reverse solidus (backslash)

d.  Leave a blank cell before and after the insertion.

e.  Insert a transcriber's note to explain the format. Sample:

In braille, inserted words that appear above the print line are enclosed in parentheses and placed after the corresponding material in the sentence.

Carets. Use a caret symbol when a caret (^) indicates an insertion is to be made. Follow print for spacing.

Example 18-7: Use of Freestanding Caret in an Exercise

a.  When print includes inserted text preceded by a caret, the caret must be on the same line as the first word of the inserted text.

b.  Enclose the insertion in braille grouping indicators. Note: the grouping indicators will likely require grade 1 indicators preceding them.

c.  Ignore colored font attributes indicating text to be inserted.

d.  List the caret symbol and the grouping indicators on the Special Symbols page, or explain them in a transcriber's note before the text.

Example 18-8: Caret for Insertion of a Phrase

Linear diagramming shows sentence structure, using font attributes to distinguish between parts of speech. Use transcriber-defined typeform indicators if needed (as seen for the double underlining in the example below). Use 1-3 margins for each diagrammed sentence.

Example 18-9: Diagramming with Underlining

Linear Diagrams with Print Symbols. Follow print for use of the appropriate sign and spacing to show separate parts of a sentence. List these symbols on the Special Symbols page, or in a transcriber's note before the text.

_/ / Slash symbol

_\ | Vertical line symbol

Example 18-10: Linear Diagram with a Vertical Line

Linear Diagrams with Shapes. Use a transcriber-defined typeform indicator before words enclosed in shapes, e.g., circles, boxes, etc.

List the typeform indicators on the Special Symbols page or in a transcriber's note before the text. Sample:

Symbols used:

.=@#1 Boxed word
.=^#7 Circled passage

(See Sample 18-5: Diagramming with Shapes on page 18-20.)

Spatial diagramming shows sentence structure using visual cues such as arrows. Precede and follow each arrow/sentence pair by blank lines.

Symbols. Use the appropriate UEB arrow symbols. (See UEB, §3.2, Arrows). List these symbols on the Special Symbols page or in a transcriber's note before the text.

a.  Follow print for placement and direction of arrows placed above or below sentences.

b.  Start symbols above or below the first letter of the word, or the number indicator of a number. Do not extend the arrow to other composition indicators or punctuation marks.

c.  Keep words or phrases between which an arrow shows a relationship on a single braille line.

d.  It may be necessary to move part of the sentence to a new line to keep the relationship intact.

e.  When a sentence is too long to use the arrow symbols, explain the arrow relationships in a transcriber's note. Sample:

An arrow leads from hard-working to ballerina.

Spatial Diagrams with Arrows and Multiple Shafts

a.  Place the appropriate symbol of the arrow above the first letter of the word to which the arrow points. (See UEB, §3.2.)

b.  Use line mode to represent the arrow shaft. The line should end above the first letter of the word from which the arrow points. (See UEB, §16.2.3, Horizontal Line Mode.)

Example 18-11: Diagramming with Two Separate Arrows

Example 18-12a: Diagramming with Multiple Arrows

Example 18-12b: Diagramming with Multiple Arrows

Example 18-13: Diagramming with Multiple Arrow Shafts

Arrows with Emphasized Words. When any of the words or phrases are connected by an arrow and are also emphasized, the arrow is placed above the sentence and points to the first letter of the emphasized word or phrase.

Example 18-14: Diagramming Arrow and Emphasis

Spatial sentence diagramming is difficult to represent in braille. Insert a transcriber's note saying such diagramming has been omitted. Sample:

Sentence diagramming is omitted.

Example 18-15: Spatial Diagram to Be Omitted (Print Only)

Sample 18-1: Parts-of-Speech Labels Above the Sentence, page 18-15
Sample 18-2: Sentence Structure Labeled Above the Sentence, page 18-16
Sample 18-3: List of Boxed Proofreading Marks, page 18-18
Sample 18-4: Text with Proofreading Marks, page 18-19
Sample 18-5: Diagramming with Shapes, page 18-20

Sample 18-1: Parts-of-Speech Labels Above the Sentence

(Return to Text)

Sample 18-2: Sentence Structure Labeled Above the Sentence

(Return to Text)

Sample 18-3: List of Boxed Proofreading Marks

(Return to Text)

Sample 18-4: Text with Proofreading Marks

(Return to Text)

Sample 18-5: Diagramming with Shapes

(Return to Text)