Re: I18n comment: defining letter

Richard and I have the following proposal:

Replace the paragraph

  # Some languages may have specific rules about how to treat certain letter
  # combinations. In Dutch, for example, if the letter combination "ij" appears
  # at the beginning of a word, both letters should be considered within the
  # :first-letter pseudo-element.

(which contains no normative requirements) with either

   Note: In some cases the :first-letter pseudo-element should include more
   than just the first non-punctuation code point on a line. For example,
   combining characters must be kept with their base character. Additionally,
   some languages may have specific rules about how to treat certain letter
   combinations. In Dutch, for example, if the letter combination "ij"
   appears at the beginning of an element, both letters should be considered
   within the ::first-letter pseudo-element. The UA should include at least
   the entire default grapheme cluster as defined by [UAX 29 Text Boundaries]
   and may include more than that as appropriate.

or

   Note: In some cases the :first-letter pseudo-element should include more
   than just the first non-punctuation character on a line.  For example,
   combining characters must be kept with their base character. Additionally,
   some languages may have specific rules about how to treat certain letter
   combinations. The UA definition of ::first-letter should include at least
   the default grapheme cluster as defined by [UAX 29 Text Boundaries] and may
   include more than that as appropriate. In Dutch, for example, if the letter
   combination "ij" appears at the beginning of a word, both letters should be
   considered within the ::first-letter pseudo-element.

depending on what wording effect is wanted. The first one is written more
like normative prose ["The UA should include"], whereas the second one
focuses more on the UA's role in defining ::first-letter ["The UA definition
of ::first-letter should include"]. (Other than that part, the text is the
same in both.)

~fantasai

Received on Wednesday, 10 May 2006 08:07:39 UTC