Re: [css3-text] script categories, 'bicameral', 'discrete', Unicode links and more

John Cowan, Thu, 14 Apr 2011 12:05:34 -0400:
> Leif Halvard Silli scripsit:
> 
>> * Bicameral: Is there bicameral scripts that aren't discrete? If
>> not, could you, instead of listing all the bicameral scripts, simply
>> point to either a definition of the term 'bicameral' and/or list of
>> all the bicameral scripts somewhere else in the spec? [see more on
>> bicameral/unicameral below]
> 
> The word "bicameral" actually appears only once, and I think the
> sentence containing it can just be dropped.

May be that sentence could. But I'd like to see a section about casing 
somewhere which defines bicameral and unicameral. Hopefully that 
section will explain whether there _are_ bicameral scripts, today, that 
aren't discrete. Perhaps upper-case/lower-case count as 'discrete, 
unconnected (in print) units' (see below).

>> * Clustered: Wikipedia says that Tibetan script has influenced the
>> scripts Limbu, Lepcha and 'Phags-pa - they are thus probably clustered
>> as well.
> 
> Such assumptions are profoundly unsafe: all three are in fact discrete,
> as one can see from omniglot.com.

I considered stating that she could investigate those scripts. But 
anyway, let us look at Limbu examples, since that is aparently what you 
have done:
http://omniglot.com/writing/limbu.htm
http://www.xenotypetech.com/samplepdfs/LB_Sample.html

How do you come to that conclusion? Are you looking at the word spaces? 
Are the spaces result of adaptation to the "computer age"? Anyway, 
please note that "_and_ have discrete, unconnected (in print) units 
within words" is part of the discrete definition.

Is hyphens and other 'discrete' character what is meant by 'discrete 
units'?  Perhaps the description of 'discrete scripts' could be defined 
more too, fantasai?

For reference, Tibetan script:
http://omniglot.com/writing/tibetan.htm

Then there are spaces (U+0020} in the paragraphs of this text, as 
visible white areas:
http://ia700303.us.archive.org/10/items/LearningToWriteTibetan/AllPdfLearningToWriteTibetan.pdf

>> * Discrete: Unicode chapter '5.18 Case Mappings' tells that Georgian 
>> *has been* bicameral.                                                
> 
> Actually not.  There are three different Georgian unicameral scripts:
> Asomtavruli, Nusxuri, Mxedruli.  The A/N pair have been used in a
> bicameral way, and so have (much less commonly) the A/M pair.  However,
> there are also many cases where each of them is used unicamerally;
> unicameral use of M is the only style that is still used for new text.

Actually, it seems you provide nuanced info that _could_ be compatible 
with what UNICODE 6 says.
-- 
leif h silli

Received on Thursday, 14 April 2011 17:22:19 UTC