Re: [css-ruby] Tone mark of bopomofo in ruby

On 3/2/15 15:20, Bobby Tung wrote:

>> 1. Do you want browsers to re-order the light tone marks, or do you
>> think it should be done in the source HTML files?
>
> No, browser just do nothing, it should be done in the source HTML files.

I don't think I agree with this. As far as I understand, the established 
convention users are accustomed to is that the light tone mark precedes 
the bopomofo characters, as exemplified by existing input method 
software, and by text currently on the web.[1]

Requiring a different encoding order in HTML files than the existing 
plain-text convention seems wrong to me. If the author of [1], for 
example, wanted to change the page to use HTML/CSS ruby instead of 
inline 「quoted」 bopomofo readings, (s)he should be able to do that by 
simply replacing the quoting brackets with ruby markup; the actual 
character sequence representing each syllable's reading should not need 
to be rearranged.

Rendering the light tone mark, encoded *before* the syllable (because 
that is the established spelling convention) in the proper place 
relative to the bopomofo letters, depending on the writing mode and ruby 
position chosen, should be the responsibility of the browser in 
cooperation with the font.

To what extent the browser should rely on font technologies, and to what 
extent it needs to perform special layout itself, may still be an open 
question. But we should not be expecting authors (or authoring tools) to 
reorder the characters from their conventional sequence.

JK


[1] For example, see 
http://blog.xuite.net/suin1023/blog/55774766-%E3%80%8C%E4%B8%80%E5%80%8B%E5%80%8B%E3%80%8D%E6%98%AF%E3%80%8C%CB%99%E3%84%8D%E3%84%9C%E3%80%8D%E9%82%84%E6%98%AF%E3%80%8C%E3%84%8D%E3%84%9C%CB%8B%E3%80%8D 
where the writer includes a number of bopomofo readings, and 
consistently marks the light tone before the syllable, but the other 
tones after it.

Received on Tuesday, 3 February 2015 16:19:44 UTC