NSAI/AGITS/WG6 N37
Date: 1997-07-27
Title: Results of ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG2 decision on Ogham
Source: Michael Everson
Status: Report
Action: For information to NSAI/AGITS/WG6
Encoding the Ogham script in ISO/IEC 10646 was discussed in July 1997 at the SC2/WG2 meeting in Heraklion, Crete. The working group appreciated the work which was done by Ireland in carrying out a National Enquiry on Ogham, but was concerned about the stability of the proposal because the new document was different from the previous ones seen. An ad-hoc discussion between the Irish representative and the representatives of the Unicode Consortium was taken up to discuss and resolve the outstanding issues.
The results of the questionnaire sent out in April 1997 by NSAI/AGITS/WG6, were made available for discussion by the ad-hoc group on Ogham. Three issues were raised during the discussions:
- Changes of the names. The decision to prefer normalized modern Irish spellings over Old Irish spellings was accepted by the ad-hoc group.
- The new characters OGHAM LETTER PEITH (LITIR OGHAIM PEITH), OGHAM REVERSED FEATHER MARK (COMHARTHA OGHAIM EITE THUATHAIL), and OGHAM LACUNA MARK (COMHARTHA OGHAIM BEARNA). It was pointed out that a space had been left in the original Ogham proposal in recognition that PEITH would find adequate attestation to warrent encoding (which it has). The new character was accepted. Attestation of the REVERSED FEATHER MARK in the Book of Ballymote was discussed, and the new character was accepted. Members of the ad-hoc group had serious doubts about the appropriateness of encoding the LACUNA. After extensive discussion it was agreed that other solutions, such as font solutions, could be used to indicate missing characters as well as conjectural characters in Ogham texts.
- Layout of the code table. The proposed 10646 code table came under criticism for leaving the first position unencoded. It was explained that this was left because NO-BREAK SPACE had this position in prI.S. 434. Somewhat inconclusive discussion ensued over the philosophical implications of this practice of leaving the position empty for compatibility with 8-bit sets, but in the end it seemed that it would serve no real purpose to insist on this for Ogham, particularly as the Irish Standard is not widely implemented and is still a draft. However, it was also recognized that the Aicmí were better presented if OGHAM LETTER BEITH (LITIR OGHAIM BEITH) occurred in position x1 rather than in position x0, so it was suggested that OGHAM SPACE MARK (COMHARTHA OGHAIM SPÁS) be placed in the first position. This led to some off-line discussion as to the wisdom of moving Ogham from columns A and B to columns E and F in prI.S. 434 to avoid conflicts between OGHAM SPACE MARK and NO-BREAK SPACE.
Following is the code table and code positions which will be sent out for PDAM ballot.
| | 434 | 10646 | English name | Ainm Gaeilge
|
|
| E0 | 1680 | OGHAM SPACE MARK | COMHARTHA OGHAIM SPÁS
| E1 | 1681 | OGHAM LETTER BEITH | LITIR OGHAIM BEITH
| E2 | 1682 | OGHAM LETTER LUIS | LITIR OGHAIM LUIS
| E3 | 1683 | OGHAM LETTER FEARN | LITIR OGHAIM FEARN
| E4 | 1684 | OGHAM LETTER SAIL | LITIR OGHAIM SAIL
| E5 | 1685 | OGHAM LETTER NION | LITIR OGHAIM NION
| E6 | 1686 | OGHAM LETTER UATH | LITIR OGHAIM UATH
| E7 | 1687 | OGHAM LETTER DAIR | LITIR OGHAIM DAIR
| E8 | 1688 | OGHAM LETTER TINNE | LITIR OGHAIM TINNE
| E9 | 1689 | OGHAM LETTER COLL | LITIR OGHAIM COLL
| EA | 168A | OGHAM LETTER CEIRT | LITIR OGHAIM CEIRT
| EB | 168B | OGHAM LETTER MUIN | LITIR OGHAIM MUIN
| EC | 168C | OGHAM LETTER GORT | LITIR OGHAIM GORT
| ED | 168D | OGHAM LETTER NGEADAL | LITIR OGHAIM nGÉADAL
| EE | 168E | OGHAM LETTER STRAIF | LITIR OGHAIM STRAIF
| EF | 168F | OGHAM LETTER RUIS | LITIR OGHAIM RUIS
| F0 | 1690 | OGHAM LETTER AILM | LITIR OGHAIM AILM
| F1 | 1691 | OGHAM LETTER ONN | LITIR OGHAIM ONN
| F2 | 1692 | OGHAM LETTER UR | LITIR OGHAIM ÚR
| F3 | 1693 | OGHAM LETTER EADHADH | LITIR OGHAIM EADHADH
| F4 | 1694 | OGHAM LETTER IODHADH | LITIR OGHAIM IODHADH
| F5 | 1695 | OGHAM LETTER EABHADH | LITIR OGHAIM ÉABHADH
| F6 | 1696 | OGHAM LETTER OR | LITIR OGHAIM ÓR
| F7 | 1697 | OGHAM LETTER UILLEANN | LITIR OGHAIM UILLEANN
| F8 | 1698 | OGHAM LETTER IFIN | LITIR OGHAIM IFÍN
| F9 | 1699 | OGHAM LETTER EAMHANCHOLL | LITIR OGHAIM EAMHANCHOLL
| FA | 169A | OGHAM LETTER PEITH | LITIR OGHAIM PEITH
| FB | 169B | OGHAM FEATHER MARK | COMHARTHA OGHAIM EITE
| FC | 169C | OGHAM REVERSED FEATHER MARK | COMHARTHA OGHAIM EITE THUATHAIL
| FD | 169D | (This position shall not be used) | (Ná húsáidtear an suíomh seo)
| FE | 169E | (This position shall not be used) | (Ná húsáidtear an suíomh seo)
| FF | 169F | (This position shall not be used) | (Ná húsáidtear an suíomh seo)
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Michael Everson, Evertype, Dublin, 2001-09-21