Re: Mongolian script ?s

Sharon Correll recently said:

> Are there any experts in Mongolian script out there? I'm trying to
> crack the Mongolian script, and I'm running into some questions.
> Specifically I'm trying to implement a smart-font system to handle
> the contextual shaping that Mongolian needs.

Yes there are, and they are working on documenting the contextual shaping
rules for all four scripts in the Unicode Mongolian block. Eventually it is
hoped to produce a Unicode technical report. Let me know if you want to find
out more or are interested in joining in and I can give you contact details.

> (1) I'm trying to figure out the relationship between q and k, and
> gamma and g. The chart I have showing consonants is organized like
> this:

[snip]

> By the way, in the Unicode book there is a letter QA that looks like
> q on my chart, and a letter GA that looks like the gamma on my
> chart. There is also a Unicode letter KA letter that is not on my
> chart at all and appears to be something quite distinct.

QA and GA have both masculine and feminine forms. Some transcription systems
use one letter for one form and another for the other. Unicode uses a single
character. The Unicode code charts just show a possible glyph that the
character can take - this might not be a common one. Unicode QA is sometimes
transcribed q or k, GA g or gamma.

Unicode KA is a different letter. I've only seen it in adoptions of foreign
words.

Tim

--
Tim Partridge. Any opinions expressed are mine only and not those of my employer