--- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@...>
wrote:

> Michael Everson wrote:
> >
> > At 08:52 -0400 2005-08-22, Peter T. Daniels wrote:
> > >Peter Constable wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > From: qalam@yahoogroups.com

[mailto:qalam@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf

> > > > Of
> > > > > Peter T. Daniels
> > > >
> > > > > But one of Unicode's principals says they have to do

romanization.

> > > >
> > > > Wherever did you get that idea?
> > >
> > >From his postings to qalam.
> >
> > In any case, I didn't say that anyone "has to" do romanization.

All

> > Vai speakers will have had access to the Latin script, however,

so

> > it's not so bizarre to suggest that many of them might prefer a
> > QWERTY-based keyboard.
>
> Yup, cultural imperialism.

Not at all. I believe that English literacy is so desirable to
members of minority language groups that they often *prefer* English
digital literacy.

However, my argument is that not *all* members of minority language
groups can be bilingual so there should be alternate input
available. Sometimes it develops very naturally, as it has for
Chinese, Cree and now to a certain extent with Tamil. However, there
are often conceptual obstacles to be overcome and it is worth
discussing, but in a dispassionate way - to contribute to lateral
thinking and examine practise.

> > Nor is it obvious as to what a non-QWERTY Vai keyboard might

look like.

I think some of us are enjoying deepening our knowledge of the Vai
syllabary and realize that it poses unique keyboard challenges.

Suzanne