microsoft

[MiaKalish@LFP]

I just thought that with technology, we don't need to be quite as
paper-dependent. We can have electronic "dictionaries" that provide several
to many sort orders. They can run on cell phones. Yep. And EVERYONE has one
these days.

I already ported some of my games to my pda. :-)

life is good,
Mia

----- Original Message -----
From: "jess tauber" <phonosemantics at EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 8:37 PM
Subject: Re: microsoft


> Sort order is another issue Yahgan documents will have to address- this
had slipped my mind. Missionary Thomas Bridges' used modifications of a
mid-19th century phonetic alphabet created by Alexander Ellis (who
eventually became president of the British Phonetic Society). This system
puts vowels first, then consonants. Within the vowels are secondary sorts by
"length" (i.e. tenseness/laxness), front to back, and simple versus
diphthong. Within consonants digraphs follow simples, mostly following
English spelling order, with notable exceptions.
>
> The original Ellis system was never meant to be used on languages other
than English (which caused this consonantal mis-ordering), and Ellis himself
eventually threw it over (also decrying, in his Phonetic Society
Presidential adress, Bridges' use and modifications of it, I guess much to
the chagrin of the missionary).
>
> For me personally, the ordering used by languages in SEAsia, based on
Indian alphabets, seems much more rational, as it is based on unit type and
articulatory order, manner, etc. I've seen a number of Native American
language dictionaries based on this type of ordering principle. It is very
easy to get used to. The Chilean Standard alphabetization uses a
conventional ordering, as do all the other systems used on Yahgan.
>
> Given the systemic layout differences, does anyone know if there are any
"smart keyboards" in the works, where the actual graphy on the key itself
can be changed at the touch of a button (versus just the layout on the
screen)? Something akin to electronic paper? I just saw in Popular Science a
laser projected "virtual" keyboard- where the feedback sensors keep track of
your fingers on a flat surface- that obviously could be programmed for
different systems. Alternatives such as these might prevent people being
forced to have keyboard ordering choices fixed in stone.
>
> Jess Tauber
> phonosemantics at earthlink.net
>
>