[Lexicog] Interesting toolbox unicode problem

Mon Nov 28 14:05:29 UTC 2005

Another possibility to add to what Neal says, if the language encoding
called "vernacular" is not in Unicode, you can get this problem, even if
you don't use this language encoding in your database.
The MDF export process uses this language encoding even if your database
doesn't use it.

Steve White, Jaars language software support
704-843-6337, 1-800-215-7813

             Claire Bowern                                                 
             <bowern at rice.edu>                                             
             Sent by:                                                   To 
             lexicographylist@         lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com    
             yahoogroups.com                                            cc 

                                                                   Subject 
             11/26/2005 07:37          [Lexicog]  Interesting toolbox      
             PM                        unicode problem                     

             Please respond to                                             
             lexicographylist@                                             
              yahoogroups.com                                              

I have an intriguing problem with a toolbox file. It's in an Eastern
Armenian transliteration that my class came up with and is in Doulos
SIL. Most of the unicode characters are ignored when the database is
alphabetised for export to mdf. So, for example, the "a" entries begin
like this:

aʧʰ          adj. right. [Note: as opposed to left]
ʦʰaʦʼ              adv. down.
ʧʰaɺ         adj. evil; bad.
ʧʼaɺ         n. A finding; noun equivalent to verb ʧʼaɺel 'to find'. See:
ʧʼaɺel.
ʧʰaɺ         adj. bad. [Note: evil, unkind]
aʁ           n. salt.
aχ           interjection. oh.
ʦʰaχ         n. Collective mass of fallen branches, leaves, etc.
ǳaχ          left (opposite of right). [Note: Is this used as a noun or
adjective in Armenian (or both)?]
ʁa           onomat. crow’s cry.
χaʁ          v. game. See: χaʁel. [Ques: came or game? I would say game as
χaʁel
is "to playń" (CKS)]
  a          v.suff. third singular present subjunctive. Prdm:  al verbs.
  aɺ         v.suff. third singular past subjunctive. Prdm:  al verbs.
aɺa          interjection. hey (impolite interjection). [Note: In 050930f
session, Zaven told us we shouldn't use this. Also said it is the
imperative form meaning "Do it"]
χaʁaʁ              adj. peaceful. [Note: Forms minimal pair with [xaʁoʁ]
'grapes']

(you'll need a unicode email reader to see this right, but the point is
just that not everything starts with a)

Has anyone else had this problem and were you able to find a solution to
it?
(I know this isn't really a shoebox/toolbox help list but since there
are many people here who use toolbox regularly I thought I'd try my luck)
Claire

--------------
Dr Claire Bowern
Linguistics, Rice University
Houston TX

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page
http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/HKE4lB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Yahoo! Groups Links

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 
AIDS in India: A "lurking bomb." Click and help stop AIDS now.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/VpTY2A/lzNLAA/yQLSAA/HKE4lB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    lexicographylist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/