BANA Announces Updates to Nemeth Code

Submitted by Charlotte Cushman on Jun 23, 2015
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The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) has approved seven updates to Nemeth Code, as summarized below:

  1. Nemeth Code Update to Orientation §4c: Technical and Non-Technical Texts
     
    BANA recommends that a transcriber’s note be inserted on the Transcriber’s Notes page of any braille volume containing tactile graphics. This transcriber’s note should indicate that the graphics were produced in accordance with the Guidelines for Tactile Graphics, 2010. Details of this update are available at the above link on the BANA website.
     
  2. Nemeth Code Update to Rule IV §26: Use of the English Letter Indicator
     
    BANA has ruled that in uncontracted braille, the English Letter Indicator is used or not used according to the rules of the Nemeth Code. Insert the phrase “in contracted and/or uncontracted braille” to the existing language on page 29 in the Nemeth Code book. The complete updated Rule IV §26 is provided at the above link on the BANA website.
     
  3. Nemeth Code Update to Rule XVII §119: Function Names and Their Abbreviations
     
    BANA has approved a correction to the 2007 Nemeth Update because a fraction indicator does not require an empty cell following it. This correction removes the space following the fraction in Example (7) on page 122 in the Nemeth Code book. The complete correction is available at the above link on the BANA website.
     
  4. Nemeth Code Update to Rule XIX §134: Signs and Symbols of Operation
     
    This update adds the Minus Followed by Minus Symbol. When two minus signs follow one another in an expression, a multipurpose indicator is inserted to indicate that they are not compounded vertically. BANA has approved the “minus followed by minus” symbol, -"- (3-6, 5, 3-6). The details of this update are posted at the above link on the BANA website.
     
  5. Nemeth Code Update to Rule XXII: Miscellaneous Signs and Symbols
     
    This update adds the Per Mille Symbol, ‰, meaning “per thousand” to the Nemeth Code. This symbol is based on the percent sign (per hundred). Details of this update are provided at the above link on the BANA website.
     
  6. Nemeth Code Update to Rule XXIV §184: Spatial Arrangements

    This update rules that in a system of equations preceded by an enlarged grouping sign, the numeric indicator is not required before the first numeric character in the equations. The following statement is added to the end of the paragraph on page 183 in the Nemeth Code book: “The numeric indicator is not required before the first numeric character in the expressions.” The complete update is available at the above link on the BANA website.

  7. Nemeth Code Update to Rule VIII §54: Spacing with Abbreviations

    BANA has ruled that for consistency in the presentation of abbreviations in technical material, when a system of equations is preceded by an enlarged grouping sign, the numeric indicator is not required before the first numeric character in the equations. The following statement is to be added to the end of the paragraph on page 183 of the Nemeth Code book: “If the abbreviation is preceded by a cancellation indicator and followed by a terminator, the required spaces come before the cancellation indicator and after the terminator.”

     

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