Re: Tibetan house

From: Christopher John Fynn (cfynn@dircon.co.uk)
Date: Fri Oct 29 1999 - 06:53:57 EDT


Michael wrote:

Ar 18:08 +0000 1999-10-28, scríobh Timothy Partridge:

>>> >Ancient Egyptian poses several similar problems as I'm sure you're
aware.

>>> I proposed beginning and ending cartouches like (parentheses), not a
single
>>> overlay like the keycap symbol.

>>My comment was referring to the two Tibetian characters which are "used
>>together forming a roof over one or more digits" (p 6-59). To my mind that
>>is not very far from joining together above and below to form a cartouche.

>Yes. In fact a whole chapter title can come between them.

That is a slightly different thing.

The two characters which go over numbers or alphabetic enumerations are
called "ang khang" (enumeration house). In numbering lists the right one is
often used singly.
Sometimes Tibetan volumes or chapters are enumerated by the syllables of a
mantra with a corresponding number of syllable. As Tibetan books are stacked
on top of each other when there are only two or three volumes words meaning
"upper" ("middle") and "lower" may be used.
Another use of these characters is to enclose whole groups of numbers
(often two or three rows deep) in astrological texts. In this use the right
or left character is often used singly.

The thing which goes over titles or chapter headings often has several peaks
and may be very elaborate - and often does not descend at the sides - though
occasionally there are ones which entirely surround the whole title like an
ornate cartouche.

There is probably no harm in using the "enumeration container" characters
round chapter headings in plain text.

 - Chris



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Jul 10 2001 - 17:20:54 EDT