Authography and Grammar

From: Sinnathurai Srivas (sisrivas@blueyonder.co.uk)
Date: Sat Jun 25 2005 - 15:40:32 CDT

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    There seems to be a misunderstanding that authography does not involve
    Garaamar.

    This is wrong.

    This may be true for some languages and not true for other languages.

    Tamil Grammar, the oldest written Grammar that still in use, devotes the
    whole of chapter 1 to authigraphy.

    By authography, a character shape is not defined, but the characters are
    defined and lays down rules on how this would be used with phonology and
    other properties in the language.

    This indicates that the fundarmental principle under which Tamil is used is
    mis understood by Unicode, when Unicode declares authography has nothing to
    do with Grammar. I think we need some one who is keen and able to understand
    Tamil Grammar atleast at the authography level should seriously represent
    Tamil within Unicode.

    Tamils do not have a government of their own. This also means Unicode has a
    responsibility to bear the cost of developing Tamil or wash it hands off
    Tamil, so that Tamils can find ways of their own or hold fire till they can
    do things properly. It is not justified if Unicode continues to attack Tamil
    in ways suitable for it's masters and not do what Tamil need.

    Tamil used various forms of character shapes throughout the history. What we
    have at present is one form of the many. But the Grammar on authography was
    same throughout the thousnds of years of history.

    Srivas



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