From: Asmus Freytag (asmusf@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Tue Jan 20 2009 - 17:50:21 CST
On 1/19/2009 3:59 PM, Mark Davis wrote:
> "no longer customarily used in modern texts" is pretty much what
> archaic means. These are listed as Archaic in the Unicode book - if
> they are not, we should correct that (although it is unclear from your
> message).
Mark,
look at a typical dictionary definition of "archaic":
1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a much earlier, often more
primitive period, especially one that develops into a classical stage of
civilization: <I>an archaic bronze statuette; Archaic Greece.</I>
2. No longer current or applicable; antiquated: <I>archaic laws.</I>
3. Of, relating to, or characteristic of words and language that were
once in regular use but are now relatively rare and suggestive of an
earlier style or period.
Spellings can change rather suddenly, therefore, something might no
longer be in common use, but still lack the sense of "long ago" that
seems tied up with the term "archaic". As you can see from several of
the definitions, there's also a decided element of value judgment
connoted with the use of the term. I believe in the context of Unicode,
it it would be better if the term "archaic" was reserved for contexts
where characters or scripts fell out of use centuries ago.
A./
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