Re: Draft Proposal to add Variation Sequences for Latin and Cyrillic letters (was Re: long s (was: Draft Proposal to add Variation Sequences for Latin and Cyrillic letters))

From: Andrew West (andrewcwest@gmail.com)
Date: Wed Aug 04 2010 - 05:33:59 CDT

  • Next message: Andreas Stötzner: "Re: Draft Proposal to add Variation Sequences for Latin and Cyrillic letters"

    On 4 August 2010 09:19, William_J_G Overington
    <wjgo_10009@btinternet.com> wrote:

    Answering the two questions below on the assumption that s-VS1 <0073
    FE00> were to be defined as a variation sequence for long s in all
    type styles, and without giving any opinion on the merits or otherwise
    of Karl's proposal in general, or specifically the merits of
    double-encoding long s as a variation sequence.

    > How could one express the following please using variation selectors and the Zero Width Joiner ZWJ in relation to the two character sequence sh?
    >
    > If you have a long s available, please use it, otherwise please use an ordinary s: furthermore, if you have a long s h ligature available please use that instead.

    s-VS1-ZWJ-h

    Note that there must be no character between a variation selector and
    the base character it applies to, so the ZWJ must go after VS1.

    > How could one express the following please using variation selectors and the Zero Width Joiner ZWJ in relation to the three character sequence ssi?
    >
    > If you have a long s available, please use it, otherwise please use an ordinary s: furthermore, if you have a long s long s i ligature available please use that instead.

    The use of long s versus short s and ligaturing of these letters
    varies widely geographically and historically and depending upon
    typeface. The following examples would all be valid *if* s-VS1 were to
    be defined as a variation sequence for long s (in all type styles):

    s-VS1-ZWJ-s-VS1-ZWJ-i -- for a ligatured ſſi as in "miſſion" (usual in
    18th century English typography)
    s-VS1-s-i -- for a non-ligatured ſsi as in "illuſtriſsimos" (usual in
    18th century Spanish typography)
    s-VS1-ZWJ-s-i -- for a ligatured ſs plus i as in "bleſsings" (usual
    for italics only in 16th and early 17th century English and French
    typography)
    s-s-VS1-ZWJ-i -- for s plus a ligatured ſi as in "utilisſima"
    (sometimes in 16th century Italian typography)

    Andrew

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