Encoding Georgian and Nuskhuri letters for Ossetian and Abkhaz

Greetings!

The document N3775 (L2/10-072, 2010-02-17) "*Proposal for encoding Georgian
and Nuskhuri letters for Ossetian and Abkhaz*" proposes to add several
Mkhedruli letters for Ossetian and Abkhaz to the Mkhedruli chart of the
Georgian block as well as capital and small YN and AEN letters to the both
Khutsuri charts (in the Georgian and Georgian Supplement blocks). Regarding
selected character codes, the proposal states, "*the relative code
positions of YN and AEN are the same in all three charts (Khutsuri and
Mkhedruli)*", so the placement of AEN and YN in the Khutsuri charts is
proposed in order to keep trivial mapping between the Khutsuri and
Mkhedruli charts.

I would like to address two textual issues in this proposal.

1) U+10C8—U+10CC and U+2D28—U+2D2C are marked as reserved within
"Additional letters for Ossetian" sets of the Khutsuri charts, but,
obviously, they are in general reserve pool for both Georgian blocks. So,
why are they specified as reserved in "Additional letters for Ossetian"
sets? Will not it confuse/mislead a reader? And what will happen to
"Additional letters for Ossetian" sets if one day something non-Ossetian
will be proposed for, say, U+10C8?

2) Since both Khutsuri YN and AEN letters are attested for Ossetian only,
appropriate sets in the Khutsuri sections are named "Additional letters for
Ossetian" (the corresponding sets in the Mkhedruli section are called
"Additional letters for Mingrelian and Svan" and "Additional letters for
Ossetian and Abkhaz"). However, Georgian YN is used not only for Ossetian,
but for Mingrelian, Svan and Abkhaz as well. And nowadays Khutsuri is used
by Georgian Orthodox Church, so there is a possibility for using YN in
Mingrelian or Svan texts in future. Maybe it is better to name the
additional sets in the Khutsuri charts in more neutral way?

Thank you,
Alex.
Received on Tue Jan 17 2012 - 06:51:09 CST