This document gives the code used in the United Kingdom for transcribing text in German.
> ä
[ ö
\ ü
(These may be used for whole words where appropriate.)
* au
/ äu
? ch
% ei
$ ein
] er
< eu
+ ie
9 in
: sch
) st
! Gothic ss or sz sign
D das
M man
N nicht
U und
V von
Z zu
As in Standard English Braille, except:
Query 5
Capital .
Italic _
Double italic __
Asterisk 9
Abbreviation point '
The capital sign and the italic sign must never appear together before a word – use the italic (or double italic sign) only.
All capitals should be shown in German, unless a word or letter is already preceded by an italic or double italic sign.
Where the title of a book, section or chapter etc., which is to be centred, is printed all in block capitals, the capital sign should only be used in braille before the first word of the title and before any of the other words which would normally be written with initial capitals.
Initial letters standing instead of words, such as DDR, should each be preceded by a capital sign.
When the letters of a word are widely spaced in print for emphasis, italics should be used in braille.
When an abbreviation occurs at the end of a sentence, both the abbreviation point and the full stop should be used in braille.
When the full stop takes the place of an ordinal ending, as in 2. Weltkrieg or 19. Januar, it should be brailled as a full stop and not as an abbreviation point.
The letter sign is never used in German code, even for Roman numerals.
Blank spaces are often left to separate the thousands in German print, as in 1 936 877. Use the mathematical comma in braille.
In German print, the comma often stands for a decimal point, e.g. 2,5 Mill. Use a decimal point in braille.
If a number is printed close up to a word, as in 77jährigen, insert a hyphen in braille.
When a word is divided between C and K at the end of a line, the C should be changed to K before the hyphen, as in German print books.
1. In English context in a bilingual text, German code (including German italics where necessary) should be used for the following:
(a) German words in quotes or italics.
(b) German words which form a centred heading.
(c) German passages which are inset.
(d) German words which form a source at the end of a sentence or passage in German.
(e) German words which are separated by a colon from an English interpretation, as in Notes or Vocabulary.
2. Any German words in an English context which are in the same type as the surrounding text and which do not fall into any of the above categories, may be considered to be Anglicized and English contractions may be used, with care, when these would not distort the pronunciation. However, if any of these words contain umlauts, they should be uncontracted, preceded by a letter sign and the special accent sign should be used.
3. Any foreign words other than German which are in quotes or italics in this English context, should be uncontracted and dot 4 should be used for any accent signs.
4. Foreign words other than German which are not in quotes or italics, should be regarded as Anglicized and English contractions should be used, with care, when these would not distort the pronunciation. The dot 4 method should be used for any accent signs.
5. In German context, all foreign (including English) words in German context which are not in quotes or italics, may be considered as Germanicized and German contractions may be used, with care, when these would not distort the pronunciation. The dot 4 method should be used for any accent signs.
SJP/TE/13.7.95