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A Brief Layman's Overview
of Standard English Braille

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The purpose of this page is to provide the reader with enough information to interpret most symbols written in either grade 1 (non-contracted) or grade 2 (contracted) Standard English Braille. This guide should make it possible to read literary braille, but it's not possible to describe briefly how to write braille. We recommend using a computer translator such as the ViewPlus Translator bundled with Tiger or one of the Duxbury products.

This guide does not present any of the special codes such as the math code, the computer braille code, or music braille. Relatively few braille readers know any of these special codes, even though they now appear occasionally in standard literature. For example, some transcribers use computer braille for e-mail and web addresses, since these modern constructions were not anticipated by the rules of Standard English Braille. A new book ("Braille into the Next Millenium", ISBN 0-8444-1021-7, edited by Judith M. Dixon, published by the National Libraries for Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals in North America, Washington, DC 2000) is recommended for readers interested in the detailed history, practice, and future of braille. This book includes chapters on Nemeth braille (the math braille code used in the US - but not the UK), the US computer braille code, the proposed new unified braille code, and DotsPlus.

Braille is a series of braille "cells" having raised dots on a grid of 2 columns and 3 rows. Embossed braille has approximately four cells per horizontal inch and 2.5 lines of cells per vertical inch. Dot to dot spacing within a braille cell is approximately 0.1 inch, and the dot height is about 0.02 inches.

Most grade 1 symbols are single cells, but grade 2 has many double cell contractions and a long list of shorthand words. Several symbols are context dependent in grade 1, and many are context-dependent in grade 2.

The lists and tables below are organized in binary dot order in which the least significant dot position is at the top right and the most significant dot position is the bottom left. The pictures of braille cells all have alt tags giving the conventional numbers of the dots in that cell. That convention has dot 1 on the top left, dot 2 below dot 1, and dot 3 below dot 2. Dot 4 is on the upper right, dot 5 below dot 4, and dot 6 below dot 5.

List of the 63 single cells of
braille and their meanings

List of multiple cell symbols

Table of double cell grade 2
contractions

List of shorthand words

 

 

 

List of the 63 single cells of braille and their meanings

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Many braille letters and single-cell contractions can appear as the second cell in grade 2 double cell contractions. These contractions, given in the first set of tables, are numerous and we do not note which letters do or do not appear in such contractions. We also do not indicate whether a letter appears in one of the shorthand words listed in the final table. Such mention would unnecessarily clutter this first list. However we note all other meanings that can be associated with any given cell.

  1.   no dots   Blank cell is a space.
  2.   dot 4   Accent mark indicating that preceding letter has some kind of accent.
  3.   dot 5   First cell of a grade 2 double cell contraction. not used in grade 1.
  4.   dot 4 5   First cell of a grade 2 double cell contraction. Not used in grade 1.
  5.   dot 6   Context-dependent indicator or symbol.
    • Capital letter indicator when followed by a letter. Valid within a grade 2 word when followed by any letter except "n" or "y".
    • Capitalized word indicator if used twice at beginning of a word
    • First cell of the two-cell symbol for opening single quote when followed by the cell   dot 2 3 6   representing the opening double quote.
    • First cell of a two-cell symbol for opening square bracket when followed by the cell   dot 2 3 5 6   representing parenthesis.
    • First of a two-cell grade 2 contraction when followed by the letter "n" or "y" within a word.

  6.   dot 4 6   Context-dependent indicator or symbol
    • Italic word indicator when at beginning of a word.
    • Italic phrase indicator if used twice at beginning of a word.
    • Decimal point symbol in number mode.
    • First cell of a grade 2 double-cell contraction when used inside a word.

  7.   dot 5 6   Letter indicator.
    • Terminates number mode when letters appear with numbers in a string.
    • Indicates letter is not a word contraction when used before a lower or upper case letter standing alone in grade 2.
    • First cell of grade 2 double cell contraction when used within a word.

  8.   dot 4 5 6   First cell of grade 2 double cell contraction. Not used in grade 1.
  9.   dot 1   Letter "a". Number "1" in number mode.
  10.   dot 1 4   Letter "c". Number "3" in number mode. Word "can" when standing alone in grade 2.
  11.   dot 1 5   Letter "e". Number "5" in number mode. Word "every" when standing alone in grade 2.
  12.   dot 1 4 5   Letter "d". Number "4" in number mode. Word "do" when standing alone in grade 2.
  13.   dot 1 6   Word "child" when standing alone, contraction "ch" otherwise in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  14.   dot 1 4 6   Word "shall" when standing alone, contraction "sh" otherwise in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  15.   dot 1 5 6   Word "which" when standing alone, contraction "wh" otherwise in grade 2, not used in grade 1.
  16.   dot 1 4 5 6   Word "this" when standing alone, contraction "th" otherwise in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  17.   dot 2   Comma. Grade 2 braille contraction "ea" if not at end of word.
  18.   dot 2 4   Letter "i". Number "9" in number mode.
  19.   dot 2 5   Colon.
    • Contraction "con" when used at start of grade 2 word.
    • Contraction "CC" when used within a grade 2 word

  20.   dot 2 4 5   Letter "j". Number "0" in number mode. Word "just" when standing alone in grade 2.
  21.   dot 2 6   Word "enough" when standing alone, contraction "en" otherwise in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  22.   dot 2 4 6   Contraction "ow" in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  23.   dot 2 5 6   Context-dependent symbol
    • Period/full stop.
    • Dollar sign when followed by number mode indicator.
    • Contraction "dis" when used at start of grade 2 word.
    • Contraction "dd" when used within grade 2 word.

  24.   dot 2 4 5 6   Letter "w". Word "will when standing alone in grade 2.
  25.   dot 1 2   Letter "b". Number "2" in number mode. Word "but" when standing alone in grade 2.
  26.   dot 1 2 4   Letter "f". Number "6" in number mode. Word "from" when standing alone in grade 2.
  27.   dot 1 2 5   Letter "h". Number "8" in number mode. Word "have" when standing alone in grade 2.
  28.   dot 1 2 4 5   Letter "g". Number "7" in number mode. Word "go" when standing alone in grade 2.
  29.   dot 1 2 6   Grade 2 contraction "gh". Not used in grade 1.
  30.   dot 1 2 4 6   Grade 2 contraction "ed". Not used in grade 1.
  31.   dot 1 2 5 6   Word "out" when standing alone, contraction "ou" otherwise in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  32.   dot 1 2 4 5 6   Grade 2 contraction "er". Not used in grade 1.
  33.   dot 3   Context-dependent indicator or symbol.
    • Apostrophe.
    • The "..." ellipses symbol when three are in a row.
    • Second cell of double cell symbol for closing single quote when preceded by cell   dot 3 5 6   representing closing double quote.
    • Second cell of double cell symbol for closing square bracket when preceded by cell   dot 2 3 5 6   representing parenthesis.

  34.   dot 3 4   The "/" symbol.
      Word "still" when standing alone in grade 2.
    • Contraction "st" when not standing alone in grade 2 except in context where it is "/".

  35.   dot 3 5   Contraction "in" in grade 2. Appears in grade 1 only when used twice in succession to represent double cell star symbol.
  36.   dot 3 4 5   Contraction "ar" in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  37.   dot 3 6   Context-dependent symbol.
    • Hyphen.
    • Two together are a dash.
    • Four together are a long dash.
    • Contraction "com" when used at beginning of word in grade 2.

  38.   dot 3 4 6   Contraction "ing" in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  39.   dot 3 5 6   Context-dependent symbol
    • Closing double quote
    • First cell of single closing quote double cell symbol when followed by cell   dot 3  
      Word "was" when standing alone in grade 2.
    • Word "by" when followed immediately (no space) by a word in grade 2.

  40.   dot 3 4 5 6   Number mode indicator. Contraction "ble" when used in a grade 2 word.
  41.   dot 1 3   Letter "k". Word "knowledge" when standing alone in grade 2.
  42.   dot 1 3 4   Letter "m". Word "more" when standing alone in grade 2.
  43.   dot 1 3 5   Letter "o"
  44.   dot 1 3 4 5   Letter "n". Word "not" when standing alone in grade 2.
  45.   dot 1 3 6   Letter "u". Word "us" when standing alone in grade 2.
  46.   dot 1 3 4 6   Letter "x". Word "it" when standing alone in grade 2.
  47.   dot 1 3 5 6   Letter "z". Word "as" when standing alone in grade 2.
  48.   dot 1 3 4 5 6   Letter "y". Word "you" when standing alone in grade 2.
  49.   dot 2 3   Semicolon.
    • Contraction "be" when used at beginning of grade 2 word.
    • Contraction "bb" when used within a grade 2 word.

  50.   dot 2 3 4   Letter "s". Word "so" when standing alone in grade 2.
  51.   dot 2 3 5   Exclamation point.
    • Word "to" when followed immediately (no space) by a word in grade 2.
    • Combines with   dot 3 5   "in" contraction at beginning of word to represent "into" in grade 2. Must be followed immediately (no space) by another word.
    • Contraction "ff" when used otherwise within a grade 2 word.

  52.   dot 2 3 4 5   Letter "t". Word "that" when standing alone in grade 2.
  53.   dot 2 3 6   Context-dependent symbol.
    • Question mark when at end of word.
    • Opening double quote when at beginning of word.
    • Second cell of double cell symbol for opening single quote when preceded by cell   dot 6  
    • Word "his" when standing alone in grade 2.

  54.   dot 2 3 4 6   Contraction "the" in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  55.   dot 2 3 5 6   Context-dependent symbol.
    • Opening parenthesis when at beginning of word.
    • Closing parenthesis when at end of word.
    • Second cell of double cell opening square bracket symbol when preceded by cell   dot 6  
    • First cell of double cell closing square bracket symbol when followed by cell   dot 3  
    • Contraction "gg" when used within word in grade 2.
    • Word "were" when standing alone in grade 2.

  56.   dot 2 3 4 5 6   Contraction "with" in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  57.   dot 1 2 3   Letter "l". Word "like" when standing alone in grade 2.
  58.   dot 1 2 3 4   Letter "p". Word "people" when standing alone in grade 2.
  59.   dot 1 2 3 5   Letter "r". Word "rather" when standing alone in grade 2.
  60.   dot 1 2 3 4 5   Letter "q". Word "quite" when standing alone in grade 2.
  61.   dot 1 2 3 6   Letter "v". Word "very" when standing alone in grade 2.
  62.   dot 1 2 3 4 6   Contraction "and" in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  63.   dot 1 2 3 5 6   Contraction "of" in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.
  64.   dot 1 2 3 4 5 6   Contraction "for" in grade 2. Not used in grade 1.

List of multiple cell symbols
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  1.   dot 6 dot 2 3 6   Opening single quote.
  2.   dot 6 dot 2 3 5 6 Opening square bracket.
  3.   dot 3 dot 3 dot 3   "..." ellipses symbol
      dot 3 5 dot 3 5   "*" star symbol
  4.   dot 3 6 dot 3 6   dash.
  5.   dot 3 6 dot 3 6 dot 3 6 dot 3 6   long dash.
  6.   dot 3 5 6 dot 3   Closing single quote.
  7.   dot 2 3 5 6 dot 3   Closing square bracket

 

Tables of double cell grade 2 contractions
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The following tables show all double cell contractions. The first column is a picture of the braille cells. The first cell of grade 2 contractions is always a "prefix cell" and is identified in the second column by its "dot numbers", e.g. [p5[ is the prefix cell having a dot at position 5. Prefix cells have no dots in the left column, so can have dots only in positions 4 (top right), 5 (middle right), and/or 6 (lower right).

The second character of double cell grade 2 contractions is a letter or single cell contraction. Single cell contractions are identified in the second column within brackets, e.g. [ch] is the single cell contraction for ch.

The final column gives the contraction that the braille cells represent.

Contractions beginning with [p5]

These contractions are valid anywhere.

  dot 5dot 1 5    [p5] e    every 
  dot 5dot 1 4 5    [p5] d    day 
  dot 5dot 1 6    [p5] [ch]    character 
  dot 5dot 1 5 6    [p5] [wh]    where 
  dot 5dot 1 4 5 6    [p5] [th]    through 
  dot 5dot 2 4 5 6    [p5] w    work 
  dot 5dot 1 2 4    [p5] f    father 
  dot 5dot 1 2 5    [p5] h    here 
  dot 5dot 1 2 5 6    [p5] [ou]    ought 
  dot 5dot 1 3    [p5] k    know 
  dot 5dot 1 3 4    [p5] m    mother 
  dot 5dot 1 3 5    [p5] o    one 
  dot 5dot 1 3 4 5    [p5] n    name 
  dot 5dot 1 3 6    [p5] u    under 
  dot 5dot 1 3 4 5 6    [p5] y    young 
  dot 5dot 2 3 4    [p5] s    some 
  dot 5dot 2 3 4 5    [p5] t    time 
  dot 5dot 2 3 4 6    [p5] [the]    there 
  dot 5dot 1 2 3    [p5] l    lord 
  dot 5dot 1 2 3 4    [p5] p    part 
  dot 5dot 1 2 3 5    [p5] r    right 
  dot 5dot 1 2 3 4 5    [p5] q    question 

Contractions beginning with [p45]

These contractions are valid anywhere.

  dot 4 5dot 1 5 6    [p45] [wh]    whose 
  dot 4 5dot 1 4 5 6    [p45] [th]    those 
  dot 4 5dot 2 4 5 6    [p45] w    word 
  dot 4 5dot 1 3 6    [p45] u    upon 
  dot 4 5dot 2 3 4 6    [p45] [the]    these 

Contractions beginning with [p6]

These contractions are not valid at the beginning of a word.

  dot 6dot 1 3 4 5    [p6] n    ation 
  dot 6dot 1 3 4 5 6    [p6] y    ally 

Contractions beginning with [p46]

These contractions are not valid at the beginning of a word.

  dot 4 6dot 1 5    [p46] e    ance 
  dot 4 6dot 1 4 5    [p46] d    ound 
  dot 4 6dot 1 3 4 5    [p46] n    sion 
  dot 4 6dot 2 3 4    [p46] s    less 
  dot 4 6dot 2 3 4 5    [p46] t    ount 

Contractions beginning with [p56]

These contractions are not valid at the beginning of a word.

  dot 5 6dot 1 5    [p56] e    ence 
  dot 5 6dot 1 2 4 5    [p56] g    ong 
  dot 5 6dot 1 3 4 5    [p56] n    tion 
  dot 5 6dot 1 3 4 5 6    [p56] y    ity 
  dot 5 6dot 2 3 4    [p56] s    ness 
  dot 5 6dot 2 3 4 5    [p56] t    ment 
  dot 5 6dot 1 2 3    [p56] l    ful 

Contractions beginning with [p456]

These contractions are valid anywhere.

  dot 4 5 6dot 1 4    [p456] c    cannot 
  dot 4 5 6dot 2 4 5 6    [p456] w    world 
  dot 4 5 6dot 1 2 5    [p456] h    had 
  dot 4 5 6dot 1 3 4    [p456] m    many 
  dot 4 5 6dot 2 3 4    [p456] s    spirit 
  dot 4 5 6dot 2 3 4 6    [p456] [the]    their 

 

List of shorthand words
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The following list shows words that can be written in the "short form" shown. Single cell contractions are shown in brackets - e.g. [ch] is the single cell representing ch. These should not be used in names.

  1. ab about
  2. abv above
  3. ac according
  4. acr across
  5. af after
  6. afn afternoon
  7. afw afterward
  8. ag again
  9. ag[st] against
  10. al also
  11. alm almost
  12. alr already
  13. alt altogether
  14. al[th] although
  15. alw always
  16. [be]c because
  17. [be]f before
  18. [be]h behind
  19. [be]l below
  20. [be]n beneath
  21. [be]t between
  22. [be]y beyond
  23. bl blind
  24. brl braille
  25. cd could
  26. [ch]n children
  27. [con]cv conceive
  28. [con]cvg conceiving
  29. dcl declare
  30. dclg declaring
  31. dcv deceive
  32. dcvg deceiving
  33. ei either
  34. fr friend
  35. f[st] first
  36. gd good
  37. grt great
  38. h[er]f herself
  39. hm him
  40. hmf himself
  41. imm immediate
  42. lr letter
  43. ll little
  44. m[ch] much
  45. myf myself
  46. m[st] must
  47. nec necessary
  48. nei neither
  49. o'c o'clock
  50. [one]f oneself
  51. (ou)rvs ourselves
  52. pd paid
  53. p[er]cv perceive
  54. p[er]cvg perceiving
  55. p[er]h perhaps
  56. qk quick
  57. rcv receive
  58. rcvg receiving
  59. rjc rejoice
  60. rjcg rejoicing
  61. s[ch] such
  62. sd said
  63. [sh]d should
  64. td today
  65. tgr together
  66. [the]mvs themselves
  67. [th]yf thyself
  68. tm tomorrow
  69. tn tonight
  70. wd would
  71. xs its
  72. xf itself
  73. yr your
  74. yrf yourself
  75. yrvs yourselves

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