Braille is an international system that enables the blind to read and write. The introduction of this tactile alphabet has opened doors for the blind and enabled them to be on a more equal footing, with their sighted peers.
A brief history of Braille
This system of embossed dots was invented nearly 200 years ago, by a blind teenager named Louis Braille. Born in 1809 in a village near Paris, Louis injured his eyes at the age of three, as a result of playing with his father’s sharp tools. His eyes were immediately treated for infection. Despite receiving good care, however, he lost all his sight.
Louis attended school and learned by listening. He was a very bright and creative student. At the age of ten, he was sent to the Royal Institution for Blind Youth in Paris. Although teaching at this school also primarily occurred orally, there were a few books in a raised print format. At that stage, each raised letter was developed by pressing shaped copper wire on to the paper. This format did not allow blind people to write. Athough the bulkiness and tediousness of this tactile text was frustrating, Louis excelled in his studies.
Louis dreamed of improving the system, to make it easier and quicker for blind people to read and write. While still at school, he heard of a raised system of dots, invented by a French army captain called Charles Barbier da la Serre. His code was based on phonetics. It comprised 12 dots and was arranged in two columns of six dots each. Barbier’s basic ideas led Louis to develop a simplified system, that today is known as Braille.
How does Braille work?
Braille consists of 6 raised dots that are arranged in two columns – dots 1 to 3 in the first column and dots 4 to 6 in the second column. Letters “a” to j”, use a combination of dots 1, 2, 4 and 5 (the top two thirds of the 6 dot column). Letters “k” to “t”,include dot 3. The remaining letters of the alphabet use a combination of all the dots. Letters from “a” to “j” also signify numbers, when preceded by a “number sign”.
There are different levels of Braille. Grade 0 is for beginners; grade one is aimed at intermediates and grade two is for proficient Braille users. When receiving reading material in Braille, it is important to specify which grade you would like it in. Print is primarily transcribed into grade two Braille, as it requires significantly less space than grade 0. Even in grade two, however, Braille is a much bulkier format than that of print. A standard novel would require up to 12 Braille volumes.
Abbreviations and contractions
Many words in Braille are shortened by abbreviations or contractions. When an abbreviation occurs, a single letter will represent a word. Abbreviations include: b (but), c (can), d (do), e (every), f (from), g (go), h (have), j (just), k (knowledge), l (like) m (more) n (not) p (people) q (quite), r (rather) s (so) t (that), v (very) w (will), x (it), y (you), and z (as).
Contractions are signs that represent two or more letters. Some contractions include: er (dots 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6), ing (dots 3, 4 and 6), ble (dots3.4.5 and 6), en (dots 2 and 6) ea (dot 2), ch (dots 1 and 6) and sh (dots 1, 4 and 6). Some contractions are symbols that precede a letter. For example, dot 5 before the letter d, symbolizes the word "day".
Some tips on learning Braille
Most people read Braille with their index finger on the right hand. The index finger on the left hand, is commonly used to help the right finger keep on track. Half way across the page, the left hand locates the proceeding line to enable smoother reading.
One technique which might be helpful is applying a powdered substance on your finger tip. The aim of this is to assist your finger to remain on the line of text that you are reading. When I was learning Braille as a six year old, my Visiting Teacher covered my right index finger with chalk. This kept my finger from slipping all over the place on the page. When my finger grew accustomed to reading Braille, I no longer needed chalk to prevent my finger from losing its place.
My teacher used play dough to help me to learn the different positions of the dots for each letter. She would roll the play dough into six small blobs and demonstrate the different combinations. This assisted me to mentally visualize the shape of the letters.
At the outset of learning Braille, it can be difficult to distinguish the raised dots by touch. Dipping your fingers in a mixture of water and washing up liquid, may assist to increase sensitivity, as it opens up the pores.
While in many cases, advancing technologies are replacing the need for Braille, the introduction of the embossed alphabet marks an important turning point in the history of the blind. Through his strength, determination and courage, Louis Braille opened up a world of opportunity for the blind.
Bernadette Lancefield - Hey there! I am blind, have seven siblings, and have a seeing-eye dog called Zora. I love writing, reading, walking, hanging out with ...
