Hebrew braille

File:Hebrewnumberspunc.PNG

Hebrew Braille is the system of Braille used by Hebrew speakers and specifically, in Israel. In many ways it is similar to the standard Braille system used with the Roman alphabet. For instance, the Hebrew letter gimmel and the letter G in English share the same Braille code. When the letter is not generally represented in English, such as the letter chet, with a "ch" sound (such as in "loch"), it is represented by its IPA symbol, x, so the x used in English is used. This makes it easy for bilingual speakers to use because the two systems are related based on shared consonants and vowels (see table below).

The Hebrew Braille is read from left to right, whereas written Hebrew is read right to left. Unlike in standard written Hebrew, in Hebrew Braille, consonants "vet" and "bet", "kaf" and "chaf", "fei" and "pei", "shin" and "sin" are differentiated. Also unlike in standard written Hebrew, consonant "vav", and the vowels shuruk and cholam that are marked with a "vav" are differentiated. Similarly, consonant "Yud" and vowel hiriq marked with a "Yud", normally written without accents, are differentiated with separate Braille characters. See table below for further clarification on pronunciation of the different consonants and vowels and their respective symbols.

Letters

• The letters in the table are read from left to right.

• Braille A1.svg

  Alef (א), is either "silent", or that of its vowel underneath it. Same as "a" in standard English Braille.

• Braille V.svg

  Vet (ב), the "v" sound, like in "vote". Same as "v" in standard English Braille.

• Braille B2.svg

  Bet (בּ), the "b" sound, like in "bike". Same as "b" in standard English Braille.

• Braille G7.svg

  Gimmel (ג), the "g" sound, like it "great". Same as "g" in standard English Braille.

• Braille D4.svg

  Daled (ד), the "d" sound, like in "dome". Same as "d" in standard English Braille.

• Braille H8.svg

  Hay (ה), the "h" sound, like in "house". Same as "h" in standard English Braille.

• Braille W.svg

  Vav (ו), the "v" sound, like in "vote". Same as "w" in standard English Braille.

• Braille U.svg

  Vav (וּ) (as a shuruk), the "oo" sound, like in "ruse", "food". Same as "u" in standard English Braille.

• Braille O.svg

  Vav (וֹ) (as a cholom), the "oh" sound, like in "rope". Same as "o" in standard English Braille.

• Braille Z.svg

  Zayin (ז), the "z" sound, like in "zoo". Same as "z" in standard English Braille.

• Braille X.svg

  Chet (ח), the "ch" sound in German and Scottish (IPA: /x/), like in "loch". Same as "x" in standard English Braille.

• Braille T.svg

  Tet (ט), the "t" sound, like in "tomorrow". Same as "t" in standard English Braille.

• Braille J0.svg

  Yud (י), the "y" sound (IPA: /j/), like in "you". Same as "j" in standard English Braille.

• Braille I9.svg

  Yud (יִ), (as a chiriq), the "ee" sound, like in "ski", "see", "tea", "city". Same as "i" in standard English Braille.

• Braille Â.svg

  Chaf (כ ך), the "ch" sound found in German, like in "loch". Same as "ch" in standard English (Grade 2) Braille.

• Braille K.svg

  Kaf (כּ), the "k" sound, like in "kite" and "quite". Same as "k" in standard English Braille.

• Braille L.svg

  Lamed (ל), the "l" sound, like in "loop". Same as "l" in standard English Braille.

• Braille M.svg

  Mem (מ ם), the "m sound, like in "might". Same as "m" in standard English Braille.

• Braille N.svg

  Nun (נ ן), the "n" sound, like in "now". Same as "n" in standard English Braille.

• Braille S.svg

  Samech (ס), the "s" sound, like in "some". Same as "s" in standard English Braille.

• Braille Ë.svg

  Ayin (ע), a small stop in air, such as in between "uh oh", or a voiced pharyngeal fricative.

• Braille F6.svg

  Fei (פ ף), the "f" sound, like in "found". Same as "f" in standard English Braille.

• Braille P.svg

  Pei (פּ), the "p" sound, like in "pull". Same as "p" in standard English Braille.

• Braille È.svg

  Tzadik (צ ץ), the "tz" (or "ts") sound, like in "tsunami" or "pizza".

• Braille Q.svg

  Kuf (ק), the "k" sound, like in "quite" and "kite". Same as "q" in standard English Braille.

• Braille R.svg

  Resh (ר), the "r" sound, like in "run". Same as "r" in standard English Braille.

• Braille Î.svg

  Shin (שׁ), the "sh" sound, like in "shop". Same as "sh" in standard English (Grade 2) Braille.

• Braille Û.svg

  Sin (שׂ), the "s" sound, like in "sight".

• Braille Ô.svg

  Tav (ת), the "t" sound, like in "tell". Same as "th" in standard English (Grade 2) Braille. (Note that taf without a dagesh was articulated as [θ] in ancient and dialectal varieties of Hebrew.)

References

• Braille at Hebrew wikipedia he:ברייל
• Yiddish Braille code [1]
• Braille script (כתב ברייל)
• Hebrew Visions.org

he:כתב ברייל