Application of Grade 2 Rules
- Grade 3 Braille is an extension of Grade 2 Braille, therefore, all rules governing Grade 2 Braille apply to Grade 3.
- If the same amount of space is used in Grade 3 as in Grade 2, then the word should be written in Grade 2.
- Preference should be given to the Grade 3 signs that carry the fewest possible meanings when the same amount of space is used.
- Depricated: The Grade 3 contraction for "me" cannot be used in poetry where the old line sign > (dots 345) is used to show line breaks.
- Unusual things like foreign words, dialects, strange proper nouns, and weird coined words should be done in Grade 2 unless an abbreviation is assigned to them. An abbreviation is invented by the transcriber for frequently recurring names or terms in a transcription. Abbreviations are denoted with the abbreviation sign ' (dot 3) following the last letter of the abbreviation.
- The Grade 2 Braille capital sign , (dot 6) is only used in Grade 3 to indicate an uncommon proper noun or a word capitalized for emphasis. Otherwise capitalization is ignored.
- The Grade 2 Braille sign for "ful" ;l (dots 56, 123) is written as "fl" in Grade 3, with the U outlined.
EXCEPT: Lower-cell initial signs (be, con, dis and com) can be used when they are not the first syllable of a word, as long as they are preceded by another initial sign.
A sequence can be composed entirely of lower-cell signs. Although of course, not when they could be mistaken for punctuation marks.
Note: as of the authorship of this document, the associated Grade 2 Braille rules referred to should be those found in English Braille, American Edition, 2004 with 2007 updates.
Note: A list of transcriber abbreviations should be included at the beginning of the transcription somewhere after the title page.
Note: Normal Grade 3 Braille rules for outlining still apply here.