[Spellyans] Use of diacritics

[Michael Everson]

At 09:51 -0600 2008-06-25, Terry wrote:

>The only problem I see with a diaeresis is that some people can't 
>abide diacritics and some devices don't support them. I would 
>imagine that in private communications the diacritics would be left 
>off anyway.

That will be a matter for individuals. I will use them in my 
publishing, and in documentation and teaching materials we will make 
it clear that using them is better than not using them. "You can 
leave them off, if you must, but that makes your writing less precise 
and less accurate."

>Adding the diacritic to disambiguate forms will make things much 
>easier for the learner.

I wish we had won <ei>, but since we haven't, and since there was a 
recognition in the AGH that publishers could use diacritics (after 
all, Nance's and Williams' dictionaries do) I think we are on stable 
ground here.

I'm sorry some people think that the acute would be more appropriate 
than the diaeresis. The balance tips for the diaeresis in terms of 
universality and practicality, in my judgement, at least.
-- 
Michael Everson * http://www.evertype.com