2. I have noticed that OCLC records that do include
Greek characters, do
not include the tonos, even though there are correct unicode values for
these.
a. Is there are reason for this? If yes, please let us know!
Rhea,
Just wondering - is this less a function of the availability of
Unicode characters,
than of ensuring correct alphabetization within data bases that were designed
(in roman script) before these ELOT characters were standardised ?
Obviously data bases in Greece were designed with built in protocols
for handling the script & alphabetizion in Greek ( Greek PERL scripts ?)
But the ones here function with search sequences in Roman script.
So then it may not be just a question of transliteration of records, but
also of programming within the data base software.
The "alphabetization" question just came up on the Classics mailing list
and some list members suggested work-arounds for arranging files/indexes
in Greek characters (and obviously the problem of accents is the greater
in ancient Greek) The discussion related to documents in Greek (in word
processing programmes) but I think the generic dilemma regarding different
scripts and their A/B word order searching protocols is much the same in DBs
Ralph Hancock is the source of the information below
(and the designer of Greek fonts / software in Greek
so I am, with his permission, including his e-mail address)
<<On Nov 17, 2007 4:19 PM, Ralph Hancock <ralph.hancock(a)googlemail.com>
wrote:
There is a way to sidestep the problem of alphabetical
sorting of classical
Greek, which is used by my program Antioch for its sorting procedure. Like
Antioch itself, this works only in Word.
1. Turn on 'Track changes'.
2. Use Antioch to convert the polytonic Greek to monotonic. The previous
step causes the original spelling to be preserved in a parallel universe
somewhere.
3. Sort the text with the ordinary Word procedure, which sorts monotonic
(but only monotonic) Greek correctly.
4. Reject the 'changes'. The text now returns to polyphonic spelling, but
the order into which paragraphs have been sorted remains the same.
RH
When I mentioned the question of library catalogue entries he replied
as follows ::
<<Do you mind if I forward this to some librarian colleagues , faced with the
many problems of creating bi-lingual catalogue entries
for Greek books [...]
<<< Please go ahead. I should point out that the downloadable trial
version of Antioch is fully working even when not registered, and if
the librarian colleagues want to use it simply for sorting, I would
not expect them to register it. (If they want to use Antioch for its
main purpose of writing classical Greek, they should register.)
Instructions on the procedure are given in the Antioch help manual
under 'Sorting classical Greek'.
I haven't explored the maximum length of list that Word will sort.
The program can be found at :
www.hancock.dircon.co.uk/antioch.htm
or
www.users.dircon.co.uk/~hancock/antioch.htm >>>>
Not being in any way a computer Geek I hope this helps ....
June S
==========================
June Samaras
KALAMOS BOOKS
(For Books about Greece)
2020 Old Station Rd
Streetsville,Ontario
Canada L5M 2V1
Tel : 905-542-1877
E-mail : kalamosbooks(a)gmail.com
www.kalamosbooks.com