View source for Russian Braille

{{Short description|Braille equivalent of the Cyrillic script}}
{{Redirect|Cyrillic braille|the Bulgarian braille alphabet|Bulgarian Braille|the Macedonian and Serbian braille alphabets|Yugoslav Braille}}
{{Infobox writing system
| name = Russian Braille
| altname = 
| type = Alphabet
| typedesc = 
| time = 
| languages = [[Russian language|Russian]]
| fam1 = [[Braille]]
| fam2 = 
| print = [[Russian alphabet]]
| creator = 
| sample = Russian Braille chart.jpg
| imagesize = 
| note = none
}}

'''Russian Braille''' is the [[braille]] alphabet of the [[Russian language]]. With suitable extensions, it is used for languages of neighboring countries that are written in [[Cyrillic alphabets|Cyrillic]] in print, such as [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]] and [[Mongolian language|Mongolian]]. It is based on the [[Latin script|Latin]] transliteration of Cyrillic, with additional letters assigned idiosyncratically. In Russian, it is known as the '''Braille Script'''.{{efn|{{lang|ru|Шрифт Брайля}}, ''{{lang|ru-latn|Shrift Braylya}}}}{{cn|date=June 2023}}

==Alphabet==
The Russian Braille alphabet is as follows:<ref name="萬明美">{{cite web| url=http://specposobie.narod.ru/brail/ | title=РЕЛЬЕФНО-ТОЧЕЧНЫЙ ШРИФТ БРАЙЛЯ (RELIEF DOT BRAILLE FONT)| language=ru | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616084231/http://specposobie.narod.ru/brail/ | archive-date=2012-06-16}}</ref><ref><!-- this ref is needed to verify letters UNESCO got wrong--> 萬明美, 2001, 「視障教育」, 五南圖書出版股份有限公司, p. 108</ref><ref name=pedlib>[http://pedlib.ru/Books/2/0353/2_0353-2.shtml РЕЛЬЕФНО-ТОЧЕЧНЫЙ ШРИФТ БРАЙЛЯ]</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! '''Print''' || [[а (Cyrillic)|а]] ''a'' || [[б]] ''b'' || [[в]] ''v''|| [[г]] ''g''|| [[д]] ''d''|| [[е (Cyrillic)|е]] ''e, ye''|| [[ё]] ''yo''|| [[ж]] ''zh''|| [[з]] ''z''|| [[и]] ''i''|| [[й]]<ref>note this is the mirror image of Braille y</ref> ''y''
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|a}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|b}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|w}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|g}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|d}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|e}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|16}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|j}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|z}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|i}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|14236}}
|-
! '''Print''' || [[к]] ''k''|| [[л]] ''l''|| [[м]] ''m''|| [[н]] ''n''|| [[о (Cyrillic)|о]] ''o''|| [[п]] ''p''|| [[р]] ''r''|| [[с]] ''s''|| [[т]] ''t''|| [[у]] ''u''|| [[ф]] ''f''
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|k}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|l}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|m}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|n}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|o}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|p}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|r}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|s}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|t}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|u}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|f}}
|-
! '''Print''' || [[х]] ''kh''|| [[ц]] ''ts''|| [[ч]] ''ch''|| [[ш]] ''sh''|| [[щ]] ''shch''|| [[ъ]] ''”''|| [[ы]] ''y''|| [[ь]] ''’''|| [[э]] ''e''|| [[ю]] ''yu''|| [[я]] ''ya''
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|h}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|c}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|q}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|156}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|x}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|12536}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|4236}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|42536}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|246}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|1256}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|1426}}
|}

The adaptation of {{bc|q}} ''q'' to ''ч'' {{IPA|[tɕ]}} and {{bc|x}} ''x'' to ''щ'' {{IPA|[ɕː]}} is reminiscent of the adaptation in Chinese [[pinyin]] of ''q'' to {{IPA|[tɕ]}} and ''x'' to {{IPA|[ɕ]}}.

Contractions are not used.<ref name="萬明美"/>

===Obsolete letters===
[[File:Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary b59 474-2.jpg|thumb|300px|The Russian braille alphabet, ca 1900]]
{{Further|Reforms of Russian orthography}}

The pre-Revolutionary alphabet, reproduced at right from an old encyclopedia, includes several letters which have since been dropped.  In addition, the letter э is shown with a slightly different form.<ref>It is possible this is just a copy error.  However, the fact that Ukrainian ''є'' is the mirror image of this letter in both braille and print lends it credence.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! '''Print''' || [[ѳ]] ''th'' || [[і]] ''i'' || [[ѣ]] ''ě'' || [[э]] ''è''
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|v}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|y}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|th}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|126}}
|}

Although obsolete in Russian Braille, these letters continue in [[#Extensions for other languages|several derivative alphabets]].

==Punctuation==
Single punctuation:<ref name="pedlib" />
{| class="wikitable" style="line-height: 1.2"
|- align=center
!Print
! ,|| .<ref>And thus {{Braille cell|256|256|256}} for ellipsis</ref>|| ?|| !|| ;|| :|| -|| — 
|- align=center
!Braille
|{{Braille cell|type=image|2}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|256}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|26}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|235}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|23}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|25}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|36}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|36|36}} 
|}

Paired punctuation:{{citation needed|date=November 2013}}{{fix|text=The inner quotes and the brackets are from Unesco (1990) and have not been confirmed.}}
{| class="wikitable" style="line-height: 1.2"
|- align=center
!Print
| « ... »<br />(outer quote)
| „ ... “<br />(inner quote)
| ( ... )
| [ ... ]
|- align=center
!Braille
|{{Braille cell|type=image|236}}...{{Braille cell|type=image|356}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|6|236}}...{{Braille cell|type=image|356|3}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|gg}}...{{Braille cell|type=image|gg}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|6|gg}}...{{Braille cell|type=image|gg|3}} 
|}

==Formatting==
{| class="wikitable" style="line-height: 1.2"
|- align=center
! [[italics]] || capital || number || column
|- align=center
| {{Braille cell|type=image|456}} ||{{Braille cell|type=image|46}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|3456}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|123456}} 
|}

Columns marked with {{bc|123456}} are shown in the braille-chart image in the box, above right.

==Numbers and arithmetic==
Numbers are the letters ''a–j'' introduced with {{bc|#}}, as in other alphabets.  Arithmetical symbols are as follows.  The lowered ''g'' used for parentheses in prose becomes an equal sign in arithmetic, where a symmetrical pair of parentheses is used instead:<ref name="pedlib" />

{| class="wikitable" style="line-height: 1.2"
|- align=center
!Print
! +|| &minus;|| ×|| ·|| :|| =
|- align=center
!Braille
|{{Braille cell|type=image|ff}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|-}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|hh}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|3}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|dd}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|gg}} 
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="line-height: 1.2"
|- align=center
!Print
! <|| >|| (|| )|| √ || %
|- align=center
!Braille
|{{Braille cell|type=image|ow}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|o}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|126}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|345}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|146|156}} 
|{{Braille cell|type=image|#|j|jj}} 
|}

Arithmetical symbols are preceded but not followed by a space, with the exception of the multiplication dot.  For example:

:{{bc|#|#6|0|hh|#|#7|0|dd|#|#1|#4|0|gg|#|#3}}
:::6 × 7 : 14 = 3

:{{bc|#|#3|3|126|#|#9|0|-|#|#7|345|0|gg|#|#6}}
:::3 · (9 &minus; 7) = 6

:{{bc|sh|156|#|a|j|j|j|j|0|ow|0|#|a|j|a}}
:::<math>\sqrt{10000} < 101</math>

==Extensions for other languages==
{{anchor|Extensions for other languages}}
In print, many languages of the ex–Soviet Union are written in Cyrillic alphabets derived from the Russian alphabet by adding new letters.  Their braille alphabets are similarly derived from Russian Braille.  The braille assignments for the letters found in Russian print are the same as in Russian Braille.  However, there is no international consistency among the additional letters, apart from {{bc|y}} ''і'', which is used in Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Kazakh – and even then, Kyrgyz uses {{bc|y}} for ''ң (ŋ)'', and it might be that Tajik uses it for ''қ (q)''.  Generally not all of the Russian letters are used, except perhaps in Russian loans.  Punctuation and formatting, as far as they are attested, agree with Russian Braille, though Kazakh Braille is reported to use the Russian arithmetical parentheses {{bc|126||345}}.

===Ukrainian Braille===
{{main|Ukrainian Braille}}
[[Ukrainian alphabet|Ukrainian]] has the additional letters ''і, ї, є, ґ.'' The ''є'' is the mirror image of old Russian ''э'', while ''і'' is the old Russian ''і'' (that is, it is the mirror image of ''й'', making it the same as French/English ''y''), and ''ї'' is old Russian ''[[ѣ]]''.<ref>[http://leksika.com.ua/19340319/ure/braylya_shrift БРАЙЛЯ ШРИФТ], Leksika.com.ua<br />(ґ is not reported)</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ 
! '''Print''' || [[є]] || [[ґ]] || [[i (Cyrillic)|і]] || [[ï (Cyrillic)|ї]] 
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|345}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|12456}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|y}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|1456}} 
|}

Unesco (2013) was unable to verify these values.<ref name="unesco3">[https://www.pharmabraille.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/World-Braille-Usage-Third-Edition-1.pdf World Braille Usage], UNESCO, 2013</ref>

===Belarusian Braille===
{{main|Belorussian Braille}}
[[Belarusian alphabet|Belarusian]] has the additional letters ''і'' and ''ў''. They are the mirror images of ''й'' and ''у''.{{unreliable source?|date=November 2013}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ 
! '''Print''' || [[i (Cyrillic)|і]] || [[ў]] 
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|y}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|346}} 
|}

Unesco (2013) was unable to verify these values.<ref name="unesco3"/>

===Kazakh Braille===
{{main|Kazakh Braille}}
[[Kazakh language|Kazakh]] has the additional letters ''ә, ғ, қ, ң, һ, ө, ү, ұ, і''.<ref name="unesco3"/><!--Unesco has confirmed these alphabets-->

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ 
! '''Print''' || [[ә]]|| [[ғ]]|| [[қ]]|| [[ң]]|| [[ө]]|| [[ү]]|| [[ұ]]|| [[һ]]|| [[i (Cyrillic)|і]]
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|345}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|12456}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|1456}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|146}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|126}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|34}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|346}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|1236}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|13456}} 
|}

See [[Kazakh alphabets#Correspondence chart]] for the whole braille alphabet aligned with the Cyrillic.

===Kyrgyz Braille===
{{main|Kyrgyz Braille}}
[[Kyrgyz language|Kyrgyz]] has a subset of the Kazakh letters, ''ң, ө, ү,'' but with completely different braille values from the languages above:<ref name="unesco3"/><!--Unesco has confirmed these alphabets--><ref>UNESCO (2013) has a [[Typographical error|typographic error]] for {{bc|i}} ''и''.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ 
! '''Print''' || [[ң]]|| [[ө]]|| [[ү]]
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|y}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|st}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|v}}
|}

See [[Kyrgyz alphabets#Correspondence chart]] for the whole braille alphabet aligned with the Cyrillic.

===Mongolian Braille===
{{main|Mongolian Braille}}
[[Mongolian language|Mongolian]] has ''ө, ү,'' but with different braille assignments again:<ref name="unesco3"/><!--Unesco has confirmed these alphabets-->

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ 
! '''Print''' || [[ө]] ''ö'' || [[ү]] ''ü''
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|v}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|th}}
|}

These are two of the obsolete Russian Braille letters.  The Mongolian vowel ''ө (ö)'' is coincidentally similar in print to the old Russian consonant ''ѳ (th)'', and takes the latter's braille assignment; the Mongolian vowel ''ү (ü)'' takes the assignment of the old Russian vowel ''[[yat]]''.

See [[Mongolian Cyrillic alphabet]] for the whole alphabet aligned with Cyrillic.

===Tatar Braille===
{{main|Tatar Braille}}

===Additional alphabets===
Unesco reported additional braille adaptations of Cyrillic in 1990, for [[Tajik language|Tajik]], [[Turkmen language|Turkmen]] and [[Uzbek language|Uzbek]], but was not able to confirm them by 2013.<ref name="unesco3"/>  The additional letters in the report are shown here, but like those of Ukrainian and Belarusian, they are unverified and should be treated with caution.

====Tajik Braille====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Tajik
! '''Print''' || [[ғ]]|| [[ӣ]]<!--obvious typo in mixing this up with й-->|| [[қ]] || [[ӯ]] || [[ҳ]] || [[ҷ]]
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|12456}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|34}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|y}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|346}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|th}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|v}}
|}

====Turkmen Braille====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+  Turkmen
! '''Cyrillic''' || [[ә]]|| [[җ]] || [[ң]] || [[ө]] || [[ү]]
|-
! '''Latin''' || [[ä]]|| [[j]] || [[ň]] || [[ö]] || [[ü]] 
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|126}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|th}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|345}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|v}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|13456}}
|}

====Uzbek Braille====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+  Uzbek
! '''Cyrillic''' || [[ғ]]|| [[қ]] || [[ў]] || [[ҳ]]
|-
! '''Latin''' || [[g{{okina}}]]|| [[q]] || [[o{{okina}}]] || [[h]] 
|-
| '''Braille''' || {{Braille cell|type=image|12456}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|13456}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|v}} || {{Braille cell|type=image|th}} 
|}

==See also==
[[File:Moon-prayer.jpg|thumb|A sample of [[Moon type]] in various languages including Russian.]]
* [[Moon type]] is a simplification of the Latin alphabet for embossing. An adaptation for Russian-reading blind people has been proposed.

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Braille}}
{{Russian language}}

[[Category:French-ordered braille alphabets]]
[[Category:Russian language]]

[[fr:Braille cyrillique]]