Please forgive me if this topic is offpost, but since it does involve technology, I'm hoping that it will be acceptible. I'm almost finished with my Greek lessons at
http://kypros.org/LearnGreek These teach the standard form of the language (a cross between the very informal Dimotiki and the extremely formal Katharevousa) and use the monotonic system, which has only one accent. But I want to learn Katharevousa, which uses the polytonic system of three accents, which, as I've said in other threads, no synthesizer, to my knowledge, can read. So I'll need to write things out in monotonic. Then, there's the fact that no scanning software of which I'm aware can recognise two languages on the same page, so if a printed book has English and Greek in it, I couldn't properly scan and read it even if it was in monotonic! So I decided to look for a printed book that I could then send to be brailled or at least, an audio cassette or record that didn't need a book. Since it is rarely used today, finding books that teach Katharevousa, whether to an English or to a Greek audience, is practically impossible. At last, after months of searching everywhere and bothering everyone I could, I hit the jackpot. http://www.fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php?page=Greek This is a free online course which consists of three books and audio lessons. But the audio is useless without the books as the English is only found in the latter. The first two books teach standard Greek but prepare the student for the more formal and the third is entirely in Katharevousa. So I can practise what I already know and then learn more. These texts can be downloaded but even the standard variety in them uses the polytonic system, since they're older, and they're in a pdf format from which it's impossible to extract text. So I really do need to have all of these brailled. I know that there are some places that do this. http://www.brailleplus.net says on their page that they work with foreign languages as well as English. I've also seen another site called Braille Works, but I'm sure that these two, and probably any other sites which transcribe professionally, will be very expensive. Each book, according to my friend who looked at the pdfs, is over 200 pages, which probably translates to at least double that in braille! Does anyone know of a volunteer place in America that could handle this request, or perhaps, there are some old braille books on this in Greece from the Lighthouse or other Hellenic organisations for the blind? Would The Red Cross be able to help or do they only work with state agencies and textbooks for school? If they're an option, do they only braille books on one side of the page or are they able to do interpoint braille? Do any transcriptionists acccept payment in installments? If all else fails, is there any kind of software into which I could load the pdf files that could translate them? I'm guessing no, since it would have to be able to constantly switch between English braille and Greek, both in Grade II, but then how do the transcribers do it? Even if I were to find one, he or she would need to know both the Greek and the English or American codes. Finally, my boyfriend has an incredible Greek-English English-Greek dictionary, which not only has alot of Katharevousa in it but which also has a grammar guide. But it's over 600 pages! I don't need both types of entries. English-Greek is fine and I really only need the Greek grammar guide, not the English one meant for Greek speakers. Is it legal for a transcriber to accept only part of a book instead of the whole thing? This was written in the 50's so isn't exactly cutting edge and best-selling and I have no intentions of selling or even giving my braille copy to anyone else. Also, can I give them photo copies of the text? Spiros is willing to give the book to me but I'm extremely worried that something will happen to it. It's already very fragile and is irreplaceable. Thanks, Eleni For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: http://www.jaws-users.com/help/
