Today, on World Braille Day, we celebrate the birthday of Louis Braille – the inventor who revolutionised communication for the blind and visually impaired. Even though braille is a widely recognised term, most people only know it as “a system with raised dots that blind people use to read”. So here are a few fascinating facts about braille!
1. Braille was developed with the same tool that blinded its inventor – an awl.
Louis Braille injured one of his eyes with an awl at the age of 3. Infection set in and soon spread to his other eye, leaving him completely blind. Later, at the age of 15, he used an awl to develop the raised-dot system for the blind.
2. Braille is written from right to left, and read from left to right.
Braille cells are written in reverse order and the letters from right to left. When the paper is then flipped over to read the raised dots, the cells are in the correct orientation and order.
3. Some braille readers can read up to 100 words per minute more than a sighted person.
A sighted person, on average, can read up to 300 words per minute. Braille readers can cruise through pages by using both hands with a light touch: one hand is used to read, and the other is used to start the next line. This allows some braille readers to read up to 400 words per minute.
4. Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary is 72 volumes in braille.
Braille takes up more space than the traditional alphabet. As a result, braille books are usually larger than ordinary print material.
5. There are different braille systems for different languages.
Braille has a system of characters representing different languages (including English, Spanish, French, German, and many others). Overall, the characters can be adapted to accommodate most languages.
From its humble beginning with Louis Braille to its global impact today, braille continues to empower individuals. So join us in honouring this remarkable invention by sharing these fun facts with your friends and family!
Resources:
https://www.perkins.org/12-things-you-probably-dont-know-about-braille/
https://vi.ie/ten-things-you-didnt-know-about-braille-2/
https://blind.iowa.gov/educators/how-read-and-write-braille
Written by: Jorika Swanepoel, B.OT, The OT Link.