What question did this study set out to answer?

The paper aims to clarify the distinctions between different plain-text encodings of Formal SignWriting.

May 20, 2026Open Access

FSW and SWU: Plain-Text Encodings for Formal SignWriting

Key Points

The paper aims to clarify the distinctions between different plain-text encodings of Formal SignWriting.
Explains the concepts of Formal SignWriting in ASCII (FSW) and SignWriting in Unicode (SWU).
Discusses the differences between encoding and rendering, and writing-system theory.
Describes conversion boundaries and character inventories.
Outlines the distinctions between character strategy and writing-system theory.
Clarifies the role of explicit character inventories in the text encoding process.

Abstract

This technical paper explains Formal SignWriting in ASCII (FSW) and SignWriting in Unicode (SWU) as two plain-text encodings of the same Formal SignWriting model. The paper distinguishes encoding from rendering, character strategy from writing-system theory, and canonical text from optional presentation markup. It also describes conversion boundaries and the role of explicit character inventories. This document DOI record includes the FSW and SWU technical notes as a companion packet file for the technical paper.

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