Re: Need help interpreting seemingly ambiguous text in UTS 39

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On Sun, Mar 22, 2026 at 3:45=E2=80=AFAM Karl Williamson via Unicode <
[email protected]> wrote:

> It says
>
> Forbid sequences of the same nonspacing mark.
> Forbid sequences of more than 4 nonspacing marks (gc=3DMn or gc=3DMe).
>
> I believe the traditional definition of nonspacing mark is gc=3DMn.  The
> second line effectively redefines that definition to include enclosing
> marks.  Does that redefinition apply to the line above, or just to the
> second line?  It seems to me that sequences of the same enclosing mark
> would be suspicious.
>

Core spec chapter 3 section 3.6.1 Combining Character Sequences definition
D53
<https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode17.0.0/core-spec/chapter-3/#G2459>
defines
=E2=80=9C*Nonspacing mark*: A combining character with the General Category=
 of
Nonspacing Mark (Mn) or Enclosing Mark (Me).=E2=80=9D

PAG will recommend clarifying the UTS #39 text a bit, and referring to D53.

markus

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">On Sun, Mar 22, 2026 at 3:45=E2=80=AFAM K=
arl Williamson via Unicode &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">=
[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:</div><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmai=
l_quote_container"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0p=
x 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">It say=
s<br>
<br>
Forbid sequences of the same nonspacing mark.<br>
Forbid sequences of more than 4 nonspacing marks (gc=3DMn or gc=3DMe).<br>
<br>
I believe the traditional definition of nonspacing mark is gc=3DMn.=C2=A0 T=
he <br>
second line effectively redefines that definition to include enclosing <br>
marks.=C2=A0 Does that redefinition apply to the line above, or just to the=
 <br>
second line?=C2=A0 It seems to me that sequences of the same enclosing mark=
 <br>
would be suspicious.<br></blockquote><div><br></div><div><a href=3D"https:/=
/www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode17.0.0/core-spec/chapter-3/#G2459" rel=3D"=
nofollow" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(9,105,218);font-family:&=
quot;Mona Sans VF&quot;,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quo=
t;,&quot;Noto Sans&quot;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji=
&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;;font-size:14px">Core spec chapter 3 secti=
on 3.6.1 Combining Character Sequences definition D53</a><span style=3D"col=
or:rgb(31,35,40);font-family:&quot;Mona Sans VF&quot;,-apple-system,BlinkMa=
cSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,&quot;Noto Sans&quot;,Helvetica,Arial,sans=
-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;;font-size:1=
4px">=C2=A0defines =E2=80=9C</span><em style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;color=
:rgb(31,35,40);font-family:&quot;Mona Sans VF&quot;,-apple-system,BlinkMacS=
ystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,&quot;Noto Sans&quot;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-s=
erif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;;font-size:14p=
x">Nonspacing mark</em><span style=3D"color:rgb(31,35,40);font-family:&quot=
;Mona Sans VF&quot;,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,&=
quot;Noto Sans&quot;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quo=
t;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;;font-size:14px">: A combining character with =
the General Category of Nonspacing Mark (Mn) or Enclosing Mark (Me).=E2=80=
=9D</span></div><div><br></div><div>PAG will recommend clarifying the UTS #=
39 text a bit, and referring to D53.</div><div><br></div><div>markus</div><=
/div></div>

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