A. A. It has several functions: it is used to affect the collation of adjacent characters for purposes of language-sensitive collation, searching, and matching, and used to distinguish sequences that would otherwise be canonically equivalent. In collation, the primary function is to prevent contractions from forming. Thus, for example, while “ch” is sorted as a single unit in a tailored Slovak collation, the sequence will sort as a “c” followed by an “h”. This usage requires no tailoring of either the combining grapheme joiner or the sequence. (It is possible to give sequences of characters which include the combining grapheme joiner special tailored weights; however, such an application of CGJ is not recommended.) Second, the insertion of a combining grapheme joiner into a sequence of combining marks will block canonical reordering of those combining marks. This can be used in some unusual circumstances where two sequences of combining marks need to be distinguished, but w
