%%% <macro> macro

% Typesetting a multi-lingual document, even something as simple
% as a Christmas letter, can be time-consuming and error-prone
% if the embedded languages make frequent use of diacritics.
% To eliminate both of these problems, I wrote a macro called
% \verb|\macro| which enables me to encapsulate all of the tricky words
% and phrases into macros whose names are (normally) identical
% to the words or phrases but without the corresponding diacritics.

% The following code implements the \verb|\macro| macro, and is followed
% by some sample definitions and applied occurrences.

\catcode`\<=\active
\def<#1>{%
	% cf. Bernd Raichle: check if defined, no side effects (2006)
	\if \csname macro:#1\endcsname \relax
		{\bf {$\ll$}#1{$\gg$}}%
	\else
		\csname macro:#1\endcsname
	\fi}

\def\macro#1#2{\expandafter\def\csname macro:#1\endcsname{#2}}

\macro {Zhou Shang Zhi}{Zh\=ou Sh\`ang Zh\=\i}
\macro {Shangzhi}{Sh\`angzh\=\i}
\macro {Sai Gon}{S\`ai G\`on}
\macro {HCM}{H\raise 0,5 ex \rlap {\` }\^o Ch\'\i{} Minh}
\macro {Mui Ne}{M\~ui N\'e}
%\macro {Le}{L\rlap {\d e}\^e}

On a~happier note, the year started with both Khanh \&~I~being invited to spend
time with one of my former Chinese teachers, <Zhou Shang Zhi>, and his family
in Kyoto, Japan. <Shangzhi> was there for one year, teaching at a~local university,
and the last three months were effectively a~holiday for him with very few formal
duties. Knowing that we might like to visit Kyoto, <Shangzhi> very kindly invited
both of us, which we accepted with great pleasure.

Khanh's journey commenced with a~flight to <Sai Gon> (``<HCM> City''), from where
she took a~'bus south to <Mui Ne> (a~distance of some 100 miles or so), where her
sister <Le>~Hoa had booked her into a~very posh hotel by the beach. Once in <Mui Ne>,
Khanh hired a~moped driver.

\end
