--- gforth/utf-8.fs	2004/12/29 14:15:12	1.8
+++ gforth/utf-8.fs	2004/12/31 11:01:21	1.9
@@ -47,8 +47,15 @@ s" malformed UTF-8 character" exception
 
 \ plug-in so that char and '<char> work for UTF-8
 
+[ifundef] char@ \ !! bootstrapping help
+    Defer char@ ( addr u -- char addr' u' )
+    :noname  over c@ -rot 1 /string ; IS char@
+[then]
+
 :noname  ( addr u -- char addr' u' )
-    dup 1 u<= IF  defers char@  EXIT  THEN
+    \ !! the if here seems to work around some breakage, but not
+    \ entirely; e.g., try 'ç' with LANG=C.
+    dup 1 u<= IF defers char@ EXIT THEN
     over + >r u8@+ swap r> over - ; IS char@
 
 \ scan to next/previous character