gistfile1.txt

#!/usr/bin/env python3

import argparse
import sys


def digest(infile):
    for line in infile.readlines():
        makeRegionalChars(line)


def makeRegionalChars(line):
    for c in line.lower():
        if c.isalpha():
            print(bytes([240, 159, 135, 69+ord(c), 226, 128, 139]).decode(), end='')
        elif c == ' ':
            print('   ', end='')
        else:
            print(c, end='')


if __name__ == '__main__':
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Convert a string into regional emoji chars')
    parser.add_argument('text', nargs='?', help='Text to mock')
    parser.add_argument('-i', '--infile', type=argparse.FileType('r'), default=sys.stdin)
    args = parser.parse_args()

    if args.text:
        makeRegionalChars(args.text + '\n')
    else:
        digest(args.infile)