Given a description of a Greek letter or other special character,
    return the appropriate unicode letter.

def _translate_symbols(string):
    """Given a description of a Greek letter or other special character,
    return the appropriate unicode letter."""
    res = []
    string = str(string)
    for s in re.split(r'(\W+)', string, flags=re.UNICODE):
        tex_str = _GREEK_DICTIONARY.get(s)
        if tex_str:
            res.append(tex_str)
        elif s.lower() in _GREEK_DICTIONARY:
            res.append(_GREEK_DICTIONARY[s])
        else:
            res.append(s)
    return "".join(res)