encode strings to simple alpha

[johnnyk]

I'm running a script and sometimes it returns stuff like

8-4 BC/BCE – 29-36 AD/CE when it should echo 8-4 BC/BCE – 29-36 AD/CE

and

Móshe (מֹש×?Ö¶× when it should echo מֹשֶׁה

is there a function or anything that will convert the string either to simple letters or to what it should be? The stuff before "when it should echo" is what the script actually echoes, the stuff after is what the text looks like before it reaches the script (the script is reading other files). Or is it just a problem with my page encoding?

[phorman]

verify the page encoding your using, and also your database encoding if this is coming from a database.