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Greek Classical Keyboard Help

This keyboard layout is designed for Classical Greek, the language of Ancient Greece. It is a mnemonic keyboard layout. This means that the arrangement of the letters in the layout depends on the order of the keys on your actual keyboard.

This keyboard layout works best with a QWERTY (English) keyboard. It mimics the QWERTY (English) layout, not the modern Greek layout. It uses standard Unicode fonts.

Using this Keyboard

Desktop Keyboard Layout

Quickstart

This keyboard layout works intuitively with the QWERTY (English) keyboard. You can find most of the Greek letters by thinking of similar letters in English, by sound or appearance. For example, type w[[=me/ga to get ὧμέγα.

As you can see, accents and breathing marks are typed after the vowel. They can be typed in any order. For example, is typed u/+ or u+/.

When you type an accent by itself or after a non-accentable letter, you will get that key's standard symbol instead. For example, typing / by itself will give you / not .

The characters on the Right ALT layers are not well documented except for looking at the On-Screen Keyboard.

To get a Latin letter instead of a Greek letter, type ` before the letter (` shares a key with ~). For example, to get d instead of δ, type `d.

Examples

Language Phrase Meaning Type the following keys
Greek οἷον δή νυ θεοὺς βροτοὶ αἰτιόωνται "How ready men are to blame the gods" Homer, The Oddyssey 1.32 oi[[=on dh/ nu qeou\s brotoi\ ai]tio/wntai

Keyboard Details

Letters

The Greek Classical keyboard uses an intuitive system where most of the Greek letters are matched to similar English letters, either by sound or appearance.

Example: typing w produces ω.

Example: typing u produces υ.

The Greek letter ν can be typed by sound or appearance.

Example: typing v produces ν.

Example: typing n produces ν.

A few letters in Greek have no exact match in English, by sound or appearance. These have been assigned the remaining keys.

Example: typing q produces θ.

Example: typing y produces ψ.

Example: typing j or c produces ξ.

Sigma will appear as σ or ς automatically when followed by a space or punctuation.

Example: typing sos produces σος.

Example: typing susswmos. produces συσσωμος..

Capital letters are typed using shift as in English.

Example: typing [Sd] produces Δ.

Example: typing [Sw] produces Ω.

Finally, the keyboard also includes the archaic Greek letter digamma, ϝ. This can be typed with an [Av] combination.

Example: typing [Av] produces ϝ.

Example: typing [SAv] produces Ϝ.

Accents and Other Diacritics

The Greek Classical keyboard includes the following accents and other diacritics.

CharacterKeystrokeEnglish NameGreek Name
[[rough breathingdasia
᾿]smooth breathingpsili
|iota subscriptypogegrammeni/
prosgegrammeni
¨+diaeresisdialytika
\grave accentvaria
/acute accentoxia
=circumflex accentperispomeni
  ̆-breve accentvrachy
¯_macronmacron

Diacritics are typed after the vowel. They can be typed in any order.

Example: typing u/+ or u+/ produces .

Example: typing a=]| or a=|] or a]|= or a]=| or a|=] or a|]= produces .

The only exception to this rule is the circumflex on capital Greek letters. It cannot be typed first because a capital Greek letter cannot take a circumflex without a breathing mark.

Example: typing W[[= produces . Typing any other combination will not produce .

Example: typing A]|= or A]=| or A|]= produces . Typing any other combination will not produce .

Rho (ρ) can also take the rough and smooth breathing mark, though capital rho can only take a rough breathing mark.

Example: typing r] produces .

Example: typing R[[ produces .

To remove a diacritic mark you have just typed, type the diacritic again before typing anything else.

Example: if you have just typed , typing | produces .

Example: if you have just typed , typing = produces .

You can also replace a diacritic mark you have just typed by typing another. This works whenever two diacritic marks cannot exist over the same letter, like rough and smooth breathing.

Example: if you have just typed , typing ] produces .

Example: if you have just typed , typing = produces .

If you type a diacritic by itself or after any consonant that cannot take that diacritic, you will get the standard symbol for that keystroke, not the diacritic.

Example: typing / produces / not .

Example: typing g+d produces γ+δ not γ̈ δ.

Punctuation

Most punctuation on the Greek Classical keyboard is typed exactly as on the QWERTY (English) keyboard.

Example: typing . produces ..

Example: typing ; produces ;.

The Greek semicolon or ano teleia is the only exception.

Example: typing : produces ·.

Other Information

While typing in Greek, to get a Latin letter instead of a Greek letter, type ` before the letter (` shares a key with ~).

Example: typing `d produces d.

Example: typing `a. path/r produces a. πατήρ.

See the Complete Typing Chart for full details on how to type all the Greek Classical keyboard's letters, diacritics, and punctuation.

Troubleshooting

For any other questions, contact our Keyman community site.

Technical Information

System Requirements

It is recommended that you use an English QWERTY hardware keyboard with this keyboard.

Unicode Version

This keyboard complies with Unicode 5.1

Keyboard Authorship

This keyboard was created by Manuel Lopez. SIL International graciously acknowledges the contribution made by the author in developing this keyboard and making it freely available for use with Keyman Desktop and KeymanWeb. His effort has assisted greatly in enabling people to communicate in Classical Greek.

All Documentation Versions

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