User:Windymilla/temp

Using the keyboard to input Greek directly on a Windows PC

Chances are that if you want to type Greek directly on your Windows keyboard for DP, you will be most likely to be using the Polytonic Greek characters. If you've never enabled additional keyboards before, be aware that with each new version of the operating system, there may be small differences in exactly where to look. These instructions are for Windows 10, but a similar process should work for other versions.

Install the Greek language/keyboard

1. Open Settings from the Start menu and choose Time & Language

2. Choose Language from the menu on the left, then Add a preferred language

3. Choose Greek from the list of languages (you can scroll down or type Greek in the search box), then Next then Install

4. Once the Greek language pack is installed, choose it on the languages settings page (note that the word Greek will be written in Greek, Ελληνικά) then choose Options

5. Choose Add a keyboard, then pick the Greek Polytonic keyboard

6. Unless you will need it, remove the modern Greek keyboard, leaving just the Polytonic

7. Use the Input indicator icon from the taskbar or the Windows key + Space to switch your input language to Greek and back

Use the Greek keyboard to type Greek

Basic letters

Most Greek letters correspond to their equivalent Latin keys.

Tip: You can use the <Windows key> + <Ctrl> + O to pop up the on-screen keyboard

Note regarding non-US keyboards

By referring to the the on-screen keyboard and your own physical keyboard, you should be able to work out which keys correspond to which accents if the ones listed below do not work. The location of the key on the keyboard is what is relevant, rather than what is printed on the key. For example, on a physical UK keyboard, Shift+' gives @ rather than ". So in the list below where " is used for polytonic Greek typing, on a UK keyboard you would actually press the @ symbol. Similarly, press # and ~ for \ and |. Physical keyboards for other languages may have other differences. In the worst case, you may have to use the on-screen keyboard (<Windows key> + <Ctrl> + O) to get the most obscure combinations of accents, breathing and subscripts.

Accents and Breathing

To type characters with accents, you first type the key for the accent, then the key for the letter. For example, the q gives an acute accent, so typing q a will give ά. In contrast with some other dead key systems, there is a single key press (possibly with <Shift> or <Right Alt> modifiers) for all combined accents and breathing - you do not press one key for acute accent followed by another key for smooth breathing followed by your letter. See below for details.

Accent	Key	Result
acute	q	ά
grave	]	ὰ
circumflex	[	ᾶ

Smooth breathing may be placed on its own or combined with other accents:

Accent	Key	Result
smooth breathing	'	ἀ
smooth+acute	/	ἄ
smooth+grave	\	ἂ
smooth+circumflex	=	ἆ

Rough breathing uses the same keys as smooth breathing, but with the <Shift> key held down when pressing the accent key:

Accent	Key	Result
rough breathing	"	ἁ
rough+acute	?	ἅ
rough+grave	|	ἃ
rough+circumflex	+	ἇ

The iota subscript may be placed on its own or combined with the above accents:

Accent	Key	Result
iota subscript	{	ᾳ

To add an iota subscript to any of the above accents, hold the <Right Alt> (maybe marked as Alt Gr) key when pressing the accent keys described above. For example, for acute accent and iota subscript, ᾴ, press <Right Alt>+q a. Don't forget for rough breathing you will need to press <Shift> as well as <Right Alt>.

Linux

For Linux systems, see Writing Greek, Polytonic (new layout) for details on setup and use.