Welcome to "Igbo language & ICT", a discussion board on the use of the Igbo language on computers and the internet. Igbo, also referred to as Ibo in some sources, is one of the three major languages in Nigeria, along with Yoruba and Hausa, and also one of the main languages in Africa in terms of number of speakers.

Like many other African languages its transcription has some special character requirements that are sometimes not so easy to handle in the new information technologies. That is beginning to change, and this board is intended to serve as a forum for people dealing with technical aspects of Igbo on computers and the internet to share solutions as well as information on projects.

This board is being set up following correspondence with an Igbo speaker who suggested that it would be useful. I hope that it proves helpful and that, together with other projects on the A12n gateway at http://www.bisharat.net/A12N, it will help favor the use of African languages in ICTs.

All the best!

Don Osborn, Ph.D.
*Bisharat! A language, technology & development initiative
*Bisharat! Initiative langues - technologie - développement
http://www.bisharat.net

I received a note requesting information on a keyboard that I had "invented" for Igbo. Actually I have done no such thing but have set up this message board on Igbo language & ICT for discussing keyboards (i.e., keyboard layouts), fonts & characters, and applications using Igbo.

Since the keyboard issue was brought up, one should begin by pointing out that we are not talking about a physical computer keyboard for Igbo (or even combinatiuons of African languages) different from the ones already in use, but rather about ways in which shortcut keys can be used to produce the letters or diacritics one does not see on the physical keyboard.

This can be done by assigning a combination of keys, like Alt + a letter, to a particular character in a software like Word. It can also be done by use of a special program to create a keyboard layout such as Tavultesoft - see http://www.tavultesoft.com/  

There are also possibilities of creating on-screen keyboards of different sorts, such as pop-up lists of special characters that can be clicked on to add to a document..

All of these would require some sort of font that includes the necessary characters.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Depending on the keyboard layout requirements of Igbo, it should be possible to very quickly create a keyman file given access to appropraite fonts.

Andj.

Edited by author 10-20-2002 06:07 AM
Getting the right fonts - that is ones with all the necessary characters and symbols for Igbo (and perhaps other languages) - would be the starting point. Obviously the keyboard arrangement won't do much without it. It is possible to use a Unicode font and as Andrew suggests put together a keyboard arrangement without much difficulty. A number of fonts are accessible through the "A12n gateway" at http://www.bisharat.net/A12N .

Another possibility is for someone or some outfit to design a package that has it all. One that I have just learned about for Nigerian languages is Konyin - see http://www.konyin.com (thanks to Walter Oluwole for this info). Does anyone have any experience with this?

Another font and keyboard system is Unitype which covers a lot of languages but I do not know if Igbo is included - see http://www.unitype.com .

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Andrew,
Please could you give me your e-mail so we can talk in private.
Chinedu...

Hi all,

re /m5, did you get my email Chinedu?

a couple of points re /m4

I guess I already have those fonts :)

additionally there is an open source project to create some fonts. Poorly hinted though at

http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/freefont

the monospaced and serif versions may be suitable for Igbo. The sans serif face has some of the required characters mising.

I've used older versions of the Unitype software. they have two programs ...

Global Writer (a stand alone basic word processor) and
Global Office (a MS Office plugin)

They don't list Igbo as one of the languages supported.

Don's page at http://www.bisharat.net/A12N/NIGERIA-table.htm

lists the following characters as necessary for Igbo:

ịỊ ṅṄ ọỌ ụỤ

(i, o and u with a dot below, and n with a dot above).

Are there any other characters required by the Igbo orthography?

WRT Konyin, an interesting idea. There is too little information on the web site to determine whether it works on the older versions of windows or just the newer ones, or the range of software it works with on various platforms.

Andrew

Andrew,

God bless you for your good work.

I am an Igbo Engineer and Lawyer. So, I am not really a language or computer specialist to be able to contribute in more detail to this project. But I am happy to help out any way or where I can. Of course, you may have already dealt with the issue I had like to raise. If so, then its all well and good.
Igbo has some COMPOUND characters or sounds, which combine two characters to produce one sound. These are CH, SH, GB, KP, KW, NW and NY.

Of course, I understand that the proposed keyboard is best more easily realised by adapting it to the existing computer systems. Simplicity would therefore be a paramount consideration.

In this regard, I presume that the proposed keyboard may simply produce these compound characters on two strikes of the keyboard.

However, in practice, in Igbo each of these compound characters is treated and regarded as ONE CHARACTER or SOUND.

Can the proposed keyboard be designed to produce these COMPOUND CHARACTERS on ONE STRIKE of the keyboard to accord with the theory, practice, philosophy and psychology of the language.

You see, using two strokes of a keyboard to produce such compound Igbo characters, while being the simplest solution, would amount to first thinking and reading in ENGLISH (English adaptation) before typing the characters to sound Igbo. But using one stroke of the keyboard to produce such a compound character, while more complex, does mean that the typist would think and read in Igbo as they write in Igbo.

Can you look at this issue? And may God reward you for your efforts. Your name shall enter the Igbo Hall of fame forever for your work for the benefit of the Igbo people and nation. We shall ensure that.

Thanks.

Francis Elekwachi.



In a message dated 21/10/2002 1:41:45 PM Cen. Australia Standard Tim, qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com writes:


> Subj:Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
> Date:21/10/2002 1:41:45 PM Cen. Australia Standard Tim
> From:qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com
> To:felekwachi@aol.com
> Sent from the Internet ()
>
>
>
> Hi all,
>
> re /m5, did you get my email Chinedu?
>
> a couple of points re /m4
>
> I guess I already have those fonts :)
>
> additionally there is an open source project to create some
> fonts. Poorly hinted though at
>
> http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/freefont
>
> the monospaced and serif versions may be suitable for Igbo. The
> sans serif face has some of the required characters mising.
>
> I've used older versions of the Unitype software. they have two
> programs ...
>
> Global Writer (a stand alone basic word processor) and
> Global Office (a MS Office plugin)
>
> They don't list Igbo as one of the languages supported.
>
> Don's page at http://www.bisharat.net/A12N/NIGERIA-table.htm
>
> lists the following characters as necessary for Igbo:
>
> ịỊ ṅṄ ọỌ ụỤ
>
> (i, o and u with a dot below, and n with a dot above).
>
> Are there any other characters required by the Igbo orthography?
>
>
> WRT Konyin, an interesting idea. There is too little information
> on the web site to determine whether it works on the older
> versions of windows or just the newer ones, or the range of
> software it works with on various platforms.
>
> Andrew
>

Hi Francis,

I'm aware of that Igbo uses a number of digraphs.

A couple of points:

* Unicode treats the digraphs as two distinct characters, i.e. in unicode the digraph "CH" would be represented by the character "C" followed by the character "H". So even if we typed a single key for "CH" we'd get a "C" followed by a "H".

* Most keyboards for African languages I've seen or used before use two key strokes for each digraph.

* The correct handling of digraphs is probably more a software issue rather than a keyboard layout issue. Digraphs are important when they affect alphabetic sorting and collation.

My major concern is that it would add to the complexity of the keyboard requiring many more keystrokes.

I'm basing some of my comments on the information in Rhonda Hartell's book "Alphabets of Africa". It lists 9 digraphs for Igbo. You've listed 7 digraphs. From my understanding the only keys that aren't used on a keyboard would be "Q" and "X". The only other source of keys that could be used are the function keys (which some programs use for keyboard short cuts to commands) and the number keys or number pad keys. Personally I prefer to use the number keys as number keys.

The other alternative is to use the alt-keys to type the digraphs, this would require pressing two keys simulataneously rather than one key followed by a second key.

I think most users would find it easier to type "C" then "H" rather than a number pad key or an Alt key sequence.

The biggest problem for digraphs is that you need three keys for each digraph. I suspect that you may need to be able to type: "ch", "CH" and "Ch". Although the third form would only ever be needed if a digraph started a word. I assume that both letters would not be capital if only the first letter needed ot be capital.

I could be wrong, since I don't know the Igbo orthography.

How do typewriters handle Igbo digraphs? Are they treated as two distinct characters or a single character.

Languages I'm more familiar with that possess multiple digraphs and trigraphs tend to use two or three keystrokes in sequence to type these characters.

I could try to design a keyboard to suit you, but I suspect that the keyboard layout would be difficult for the average user. To many differnet special keystrokes. People used to using typewriters may also have difficulty with it.

Although any software that sorts information and words should treat the digraphs as a single unit to facilitate sorting.

Are there any words that use "sh", "bg", "kp", "kw", "nw" or "ny" in the middle of a word where the characters are not part of a digraph?

What do other people think?

The version of the Igbo alphabet i have form Hartell's book is:

a b ch d e f g gb gh gw h i ị j k kp kw l m n nw ny ṅ o ọ p r s sh t u ụ v w y z

Is this correct? Or has the official orthography changed?


Andrew

Hi again Francis,

just one more thought.

It should be possible to create a keyboard layout that would allow both types of uses.

type "C" then "H" to get "CH"

or type "Alt-C" to get "CH"

problem is the number of keys.

You would need

CH, SH, GB, KP, KW, NW and NY as well as

ch, sh, gb, kp, kw, nw and ny

but would you need Ch, Sh, Gb, Kp, Kw, Nw and Ny ?

Andrew

Hi Andrew,

Sure, there are nine 'diagraphs'.
I omitted gw and gh as in for instance, 'gwa ha okwu' (tell them) and in 'agha' (war) respectively.
Added to the seven diagraphs I mentioned, they would total nine. You have the complete list and number of Igbo characters.

The traditional type-writer certainly treats Igbo 'diagraphs' as two characters. You see, the written Igbo characters were adapted from English letters, otherwise, there would have been no means for the English (whose characters were adopted) to express those Igbo sounds or characters in writing.

I agree with you that it would be simpler and more practical to apply a keyboard system that enables the typing of one character of a 'diagraph' after the other. May be, it may be impractical to change from the approach of the traditional type-writer. However, it is something specialists like yourselves would really have to determine.

Absolutely, you will need to be able to type "ch", "CH" and "Ch" as you pointed out.

Where ever Igbo diagrahs are used in a word (whether in the begining, middle or end), the characters are always part of a disgraph.

Cheers

Francis

In a message dated 21/10/2002 4:44:55 PM Cen. Australia Standard Tim, qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com writes:


> Subj:Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
> Date:21/10/2002 4:44:55 PM Cen. Australia Standard Tim
> From:qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com
> To:felekwachi@aol.com
> Sent from the Internet ()
>
>
>
> Reply by email or visit
> http://www.quicktopic.com/17/H/tCcDxVXHgQxN/m8
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Hi Francis,
>
> I'm aware of that Igbo uses a number of digraphs.
>
> A couple of points:
>
> * Unicode treats the digraphs as two distinct characters, i.e.
> in unicode the digraph "CH" would be represented by the
> character "C" followed by the character "H". So even if we typed
> a single key for "CH" we'd get a "C" followed by a "H".
>
> * Most keyboards for African languages I've seen or used before
> use two key strokes for each digraph.
>
> * The correct handling of digraphs is probably more a software
> issue rather than a keyboard layout issue. Digraphs are
> important when they affect alphabetic sorting and collation.
>
> My major concern is that it would add to the complexity of the
> keyboard requiring many more keystrokes.
>
> I'm basing some of my comments on the information in Rhonda
> Hartell's book "Alphabets of Africa". It lists 9 digraphs for
> Igbo. You've listed 7 digraphs. From my understanding the only
> keys that aren't used on a keyboard would be "Q" and "X". The
> only other source of keys that could be used are the function
> keys (which some programs use for keyboard short cuts to
> commands) and the number keys or number pad keys. Personally I
> prefer to use the number keys as number keys.
>
> The other alternative is to use the alt-keys to type the
> digraphs, this would require pressing two keys simulataneously
> rather than one key followed by a second key.
>
> I think most users would find it easier to type "C" then "H"
> rather than a number pad key or an Alt key sequence.
>
> The biggest problem for digraphs is that you need three keys for
> each digraph. I suspect that you may need to be able to type:
> "ch", "CH" and "Ch". Although the third form would only ever be
> needed if a digraph started a word. I assume that both letters
> would not be capital if only the first letter needed ot be
> capital.
>
> I could be wrong, since I don't know the Igbo orthography.
>
> How do typewriters handle Igbo digraphs? Are they treated as two
> distinct characters or a single character.
>
> Languages I'm more familiar with that possess multiple digraphs
> and trigraphs tend to use two or three keystrokes in sequence to
> type these characters.
>
> I could try to design a keyboard to suit you, but I suspect that
> the keyboard layout would be difficult for the average user. To
> many differnet special keystrokes. People used to using
> typewriters may also have difficulty with it.
>
> Although any software that sorts information and words should
> treat the digraphs as a single unit to facilitate sorting.
>
> Are there any words that use "sh", "bg", "kp", "kw", "nw" or
> "ny" in the middle of a word where the characters are not part
> of a digraph?
>
> What do other people think?
>
> The version of the Igbo alphabet i have form Hartell's book is:
>
> a b ch d e f g gb gh gw h i ị j k kp kw l m n nw ny
> ṅ o ọ p r s sh t u ụ v w y z
>
> Is this correct? Or has the official orthography changed?
>
>
> Andrew
>

Ndeewo, Elekwachi.
My contribution is that we should concentrate on those Igbo alphabets that are difficult to get. These are the sub-dotted vowels: <a>, <o>, <i>, <u>; and also the letter <n> with a dot above it. If we can get these, we have already gotten 98% of the work.
That of digraphs I see as not being very important for now, for the following reasons.
(1)My own Experience: I had an Igbo font program written for me that had <c> and <h> written together, such that any time I hit at <c> I get <ch>. That was well and good. But I found that I could not use the program to write any other language that uses the Latin alphabets. I could not write "Clement", as it always came out as "Chlement". I had to revert to the system of writing the digraph as individual letters, as this did not affect recognizing them as digraphs.
(2)Working with other Languages: Producing a keyboard with the Igbo digraphs as keys would surely the interaction with other languages. I think we might just make the best of what is available.
I shall continue later, as I have to leave the university computer room.
Chinedu...





>From: QT - FElekwachi@aol.com <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 00:50:52 -0500 (CDT)
>


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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Edited by author 10-21-2002 01:23 PM
Some interesting and important points have been made by all. I'd agree with Chinedu's first point below (/m11) re characters & digraphs. In Igbo as in many African languages, the limiting factor is special characters or diacritics (letters with an added mark or accent like the i, o, and u with dot under and n with dot over) that are not part of the basic character set. Solve this issue - which Unicode proposes to do - and the rest seems easy.

Digraphs (two letters that make a single sound like sh in English or the nine discussed for Igbo in /m9 & /m10) can be dealt with easily on computers as a sequence of letters. At least in the short term. It is possible to set up key sequences as "shortcuts" for digraphs such as Andrew and Francis discussed (e.g. alt-c for ch). Whatever gives users good options and doesn't limit them unnecessarily in other ways should be considered.

I personally would tend to avoid reassigning keys to digraphs (or diacritics or special characters) for the same reason Chinedu mentions - people commonly use more than one language. I had the experience in Mali with a font and keyboard where the keys for letters "not used" in Bambara were reassigned to special characters, which was a headache in practice because it was a problem to type many words from other languages (say, from French) that use those eliminated letters. Keep in mind that most individual users and many uses (of the keyboard) anywhere in Africa (and most of the world) will be multilingual.

Andrew mentioned in /m6 the summary page and table for Nigerian languages' special character and diacritic requirements at http://www.bisharat.net/A12N/NIGERIA-table.htm . A few quick items. First, is there a webpage with a summary of Igbo orthography that I can link to this page?

Second, you can click on "Igbo" in the table to see the the Igbo alphabet page from Hartell's book that Andrew mentions in /m8, or go directly to: http://www.rosettaproject.org:8080/live/se...version=0&scale=six

And third, Chinedu mentioned in /m11 the letter a with dot under. Is this used in Igbo?

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Don, I am sorry for throwing in the confusion. The letter <a> has no dots any where around it; it has only the accent markers in the right environs. I simply focused on the vowels as a whole and overlooked the fact that I had included <a>. I hope someone can make a brake for us! Chinedu...



 
>From: QT - BisharatNet
>Reply-To: QT topic
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 12:11:28 -0500 (CDT)
>

Unlimited Internet access -- and 2 months free!  Try MSN. Click Here < replied-to message removed by QT >

Hi all,

I've created a simple keyman 5 Unicode keyboard layout for Igbo. It includes the following characters ị (U+1ECB), Ị (U+1ECA), ṅ (U+1E45), Ṅ (U+1E44), ọ (U+1ECD), Ọ (U+1ECC), ụ (U+1EE5), Ụ (U+1EE4).

I mainly made it for my own use, for testing purposes, so it follows my idiosyncratic approach to input, ie use the "\" key to get the extended latin characters. I.e. \n gives me ṅ and \O gives me Ọ, etc.

If it is of interest I'll document it and post it on my web site. It is a temporary thing. The question remains, what is the optimal (best) keyboard layout for Igbo?

What characters need to be included (basically the the ones above? What about punctuation?) and what keystrokes would be best used to type those characters?

Just thinking about the issue of digraphs. They should be treated as separate characters for the time being. grapheme cluster boundary issues is more a softwrae issue rather than an input issue, ie sorting, collating, etc.

Andj.

Another thought re keyboard layouts.

Its possible to use Alt key sequences or Ctrl-Alt key sequences to type the extended latin characters and diacritics. Although I think pressing multiple keys simulataneously can be awkward for characters that occur frequently in a langauge. Can be ok for infrequently used characters.

The other problem is that many programs use the Alt key and the Ctrl-alt key sequences as short cut commands. So a keybaord layout sometimes conflicts with the keyboard shortcuts in the software being used.

I guess the issue of keyboard layout needs to be informed and discussed by people with experience in typing Igbo.


Andj.

A few quick replies...

To Chinedu re the letter a with dot (/m13). Not a problem - I just wanted to double check. I've been given to understand that there are some issues of Igbo orthography under discussion.

To Andrew re the "Keyman" keyboard layouts (/m14, /m15), this would seem to be a great start (not discounting Konyin, but it would be helpful to have some more feedback on that package). Please put it on the site, if possible. I don't see the same problem with two keystrokes for some special characters - it's an inconvenience that folks who type languages with accents deal with.

Ultimately you are right that we need to hear from people using Igbo on computers.

Re the digraphs again (/m14), there seem to be two issues technically, and two issues linguistically, whether Igbo or another language.

The technical issues are:
1) input methods, which we've begun to discuss below, and
2) sorting etc. issues that Andrew mentions : Igbo specialists have to decide how they want to handle digraphs

The "linguistic" ones relate to what one calls "alphabet":
1) there is alphabet in terms of character set, in which case gw, ch, and so on are each two letters (this is also how Unicode operates), and
2) there is alphabet in terms of phonemes in which case ch is one unit.

Obviously these concerns overlap (esp. the two #2's above), and specialists in the language and specialists in computing (and those happy few who are both) need to communicate on what is needed, preferred, and possible.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Yes Don,
There is definitely some issues of discussion on Igbo orthography. But that is what it is: a discussion, just like we have it here in Germany about the German orthography.

Meanwhie, the basic vowels and the alphabet <n> (with a dot on top), as well as the accent signs and the tilde sign still remain the core issue. Once these are sorted out, each Igbo speaker/writer can use the keyboard to write Igbo the way he wants, with nasalization or without. The umlauted vowel used by Micheal Echeruo to write his Igbo-English Dictionary of 1998 does not reflect the Igbo orthography. I only see it as the oauthor's way of trying to avoid the tiresome combination of keys on the English keyboard to get one Igbo letter. His umlauted vowels do not accept tone marks, which is one of the characteristices of the Igbo language as a tone language. That makes his orthography unfit for the Igbo language; good enough, it has also not been accepted by Igbo Linguists at home and abroad!

The additional thing is that Igbo native speakers that want to write Igbo with ease (without the tiresome combination of up to three keys to get one letter) should think of using a physical keyboard that is bigger than the English keyboard. The best suited for this is the German keyboard. One does not need to physically remove or add ANY THING to it. Just a change of the German umlauted vowels and the "eszet" (Beta) alphabet: that is all that is needed to convert the German keyboard into a fully functioning Igbo keyboard. This would be a wonderful achievement , if it could be launched from the Control Pannel as one of the keyboard options that can function in ALL the programs under the Windows operating system.

Chinedu...




>From: QT - BisharatNet <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 12:55:16 -0500 (CDT)
>


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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Hi -
I have been receiving copies of the various messages regarding the Igbo language keyboard. Unfortunately I don't have enough technical know-how to be of much help, but I can say that I have used my Afro-Roman font on my Macintosh machine for a long time. Once I turn on the Igbo script by pressing the Command key plus 6, if I want a subdotted vowel, or above-dotted n, I simply press the vowel or n and then the semicolon. It can be done so quickly it is almost like pressing one key.

I can also use the font to place tone marks. It's true that I have to press an extra key for the tone mark, but it does not seem like a hardship and I don't use them frequently anyway.

I appreciate your desire to design a useful keyboard for Igbo and I'm glad to be kept informed about the project.

Frances
In a message dated 10/24/02 5:54:52 AM, qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com writes:

<< --QT------------------------------------------------------------- Reply by email or visit
      http://www.quicktopic.com/17/H/tCcDxVXHgQxN/m17
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Yes Don,
There is definitely some issues of discussion on Igbo
orthography. But that is what it is: a discussion, just like we
have it here in Germany about the German orthography.

Meanwhie, the basic vowels and the alphabet <n> (with a dot on
top), as well as the accent signs and the tilde sign still
remain the core issue. Once these are sorted out, each Igbo
speaker/writer can use the keyboard to write Igbo the way he
wants, with nasalization or without. The umlauted vowel used by
Micheal Echeruo to write his Igbo-English Dictionary of 1998
does not reflect the Igbo orthography. I only see it as the
oauthor's way of trying to avoid the tiresome combination of
keys on the English keyboard to get one Igbo letter. His
umlauted vowels do not accept tone marks, which is one of the
characteristices of the Igbo language as a tone language. That
makes his orthography unfit for the Igbo language; good enough,
it has also not been accepted by Igbo Linguists at home and
abroad!

The additional thing is that Igbo native speakers that want to
write Igbo with ease (without the tiresome combination of up to
three keys to get one letter) should think of using a physical
keyboard that is bigger than the English keyboard. The best
suited for this is the German keyboard. One does not need to
physically remove or add ANY THING to it. Just a change of the
German umlauted vowels and the "eszet" (Beta) alphabet: that is
all that is needed to convert the German keyboard into a fully
functioning Igbo keyboard. This would be a wonderful
achievement , if it could be launched from the Control Pannel
as one of the keyboard options that can function in ALL the
programs under the Windows operating system.

Chinedu...

>From: QT - BisharatNet <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 12:55:16 -0500 (CDT)
>

Edited by author 11-04-2002 01:20 AM
Thank you, Frances and Chinedu, for these contributions.

The AfroRoman font Frances refers to would be that marketed by Linguist's Software (see http://www.linguistsoftware.com/afro.htm). They have a good system, and a lot of linguists apparently use it, but you have to have bought and installed the font on any computer that needs to read it. Excellent for producing/publishing paper documents, but not ideal for sharing files or for e-mail/internet. It is not a Unicode font. The key combos they use, though, might be helpful models for Keyman arrangements.

The keyboard systems are another issue. Chinedu mentions the German keyboard. I am a bit more familiar with the French one. For the latter one could substitute keys, but it's almost as easy to use an AltGr (right Alt or Ctrl-Alt in English keyboards depending on your layout options), and it leaves you the option of multilingual typing (in Francophone countries it would be a pain to switch keyboard layouts every time you switched or mixed languages). The German keyboard example brings up an interesting possibility for Igbo and other languages of Nigeria, it seems: Could the physical German keyboard be modified to use the spots taken by German diacritics for Nigerian ones?

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

PS- BTW, I've begun another update of the A12n gateway at http://www.bisharat.net/A12N and this board is now mentioned on it. All 4 current language/country specific boards are now also accessible via http://www.quicktopic.com/share?s=QSpo

Don, THat is EXACTLY what I have been saying all these months. All that is needed is to change the umlauted German vowels with the subdotted Igbo vowels, and also change the beta sign <ß> to the Igbo <n> (with a dot on top). In addition, it should also be made possible to get the subdotted vowels the same way you get the accent marks on the vowels without dots. Thereafter, what you have is an Igbo Keyboard, or keyboard for any other Nigerian or African language. That (to me) is the easiest way out. Chinedu...



>From: QT - BisharatNet
>Reply-To: QT topic
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Mon, 4 Nov 2002 00:11:19 -0600 (CST)
>

Choose an Internet access plan right for you -- try MSN! Click Here < replied-to message removed by QT >

I'm in hte process of throwing together a keyboard based on the Germen keyboard layout that Chinedu suggested. I just have to find a way to remap the deadkeys on the german keyboard.

If the keyboard is based on a germen keyboard (and uses the underlying german for most keys) then if you use a french or English language version of Windows you'll need to select and use the german language keyboard in conjunction with keyman.

Slightly more complicated. Also need to remember that it is based on a "qwertz" keyboard rather than a "azerty" or "qwerty" keyboard. Some of the standard alphabetic keys will differ in location.

I'm trying to build on base don using the german keyboard, i'll also build one based on the english keybaord but explicity changing all the keys to match a german layout. Using an underlying english keyoard would allow a azerty, qwerty or qwertz layout.

Don, what are the most likely pysical keyboards in Nigeria? French based keyboards (azerty) or US based keyboards (qwerty)?

Andrew

Gentlemen and ladies,

This is all very exciting for me.
More grease to your elbows and may your genius brains never tire.
BTW, I am happy to try out your inventions and innovations, should you need 'field' trials. Just let me know and tell me what to do if you ever need that.

Cheers and God bless.

Nnamdi

In a message dated 6/11/2002 11:44:28 AM Cen. Australia Daylight Tim, qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com writes:


> Subj:Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
> Date:6/11/2002 11:44:28 AM Cen. Australia Daylight Tim
> From:qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com
> To:felekwachi@aol.com
> Sent from the Internet ()
>
>
>
>
> Reply by email or visit
> http://www.quicktopic.com/17/H/tCcDxVXHgQxN/m21
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm in hte process of throwing together a keyboard based on the
> Germen keyboard layout that Chinedu suggested. I just have to
> find a way to remap the deadkeys on the german keyboard.
>
> If the keyboard is based on a germen keyboard (and uses the
> underlying german for most keys) then if you use a french or
> English language version of Windows you'll need to select and
> use the german language keyboard in conjunction with keyman.
>
> Slightly more complicated. Also need to remember that it is
> based on a "qwertz" keyboard rather than a "azerty" or "qwerty"
> keyboard. Some of the standard alphabetic keys will differ in
> location.
>
> I'm trying to build on base don using the german keyboard, i'll
> also build one based on the english keybaord but explicity
> changing all the keys to match a german layout. Using an
> underlying english keyoard would allow a azerty, qwerty or
> qwertz layout.
>
> Don, what are the most likely pysical keyboards in Nigeria?
> French based keyboards (azerty) or US based keyboards (qwerty)?
>
> Andrew
>

Andrew, They keyboards in Nigeria are "US English", as most of the computers are imported from the US. That is also why the recent effort by one US based company to develop a kind of keyboard layout for the Nigerian languages ended up with key-combinations. But that is exactly what a lot of us are running away from. Apart from that, just be sure of most Nigrians happilly holding a physical keyboard that can be used to write their mother tongues. That would be a great achievement. My opinion has always been: use the layout of the German keyboard, as it has enough letters/keys that can be replaced with the sub-dotted vowels. Based on the progress made on that, one can then think of actually "manufacturing a physical Igbo keyboard". I do not understand any of these terms <azerty, qwerty or qwertz layout>, but I am sure they have something to do with the production of something for the Igbo language. I am happy to read about the progress you are making, both with the German and the English keyboards. Jisie ike! (More grease to your elbows!) Chinedu...




>From: QT - Andrew
>Reply-To: QT topic
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Tue, 5 Nov 2002 19:16:58 -0600 (CST)
>

The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE*
< replied-to message removed by QT >

Hi Chinedu,

in that case I might try to base it on a german layout over a English keyboard rather than a German keyboard, should work for you and will work on the US keyboard.

Andrew

Most of our discussions like the interesting one below, have focused on keyboard layouts adapted to existing keyboards produced for big markets. That's a natural and essential step (and I appreciate the effort Andrew and a very few others have been making for African languages).

Beyond that, Chinedu's bringing up the possibility of using the German keyboard - something that never occurred to me, though I did run across one or two among the French and English ones in Bamako cybercafés a couple of years ago - makes me wonder if we should really now be thinking in terms of:
1) "shopping" for an optimal physical keyboard, i.e., with more keys (for starters, am I right that the German keyboard has more physical keys?) and a clear separation in function of left & right Alt keys, which could be best adapted for a range of African languages and
2) angling for a commercial makeover (something short of a physical redesign) of the chosen keyboard for African languages - so that when looking at the keyboard you'd actually see the subdot letters as well as modified characters used in other languages of the region (on the front of the keys) instead of ü, ß, etc.

In other words, can one of the existing standard keyboards manufactured for another international market be formally adapted for Subsaharan Africa where Latin-based scripts dominate (and yes, crossing the Anglophone-Francophone "divide")?

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

PS- azerty, qwerty & qwertz refer to the six letter keys across the top left of the keyboard - these differ for French, English and German. Layout is (Andrew you may be able to say it more clearly) the set of assignments for the keys of the keyboard - typing "a" produces "a" because of the software - Alt-A may be mapped to á as it is on my keyboard; one could modify these key assignments over the whole keyboard to accommodate another arrangement or layout of characters on the keyboard.

Ndeewo Chinedu,

I see you’re not stopping your efforts for the Igbo font! Just some thoughts I had when reading this thread:

Chine, you said one can’t use the umlauted vowels and the marks for the tones together. Have you ever heard of the Chinese letter “ü” that may have one of three different tone marks on top of the two dots? Personally I prefer the look of the subdotted vowels, especially when combined with a tone mark.

"Qwertz", "azerty" or "qwerty": Look at your own keyboard. The first line of letters (beneath the numbers) should start with a “q”, then comes a “w”, then “e” and “r”, “t”, “z” and many more. This is the German one. Here in England the people’s first letters in that line are “q”, “w”, “e”, “r”, “t” and “y”. Therefore I always have to search both “y” and “z”. Of course there are other differences, such as the @ and the absence of the umlauted vowels and the ß of course. And in France the first line of letter in conclusion starts with the “a”, then “z” and so on (here you have to be careful not to use “q” instead of “a” and visa verse).

I write Igbo in Word by inserting extra symbols (Einfügen > Symbole). There I found all the subdotted vowels (but no "n" with dot on top). For the short cut I chose “Strg + vowel (+ Shift)”. There has been no problem so far. For the Spanish ñ I chose “Str + n”. Normally this combination does open a new window in Microsoft Word, but since I have chosen it for “ñ”, it does not do it anymore and types that letter only. I can not combine the tone marks and the subdotted vowels. As far as I understand it, the problem is, that the “picture” of such a combination does not yet exist on my computer (since you never send me the new font you created ;-) I know you are busy and already I own you so much anyway).

@Don: I don’t think the German keyboard has more physical keys, but the layout might be better for the Igbo language since we have the umlauts and the tone marks on it (therefore for the á I just type ´ and then a). Here is a picture of a German keyboard: www.forlang.wsu.edu/ images/kgerman.gif


Anja

PS: I am eager to see the result of this discussion! Good luck!

For some reason there is a gap in the url. Please use this one: http://www.forlang.wsu.edu/images/kgerman.gif

Sorry, another on ;-)

"am I right that the German keyboard has (...) a clear separation in function of left & right Alt keys"

Don, when I use the left "Alt" and the "Q/@" key, nothing happens. When I use the right "Alt" (Alt Gr) and the "Q/@" key, then I get an @. Does this help you in order to answer your question?

Good-bye, Anja

Hi Anja,

yep, the left and right Alt keys are different on teh german keyboard.

The left alt key is just an "alt" key ... the right alt key is an AltGr key (ie the same as pressing the Control key and left alt key simultaneously).

The geman keyboard has one extra key. The "y" key on the German keyboard equates to the "z" key on the English keyboard.

To the left of the "y" key is the "<" key, then the shift key.

On the English keyboard there is no equivvalent key. Using a german layout with an English language system and keyboard will most likey mean that the following characters need too be remapped to other positions maybe AltGr key sequences: "<", ">", "|".

The French keyboard (from memory) has the same number of keys as the german keyboard.

If an optimised physical keyboard is designed, it will be important to realise that some people may get the altered keyboard and others the standard english/french keyboards. It will be important that the keyboard layout will work properly on both an "African" keyboard or an English-US physical keyboard.

OK, most people may not think the characters "<", ">" and "|" are important. But part of my job is to help foster community uptake of teh internet and teh use of the internet and web development as a tool for community building and empowerment (within a local community and across a diaspora). In this context these characters are very imporatnt , the're the most commonly type characters when designing web pages, if your're using a text editor or text based html editor. Putting these on altgr key sequences will make them difficult to type (considering how frequently they need to be typed). If they're left to the positions on a german keyboard, anyone using a "african" layout on an English keyboard will not be able to type these characters .. since the key doesn't exist.

Don, just a though since initially there will be limited interest in an "african" physical keyboard. It may be work wll getting some keyboards custom made where most of the keys are indicated on the keyboard .. but specific keys are left blank.

Its possible to get keycap stickers .. sets can be made up for different langauges. Each set of keycap stickers would be put on the blank keys and indicate the special keys required by the langauge in question.

Also if its used in conjunction with keyan 6, there is the possibility of also using virtual keyboards on the screen too.

I hope to have a couple of keyboards to test later today or tomorrow based on Chinedu's comments.

any suggestions on how to handle the missing key on the Enlish keyboard will be greatly appreciated.

Andrew

I've created a couple of quick keyboard layouts for the unicode text editor SC UniPad (http://www.unipad.org).

The first layout is based on Chinedu's suggestions. The second layout is a odification of that moving osme of the standard characters on the german keyboard to alternative locations.

The keyboards are at

http://www.openroad.net.au/langauges/files/igbo_unipad_kbd.zip

UniPad can display virtual keyboards ... so you can see where the various characters are.

I'd susggest you change your system keyboard to french, german or international english so that the AltGr key works, while using Igbo in UniPad.

Keyman versions are in the works.

Andrew

sorry, mistyped the url

http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/files/igbo_unipad_kbd.zip

also note, for those wanting to use the tone diacritics, unipad uses and displays combining diacritics for the igbo keyyboards ... if you wnat to convert the document to precomposed

select the text and then use

Edit | Convert | Combine Characters

Andrew

One additional thought,

if qwerty keyboards are more common, then it may make sense to adapt Danish keyboards either with new printed keycaps or with keycap stickers. The Danish keyboard has the benefit of being "qwerty" and has a number of keys that could be reassigned easily to african characters for specific languages.

Just a thought.

Andrew

More grease to the elbows of those who ingeniosuly work on the keyboards of languages. The vowels constitute the initial difficulty encountered in writing Igbo.

Basically, Igbo language has eight vowels. It would have been nice if each of these vowels were different in appearance. We now have A[a], E[e], I[i], O[o] and U[u]. And, the remaining three vowels are differentiated from others by dotting the vowels I-O-U.

I suggest that, instead of dotting, let there be differently structured alphabets that stand on their own, with neither alphabet-doubling nor extra marks of distinction.

Obum.

"Transcription has for long been a problem in the promotion of African languages."* In response to Obum /m34, the transcriptions for a number of languages in Africa actually use modified Latin letters for certain sounds. (See the character tables by country at http://www.bisharat.net/A12N). But changing the Igbo orthography (or that of any other language) might end up being a contentious topic, and is not one I would personally want to get into.

Regarding keyboards, this has been an interesting discussion. It may be of interest before I go any further, to mention that Eric Rasmussen is attempting to put together a pan-African keyboard layout for Macintosh OS 10.2 (not PCs).

Andrew - the French and Spanish keyboards (see the site Anja referred to for the German keyboard, http://www.forlang.wsu.edu/new_llrc.htm) seem to have the extra key on the left of the lower row, but one less on the second row (below numbers) on the right. So it seems the numbers of keys are the same and you could map the lower left "extra" key to the upper right "extra" Key. I have no idea what the Danish keyboard looks like - is it like the German but for the "qwerty" key order?

For Nigeria, if the object is a system that could be widely used, it may make sense to base the layout on the International English system (where the right Alt is different) and "qwerty" physical keyboard - this because many people also use English (thinking of multilingual requirements) and learned on a "qwerty" system.

The possibility of different printing on keycaps /m32 (presumably the fronts and not the tops) is what would be the next step (stickers could be used as an interim). African qwerty and African azerty keyboards (with layouts such as Andrew is working on)? But who would make the investment? Eventually some company will if the need is made clear - but maybe there needs to be a regional voice to advocate that.

Andrew discussed in /m29 about the <, > and | keys. In general I also don't like the solutions which substitute keys, because that makes your keyboard less useful in other ways (as Andrew illustrates).

Anja asks in /m26 about combining tone marks and subdotted vowels - as I understand it, this should be possible but maybe with a Unicode font (I just "inserted symbol" for subdot o and added an accent). The subdotted vowels, and the overdot n also, are available in the "Latin Extended additional" range (of Unicode) but few fonts have that yet. The accents would be from the "Combining diacritics" range. Adding accents capability to the keyboard is then another issue? How regularly are they used?

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

*From the preface of "Proceedings of the meeting of experts on the transcription and harmonization of African languages," Niamey (Niger), 17 - 21 July 1978 http://www.bisharat.net/Documents/Niamey78en.htm

Hi all,

re /m35

Don,

yep there is an extra key, on the german keyboard it is used for the ascii apostrophe which is used in lots of ways including computer scripting langauges, web page design, a text delimeter for search engines, etc.

If we place Igbo characters onto keys in the normal and shift states of the keyboard, then we need to move the characters that were there to other keystrockes (if they're needed), and I'd prefer not to move/replace keys characters that would be useful in their current location.

The Danish keyboard looks like

http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/dis_v1/...5d&File=S25B8_i.asp (Win95/NT keyboards)

or

http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/keyboards/kbdda.htm (win2000/XP keyboards)


Some of the characters with tone marks exist as precomposed characters. Some tone mark and base character combinations will need to use combining diacritics. With current fonts this will mean that the diacritics will not be placed correctly in relation to the base character.

For correct typographic display of Igbo in Unicode when using tone marks, it will be necessary to use open type fonts designed for correctly handling combining diacritics.

Such fonts and the necessary rendering software don't exist yet, although Mircosoft are currently working on providing this.

Igbo owrks very well when the tones are not included, but to use the full range of tones will need to wait until microsoft update and release software and system components that will be required for many african languages.

Andj.

Don, Changes in orthography should actually not be an issue to be discussed on the net. Igbo linguists at home have done enough to produce a stable orthography that takes care of the writing of Igbo. The problem with some of us native speakers is that we have not adjusted to writing our mother tongue with the orthography that has been developed for it. This is as a result of our too much acquiantance with the scripts of foreign languages like English, German, French etc. Many a time, out of this state of helplessness, we wish to change our tradition of writing to look like the scripts of any of the languages we have been used to. This is a sad state, but it cannot change what has become a tradition of Igbo orthography. To illustrate my point. An Igbo-English dictionary written by Micheal Echeruo (Cambridge University Press, 1998) had the sub-dotted vowels being written as German umlauted vowels. Apart from the fact that this leaves no room for the tone marks (which Igbo as a tone language is known for), it is also a blatant waving aside of the decades of work that has been done on the Igbo orthography. The very sad thing was that this was done without consultations with Igbo linguists at home in Nigeria. Reason: because they would stoutly have opposed such moves. The easiest way out is to publish such a work OUTSIDE Igboland, where there would not be such an opposition. If any thing is achieved by such an attitude, it is the denigration of the tradition of writing Igbo, which does no good to the language. When therefore Obum comes up with a suggestion to bring a further change in the Igbo orthography, we should simply bear the above mentioned situation in mind. Such suggestions have often come from Igbo native speakers with these traits: * They are usually OUTSIDE of Igbo land (indicating a lack of touch with the grounds) * * They are MOST OFTEN none-linguists (as they really do not know the linguistic implications) * * It is often not clear to them that they are doing a disservice to their mother tongue through such changes. * * Andrew, please ignore such suggestions, and thanks for the works you have done so far, and for those you are about to do. Jisie ike! (More grease to your elbows!) Chinedu...


 
>From: QT - BisharatNet
>Reply-To: QT topic
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2002 14:21:17 -0600 (CST)
>

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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Thanks, Chinedu, I think we are in basic agreement. My approach in general has been to start with what is "official" and established (in the case of Igbo these seem to be one and the same). It keeps life simple and serves as a common reference point. People will always talk of changing orthography (even in the case of English and French, for example) and in some cases, peoples and countries have changed their major orthographies. Think of China and Turkey in recent history, for instance. But I would discourage debate on that topic here - it is enough to acknowledge that there are apparently some different ideas (whatever their origin or foundation) that we don't need to explore.

That said, there really doesn't have to be too much controversy on this sort of thing in the long run - it is possible to have systems to toggle between simplified and traditional Chinese, for example, and I imagine for languages of the Sahel that previously used and still sometimes use Ajami (Arabic-based characters), that it will be possible to set up systems where you could easily convert from Latin-based to Ajami or vice versa, just by toggling back and forth. One could similarly accommodate different national orthographies for a language community on both sides of a border. In other words, the technology can help overcome the dilemmas and conflicts of "either-or" choices if there exists more than one standard.

Thinking of the technical issues, it suffices to focus here on how to deal with the current standard for Igbo (whatever one might think of it relative to alternatives) in order to move forward. I've seen this proverb which might be appropriate: Nwaanyi muta ite ofe mmiri mmiri, di ya amuta ipi utara aka were suru ofe (If a woman decides to make the soup watery, the husband will learn to dent the foofoo before dipping it into the soup).* Hope this helps.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

*with thanks to Kwenu.com

Andrew, Re /m36, it may be best in a keyboard layout for Igbo to use alt key combos for the subdot vowels and overdot n. The problem with substituting characters that go with the normal keys is that folks have to remember the keyboard when they change. I'm thinking also that most folks who type Igbo also type English - and perhaps other languages too, but the point is that the average user current and future will probably use at least those two languages, and may rely on using different computers in school, cybercafés, etc. An Igbo keyboard that changes what people expect from the ordinary keyboard (in normal, i.e., non-shift, non-alt mode) may not catch on. Maybe others disagree?

Re the German and Danish keyboards, if I understand correctly you're considering using the Danish layout because it is qwerty & has the same # of keys as the predominant English (physical) keyboards in Nigeria? (I realize we were also talking about a physical keyboard with an extra key to facilitate adding Igbo characters.)

Re tone markings, I've had some decent results with the grave accent on extended Latin characters in some Bambara text, but not so good with the falling-rising mark. Hopefully the tone marks issue is not so urgent for Igbo, since as you indicate the support for these is not yet ready.

Thanks for all your effort on this...

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Don,
From the look of things it seems that the work we are giving to Andrew is growing each day. As we have Igbo speakers scattered all over the different countries, he might have to end up working out something for the German, French and the English keyboards, making it THREE keyboard programs. Each native speaker can then download and apply whichever suits his/her physical keyboard. Those in Danemark can also do the same.

I have actually been looking for an easy way out; that is why I talked of the German keyboard with which I can simply replace the umlauted vowels with the subdotted Igbo vowels. The constant combination of keys that one has to carry out for the English keyboard I find quite tiring, though I don´t doubt someone getting used to it. (I hope I won't!)

Still looking forward to Andrew's next "download link"
Chinedu...




>From: QT - BisharatNet <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 08:39:39 -0600 (CST)
>


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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Hi all,

I've just finished two keyboard layouts for Igbo, one using Don's favourite layout (using the alt key sequences) and one using Chinedu's German derived layout.

First install keyman.

Keyman 6 is available from http://www.tavultesoft.com/keyman/downloads/

The "Alt" version is at

http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/files/igbo_v2.zip

Unzip it and double click on the installation package.

There is a PDF file included that shows the keyboard layout.

Chinedu, I'll create the installation package for your version tomorrow and email it to you.

The 'Alt' version only contains the i,o and u with dot below, and the n with dot above.

The "German derived' version has additional diacritics.

Andrew

Deeme Andrew (Thanks a lot!) I look forward to downloading the German version. But for the time being, I shall still download Don's favourite and play around with it. Jisie ike! You do not yet know what you have done. Wait until I send the layout (and a Germany physical keyboard) to Igbo Linguists at home!
Chinedu...



 
>From: QT - Andrew
>Reply-To: QT topic
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 22:52:18 -0600 (CST)
>

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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Hi Chinedu, Don and all,

my apologies the pdf file with the Igbo keyboard I posted last night had a couple of errors.

A new version of the zip file has been uploaded at

http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/files/igbo_v2.zip

or you can access the pdf at

http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/files/docs/Igbo_layout.pdf


Chinedu,

I've uploaded the alternative german version onto teh web site. The german version is based on the second sc unipad keyboard layout i did not version one.

Its available at

http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/files/igbodev2.zip

Documentation (help file) is available at

http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/files/igbode.html

have a test play with it and see if it actually works with your german keyboard. I don't have access to one here to test on.

Please note that some of the characters will not work properly. There will be the i,o and with with dot below and with tone mark, and all the characters you specified with tilde (bar the v). All the characters that exist as precomposed characters will work well. Characters that need combining diacritics will need the next generation of opentype fonts.

The problem is that if you wnat to include tone marks then you need intillegent fonts and rendering systems that we don't have access to at the moment.

Microsoft and SIL International are working on their respective rendering technologies. Hopefully they will have solutions available soon.

It should be possible to for a font developer to convert an 8-bit Igbo font to an opentype font ready for the release of Microsoft's rendering engine update.

Alternatively, it would be possible to add graphite tables to an Igbo font and use it with SIL's worldpad software that uses the graphite rendering engine.

If users don't need the diacritics .. then the i, o and u with dot below and the n with dot above will work well.

please send me any comments, problems or bugs you come across.

Andrew

While I think about it,

what is the "official" orthography for Igbo? Is it documented on the web anywhere?

secondly are there any 8-bit fonts that are commonly used for typing in Igbo?

Ok,

I made a silly mistake in the first Igbo keyboard layout, I've just corrected it and uploaded the new version to http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/files/igbo_v2.zip

so those who've laready downloaded it to test will need to download it again.

Sorry for that.

A brief help file is now available at

http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/files/igbo.html

Andrew

Andrew,
I have already sent you ALL the "peculiar" alphabets of the Igbo orthography. Many Igbo writers do not use the tone marks because of the difficulties of getting the tones. But in academic writings it is absolutely unavoidable. The details I have given you are the things needed for serious works in the language.

I shall repeat the alphabets here:
a, b, ch, d, e, f, g , gb, gh, gw, h, i, i*, j, k, kp, kw, l, m, n, nw, ny, n*, o, o*, p, r, r, s, sh, t, u, u*, v, w, y, z.

The vowels with a small star are sub-dotted, while the consonant with a star, <n>, is dotted on top. The tone marks (high and low)that are attached to the vowels (simple vowels: a, e, i, o, u; vowels with diacritics: i*, o*, u*) and to the two consonants (m, n) feature only as part of the lexical or syntactic qualities of words, and not as the inherent qualities of the alphabets. The same applies also to the nasalization of some words. Once the tone marks or tilde are made available for the letters that can accept them, better academic writing in Igbo can flourish. Just an illustration: A book titled "Tone in Igbo Syntax" (published 1995 by Prof. Nwachukwu) was tone marked with pen. The printers had to mark the tones with hand on the off-set film that was to be used to print the book. Of course the book did not look nice for it.

Chinedu...




>From: QT - Andrew <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 23:39:53 -0600 (CST)
>


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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Hi Chinedu,

Yep I realise you've sent me that, I suppose my question was badly phrased. I guess what I was trying to work out is whether day to day writing was without the diacritics. Or whether the diacritics were important in day to day writing as well as academic writing. I.e. would a keyboard without the diacritics be suitable?

The current problem with fonts and diacritic usage isn't solved imediately by unicode.

Current fonts can display precomposed characters. the following characters are available as precomposed characters:


ṅ Ṇ ị Ị ọ Ọ ụ Ụ

á Á é É í Í ó Ó ú Ú ḿ Ḿ ń Ń

à À è È ì Ì ò Ò ù Ù ǹ Ǹ

ṽ Ṽ

All remaining characters :

ị Ị ọ Ọ ụ Ụ with a tone or any of the characters that need a tilde except Ṽ and ṽ

require combining diacritics. Current fonts place the diacritic in a single location irregardless of whether the base letter is upper or lower case or the width of the character.

Microsoft and SIL International are adapting their font rendering technologies to allow relative position of diacritics in relation to the base character and relative to other diacritics (where languages require combining diacritics).

There have been some discussions on the A12N-Collaboration mailing list regarding African font requirements. My concern at the moment is the best configuration for keyboards to faciliate typing in Igbo, so that we're already to go when the new fonts, software and rendoring technologies become available.

At the moment its straight forward typing Igbo in Unicode if diacritics aren't required. More exacting academic works will require the new fonts and technologies as or when they become available.

A number of other languages I'm working with have the same problems.

Chinedu, have a look at the keyboard, have a play with it, and feed back any suggestions or changes you'd like. At the moment, I need to know whether it works on your computer since I don't have access to a localised German version of Windows.

Tomorrow if I have time, I'll try making a version derived from the Canadian Multilingual keyboard layout (for those using QWERTY keyboards).

Andrew

Andrew,
I have already downloaded they programs and shall start work with it today. Meanwhile, I noticed from the screen-picture that there is no <n> with a dot on top. But I shall inform you of other things I find out before the end of the week. Chinedu...



>From: QT - Andrew
>Reply-To: QT topic
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2002 04:58:59 -0600 (CST)
>

Protect your PC - Click here for McAfee.com VirusScan Online
< replied-to message removed by QT >

Hi Chinedu,

I noticed the problem with the n and the dot above after I did it.

The previous email should read "ṅ Ṅ ị Ị ọ Ọ ụ Ụ"

the early version of the keyboard layout had a mistake in it, you may want to download it again. i fixed the problem and put a new version on the website.

Both the Alt-key version and the german derived versions should now have the n with dot above it.



Andrew

Ok, Thank you, that shall be my work for the rest of this evening. Jisie ike! Chinedu...



 
>From: QT - Andrew
>Reply-To: QT topic
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2002 06:43:15 -0600 (CST)
>

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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Edited by author 11-21-2002 04:06 PM
This is reposted from A12n-collaboration. It concerns keyboard layouts for Unicode fonts on Macintosh designed by Eric Rasmussen to facilitate typing of extended Latin characters used in many African languages.

> I have finally posted the first of my Latin Extended keyboards at:
> http://homepage.mac.com/chinesemac/LatinExtended/index.html
>
> These are Mac OS keyboards, so the compression format used for the
> downloads is SIT.
>
> I went with a minimum set of African characters, leaving out a number
> of IPA characters in Hartell: small alpha, small u with stroke, small
> turned v, and small r fishhook. [Note that u with stroke and r with
> stroke can be composed using dynamic input.] I also left out a number
> of IPA characters already adopted into Unicode for African (with
> capitals in Latin Extended-B): upsilon and t with retroflex hook,
> neither of which are in Hartell. I added the modifier letter small
> raised w (U+02B7), which is used for Twi.
>
> There will be a version 1.1.1, so additions are still possible...
>
> Thanks for your help,
>
> Eric

It would be interesting to hear how this works for Igbo, if anyone has a Mac (OS 9.1, 9.2, 10.2).

Thanks also to Andrew for his work on Igbo keyboard layouts for PCs.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Don,
It is a pity I cannot experiment with these fonts, as I do not have a MAC computer. My system is WIndows XP. Presently, I am trying to install a LINUX (i.e. UNIX) system on it for some of my works. I hope others with a MAC system can try it out.

Chinedu...




>From: QT - BisharatNet <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 21 Nov 2002 21:05:54 -0000
>


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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Indeed, I also look forward to hearing comments from whomever runs a recent Mac OS and tries it. The great news in all of this is that thanks to the work of people like Andrew and Eric, a lot of the current potential for computers & internet for handling extended characters of languages like Igbo is being realized. There are other technical issues (like those for accents in Igbo) which others are working on, and still others are working on things like developing Unicode fonts that are suited for various language uses.

What fonts do you usually use for Igbo?

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Chinedu,

Have we got tone marks on the dotted vowels, ka uka wee gwuzia?

Deeme.

Yes Obum,
FOr ALL linguistic analysis, the tones have to be indicated. Incase you can send for one little booklet from Prof. Nwachuckwu (Tone in Igbo Syntax "1995"), you can understand more from it. Just think of these two expressions:
ábù* = song
ábú*/ávú* = a sore (wound)

Chinedu...




>From: QT - Obum <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 2 Dec 2002 01:38:30 -0000
>


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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Chinedu,

I am yet to see tonemarked dotted vowels on the web. Even in the Unicode Series. E nwee ebe i hugoro ya, i tụpenye m azụ.

Daalụ
Ọbụm.

Obum,
That you have not seen tone-marked sub-dotted vowels has to do with your "seeing"; which does not affect the reality of the language.

You wrote: "E nwee ebe i hugoro ya, i tụpenye m azụ." Meaning: I should inform you of any place I have seen it.
How am I to understand you here? Did my reference to Prof. Nwachukwu's book not appear in my response to your letter?

You also wrote:
"I am yet to see tonemarked dotted vowels on the web. Even in the Unicode Series."

Like I said above: it all has to do with your "seeing". UNICODE is there to help different language groups realize the writing of their language electronically. Each group that does not put forward its own peculiarities might have the problem of not being helped. This applies also to Igbo. It is a well known fact that MANY Igbo writers do not tone-mark their texts because of all the tedious ways of doing it. Apart from that, the UNICODE people you are mentioning have NOT gotten an input from Igbo Linguists. For these reasons, you cannot find tone-marked sub-dotted vowels on the web: for now! However, your not finding such has nothing to do with its existence in the Igbo language.

Like I said, and I repeat, it is your "seeing" that is the problem. When you also "listen", you shall "hear" tone differences, and shall then actually "tone-mark" such diferences wherever they occur: whether on "free" vowels or on sub-dotted ones. You also notice that you were silent on the tones of the words I sent you as a demonstration of the differences in the tones of sub-dotted vowels.
ázụ`= song
ábụ´/ávụ´ = a sore (wound)

Do you "hear" any difference i the tones? If you actually do, you should also mark them, especially when presenting a scientific paper on Igbo.

Daalụkwa
Chinedu

I tried, using Google, to access the keyboard layout as well as the Help File you listed. In each case Google could not find anything. Are these urls for Pcs only? (I have a Mac G4.)
Frances
In a message dated 11/19/02 12:47:16 AM,
qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com writes:

<< --QT------------------------------------------------------------- Reply by email or visit
      http://www.quicktopic.com/17/H/tCcDxVXHgQxN/m45
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ok,

I made a silly mistake in the first Igbo keyboard layout, I've
just corrected it and uploaded the new version to
http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/files/igbo_v2.zip

so those who've laready downloaded it to test will need to
download it again.

Sorry for that.

A brief help file is now available at

http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/files/igbo.html

Andrew

Hi Frances,

The keyboard layout I put online requires a program called tavultesoft keyman ( a Windows porgram).

Currently I don't have a Mac so cann't put together a mac version. I'm hopeing to get a Mac in the future to test on.

Andj.

re. /m56 and /m57

its important to draw a distinction between unicode (which is a character set) and software and operating system issues.

Unicode can encoding Igbo, all the necessary characters are available.

The problem isn't with Unicode, the problem is that operating system vendors and application developers have not implemented all of unicode yet.

1) the font rendering engines need to be updated (Microsoft are working on this)

2) OpenType fonts need to be developed to use these new features. In the case of Macs, we need suitably designed fonts using AAT.

3) We need a way of typing Igbo.

4) Applications need to be able to handle Igbo sorting/collation, etc.

The first step is the font rendering technologies.

Andj.

Edited by author 12-04-2002 10:07 PM
Frances,

if you're looking for a Mac soluation, all I can suggest is trying Erics keyboard layouts designed for the Mac

the url was in a previous post by Don, I think it was http://homepage.mac.com/chinesemac/LatinExtended/index.html

also look at The Jaghbub font package http://www.hf-fak.uib.no/Institutter/smi/ksv/Jaghbub.html. It may be suitable.


Andj

>International Conference on Igbo Studies:
>
>A Tribute to Simon Ottenberg
>
>
>Friday and Saturday 4th and 5th of April, 2003
>Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
>
> The Africana Studies and Research Center at Cornell University is
>hosting an International Conference on Igbo Studies. The conference is
>being organized torecognize Simon Ottenberg's contributions to Igbo
>Studies. Professor Ottenberg is a leading Africanist scholar and a pioneer
>of modern Igbo studies. He has published extensively on the Igbo people,
>and has mentored many specialists in Igbo studies.
>
> Another aim of the conference is to bring together under one roof all
>scholars interested in Igbo studies. It is also an effort to revisit all
>the endeavors made during the twentieth century to
>understand the Igbo society. We hope to use the occasion to recognize the
>efforts being made by scholars to promote Igbo studies, and to examine the
>future direction of the field.
>
> The proceedings of the conference will be held at the Clarion University
>Hotel, North Triphammer Rd.,Ithaca, NY 14850 (Tel. 607-257-2000 or
>1-800Clarion). The conference opens with the arrival of participants on the
>evening of Thursday the 3rd of April, and closes on Sunday morning, April 6,
>2003. Presenters are not required to pay any registration fee, but
>non-presenters are expected to pay a token registration fee of $50.00 to
>cover part of their meals.
>
> The Clarion Hotel and the nearby Ramada Inn charge $99.00 per night plus
>13% NY State tax. This is the negotiated conference rate whose cut-off
>date is March 7. Participants are expected to make their own
>hotel and travel arrangements. When booked well in advance, airfares tend
>to be less expensive. Please note that only one airline (US AIR) flies
>into Ithaca, New York. For other hotels in the Ithaca area
>consult Ithaca Yellow pages or
>
> We invite you to attend this conference, whose scope ranges from
>history, politics and anthropology, to sociology, economics, religion,
>culture, gender, agriculture, urbanization, archaeology, art,
>architecture, language, literature, oral tradition, and so on. Papers on
>the Nigeria-Biafra War and the sate of Igboland since then will be read.
>The proceedings of the conference will be published with
>the title, "Igbo Studies in the Twentieth Century: A Tribute to Simon
>Ottenberg."
>
> All inquires regarding this conference as well as the subsequent
>publication of the proceedings, should be addressed by E-mail to:
>do20@cornell.edu. Do not forget to visit our web site at
>http://www.asrc.cornell.edu
>
>Don Ohadike, Director
>Africana Studies & Research Center
>Cornell University
>Phone: 607-255-0532
>

Thanks for the notice on the upcoming Igbo Studies conference /m62. It will be interesting to learn if the topic of Igbo language on computers & the internet comes up, and if so what is said about it.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Don,
I would have had one or two things to say there, but I cannot make it to the conference. Apart from the fact that I have no invitation (to the US), getting a visa from Germany would also take quite sometime.

Chinedu...




>From: QT - BisharatNet <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 9 Feb 2003 07:45:22 -0000
>


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< replied-to message removed by QT >

if you are observant you will discover that it is very hard for an hausa man with his brother speak any other lang.expect their mother lang.but igbo man and his brother will be discussing or chating in english why? some tribe sees igbo people as those who don't have identity and if you look at it critically is true so my brothers let us go back to our mother lang. last time i read the interview of ajuluchukwu in newswatch magazine where he said that hausa pple where told to step down for buhari everybody aggred yoruba the same but igbo almost 5 or 6 presdential aspirants candidate.my dear respected brothers let us stop disgracing our self or selling ourSELF .
bye
AUGUSTUS AKUDOLU FROM ORAUKWU IDEMILI NORTH ANAMBRA STATE NIGERIA.

Augustus's note brings to mind a couple of things I was wondering about the conference mentioned in /m62. First, what will the language(s) of the conference be (considering that probably all the participants will have both Igbo and English languages)?

Second, noting that Chinedu /m64 and probably others won't be able to attend I wonder if there will be any provision for e-mail/internet links to the conference, especially for people who can't be there in person. (Some conferences do this, sometimes in the form of fora before the gathering, sometimes in the form of something during the proceedings.) My interest in this point is that, if this will be done, it might be an interesting opportunity to test use of Igbo for distance participation in a conference.

Such questions could certainly come back to this "Igbo language & ICT" board as well. Conversation does not have to be in English, but I would ask participants to stay to the topic of aspects of use of Igbo language on computers and the internet.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

PS- I deleted one of two of Augustus's postings, /m65, as they both said the same thing.

Mazi Chinedu,

I would imagine that the organizers of this conference will invite bona fide participants to the USA for the conference if need be. Have you liased with Mz Ohadike et al with regards to this? If you wish to contact them, Ohadike's address and phone number are included in the notification already posted.

Thanks

Mz Ani


Defend Igbo Economic Rights. Do Not Compromise On:
            ENUGU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT


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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Please ignore this message, just testing input of extended latin characters (utf-8).


Ị ị Ṅ ṅ Ọ � Ụ ụ


Andrew

Andrew,
I have started experiencing some good results with the keyman written texts. But, just as in the message you sent below, the characters come out in the web distorted.

Chinedu...




>From: QT - Andrew Cunningham <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 14 Feb 2003 06:44:54 -0000
>


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< replied-to message removed by QT >

A biaruo nzụkọ w¨¡, ụka o bie?

The baseness of linguistic application should be right there in Aladịnma. At least, optimistically. At best, a long term foundation.

Ka ¨¢ ka meeni nke ¨¢ hụrụ.

Ọbụm.

Ọbụm, I am interested to know how you composed your message with the dot under characters: blocking and copying from another text (as I just did with your name), composing on the screen (which I've had no success with on my system), or entering the Unicode decimal values (which also works but is tedious even if you have the numbers). Thanks in advance.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.Net

Chinedu,

the messed up text you see, is simply utf-8 stream of text in an environment that assumes iso-8859-1 or Windows-1252.

If you explicity select utf-8, the characters should be displayed.

if you could send me a url of your html pages or email one to me, I can test to see what the problem is.

Andrew

Hi Don,

re /m72

I had a quick look at the email message from the forum, the email contained NCRs. Had to past the message in to unipad and convert the NCRs to characters before I could read it.

Andrew

Andrew, There is of course a difference in what one sees in the e-mail from this group and what one sees on the board itself. Usually I compose on the QuickTopic screen and not from e-mail - interesting that the dot under characters were converted to NCR (numerical character reference) in the mail.

Re /m73, for those wondering about UTF-8 and all, you can select this by going to "View" and then "Encoding" in Internet Explorer (not sure about other browsers).

Regarding the dot-under characters in /m69 (Andrew's message that Chinedu asked about), /m71 (Obum's message), and /m72 (my message) it is odd that in the latter two the characters are visible in the default (Western European) coding but not what you sent in /m69. Changing to UTF-8 most of the characters you sent are visible.

Part of the reason for our digression into this issue is that we are considering how we can facilitate the use of Igbo special characters in this forum (and likewise for the other fora).

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Hi Don,

re /m76

a couple of points need to be made. The difference between the character encoding a web page uses and the underlying document character set of HTML.

Since HTML 4, the underlying character set is unicode. All numerical character references and named entities should always refer to unicode characters. This is independant of the character encoding a web page is written in.

The Quicktopic web pages have no character encoding specified, so the browser defaults to a character encoding, usually Windows-1252 (but not always). Assuming that the you're inputting windows-1252 (Western European) all characters, the only way to display characters outside that character set is to use numerical character references (NCRs) or html entities.

I suspect that Obum has used NCRs. These will display correctly in your web page, irregardless of the default character encoding you are using. When a email message is sent, these NCRs will be included, but NCRs are from HTML not the email protocols so a text based email will display the NCR code rather than the actual character whichj you would see in the QT forum.

my test in /m69 were actual characters in utf-8, and thus did not automatically display, unless utf-8 was manually selected.

If that makes sense?

Andrew, I guess that if we are to use the dot-under characters in this forum at this point either the posters would have to put in the NCRs or have the ability to put in the characters (system dependent?), and if the latter readers would have to view in UTF-8?

Don

FYI- Another kind of keyboard is one based on a graphics tablet where input is made with a stylus. One intended for African languages that would work for Igbo is the Aim8 Pan African Language Tablet - see http://www.largeformatcomputing.com/LTAB/PanAfricanLTAB.htm

My understanding is that this will be revised in the not distant future.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Edited by author 02-17-2003 04:24 PM
Hi Don,

re /m78

yep either would work.

1) use NCRs in the forum.

ị ị
Ị Ị
ṅ ṅ
Ṅ Ṅ
ọ ọ
Ọ Ọ
ụ ụ
Ụ Ụ

2) direct input using utf-8

This requires a way to type in Igbo and a web browser that will allow you. This depends on the operating system version.

On Win98/ME, a keyman keyboard will work with Opera 6.05

On Win2000/XP, a keyman keyboard will work with Opera 6.05 or IE 5/6

You'd have to manually select UTF-8 from your browsers encoding menu.

Also note, that you need to consider fonts. QuickTopic uses specific fonts to display the text.

In IE5/6 you'd have to set up your deafult western font to be a font that supports Igbo, and then use the accessibility features to override the font styles in the webpage.

Opera 6.05, just make sure you have the a igbo font set up for the extended latin in the international font preferences.

Netscape 6/7 have an igbo font set up in the font preferences for "Unicode".

From memory Netscape and opera will use these settings to select characters when the characters are missing from the fonts specified in the web page being view.

If people on the list want a set of instructions, I'll try to put together some notes when I have the spare time.

Andrew

RE: /m72

Ndeewo:

I did "insert" the "special characters" or "symbols" on the screen.

Cheers,
Ọbụm.

Consultants needed for study of Igbo grammar

Linguists at the University of Pennsylvania are conducting a study of causative verb sequences in Igbo, such as "do-ka" (pull-torn). The grammar of these sequences, we have found, contributes very
importantly to the general theory of verbal structures in the
languages of the world.

The study requires native speakers to give judgments about the
grammaticality and meaning of sentences in Igbo. An ability to think objectively about your language will therefore be helpful. An example of the sort of distinction we will rely on consultants to make is given at the end of this announcement.

We would like to meet with consultants in person, in any convenient setting. This will require that he or she lives between New York City and Washington DC. Meetings may be 60 or 90 minutes long, with a
reimbursement rate of $15 per hour. It would be ideal to have at least three meetings, if feasible. There is also some possibility of
conducting interviews by email.

If you are interested, please contact Alexander Williams at:
alexand3@babel.ling.upenn.edu

******
Sentences (1) through (4) below illustrate one kind of pattern we are investigating. (1) and (2) are acceptable sentences of Igbo. Yet the pair of (3) and (4) is different. While (3) fine, (4) is generally judged ungrammatical. We are interested in collecting such pairs, and in explaining the contrasts.

(1) Adha dokara akwa a
`Adha pulled this cloth apart.'
(2) Akwa a dokara adoka
`This cloth is pulled apart.'
(3) Eze zopiara esu
`Eze stomped the millipede to bits.'
(4) *Esu zopiara azopia
Intended meaning: `The millipede is stomped to bits.'

Principal investigator: Professor D. Embick
Research assistant: A. Williams
University of Pennsylvania Department of Linguistics

Please contact A. Williams at: alexand3@babel.ling.upenn.edu



-----------------------------------------

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Catholic Online by purchasing goods and services from our sponsors at http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent

A draft tablet keyboard layout designed by Lee Pearce and intended specifically for Igbo and other Nigerian languages can be viewed at: http://www.bisharat.net/A12N/Projects/NigeriaTabletKeyboard.htm. This is part of the redesign process mentioned in /m80. As I understand it, the resulting product will eventually be offered at a new site: http://www.language-keyboard.com/.

Other draft layouts for Africa as a whole and some languages and regions are at http://www.bisharat.net/A12N/Projects/ (top of the page for traditional keyboards; bottom for tablet keyboards).

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Where may one learn to speak Igbo, are they any applications or classes in NYC.

kindly let me know at oduobi@hotmail.com

Thank you

Hallo,
Please check out: www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/uwandiigbo

Contact the teacher: ejikee@hotmail.com

jisie ike!

Chinedu...




>From: QT - Akunna <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: neduchi@hotmail.com
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 25 Mar 2003 17:41:02 -0000
>


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< replied-to message removed by QT >

help need help! cant find pictures of igbo jewlery!

Hello everybody,
I am married with a Igbo Men. I am from Germany and I would like to learn to speak Igbo!!

Can u tell me if there is any side in the net where I can read or learn about it????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Thanks, Loloh

Lolo, For German speakers, please go to www.groups.yahoo.com/igbodeutsch I play the role of a teacher. (Ich spiele den Leher!!)
Chinedu...




>From: QT - Loloh Ogbonnaya
>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN
>To: QT topic subscribers
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 11 Jul 2003 07:24:02 -0000
>

MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE*
< replied-to message removed by QT >

I am trying to learn Igbo, because my heart is set on being a missionary, and feel led to learn the Igbo language. Where can I get learning materials for a reasonable price?

Go to the discussion group: www.groups.yahoo.com/uwandiigbo

Chinedu...



>From: QT - Naomi <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: QT topic subscribers <qtopic+subs@quicktopic.com>
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 23 Jul 2003 20:30:48 -0000
>

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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Dear Members:

We have keyboard that has all Nigerian alphabets. If you are interested
please let me know. Once you have this keyboard you don't have to change
your keyboard before you type in English...it is all in all keyboard.
It is called KONYIN keyboard and the driver software is Windows ® OS based,
which allows the driver to be application independent. The keyboard works
like any other standard keyboard driver, with enhanced functionalities for
Nigerian users. In short, it is a standard keyboard driver for everyday use
and it allows users to type Nigeria specific unique alphabets without
changing how you type today. Users do not have to remember any complicated
codes or shortcuts. The software is designed for use both at homes and
offices.
The Keyboard driver software uses proprietary source codes to generate all
the identified unique alphabets. The source codes further create a Nigeria
specific code-page in your computer registry, which means that you will be
able to see the Nigerian currency sign any time you use a spreadsheet
application like Microsoft Excel or Lotus.

System requirements: Windows ® (9x, ME, NT, W2k, XP professional). KONYIN
basic package includes keyboard and wrist pad, keyboard driver software only
$99.98 please add shipping and handling cost. If you are buying from
California please add 8.25% tax. Thank you for your inquiry.

Oládòkun

With the development of the "Keyman Program", this should have been taken care of. For Igbo, at least, the use of the Keyman based keyboard layout (based on the German or the English keyboard) is a wonderful development. I am also aware of such layouts for YOruba and Hausa. The greatest advantage of the Keyman Program is that it is FREE for academic and private purposes. In addition, you either use it with your English Keyboard, or you get a German Keyboard. It works on both perfectly well, and on ANY Windows OS. Maybe one might need to write more layouts for other Nigerian languages. Chinedu...
Chinedu...



>From: QT - Omo Oba
>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN
>To: QT topic subscribers
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 10 Aug 2003 20:05:44 -0000
>

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< replied-to message removed by QT >

I would like to know if your new keyboard can be used on an Apple Macintosh computer?

fwp
In a message dated 8/10/03 3:05:50 PM, qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com writes:
<< --QT-------------------------------------------------------------
      Reply by email or visit

      http://www.quicktopic.com/17/H/tCcDxVXHgQxN/m93

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Members:


We have keyboard that has all Nigerian alphabets. If you are

interested

please let me know. Once you have this keyboard you don't have

to change

your keyboard before you type in English...it is all in all keyboard.
It is called KONYIN keyboard and the driver software is Windows

&#AE; OS based,

which allows the driver to be application independent. The

keyboard works

like any other standard keyboard driver, with enhanced

functionalities for

Nigerian users. In short, it is a standard keyboard driver for

everyday use

and it allows users to type Nigeria specific unique alphabets

without

changing how you type today. Users do not have to remember any

complicated

codes or shortcuts. The software is designed for use both at

homes and offices.

The Keyboard driver software uses proprietary source codes to

generate all

the identified unique alphabets. The source codes further create

a Nigeria

specific code-page in your computer registry, which means that

you will be

able to see the Nigerian currency sign any time you use a

spreadsheet application like Microsoft Excel or Lotus.


System requirements: Windows &#AE; (9x, ME, NT, W2k, XP

professional). KONYIN

basic package includes keyboard and wrist pad, keyboard driver

software only

$99.98 please add shipping and handling cost. If you are buying

from

California please add 8.25% tax. Thank you for your inquiry.


Ol&#E1;d&#F2;kun

Igbo musical Instruments- Some Samples at:
http://www.umunna.org/instruments.htm

Re your question in /m95 - if you are using Mac OS 9.x or 10.2 you may want to try the keyboard at http://homepage.mac.com/chinesemac/LatinExtended/index.html

My impression is that the Konyin keyboard, as well as Tavultesoft's Keyman (see /m94), work only on PCs.

More keyboard info (including Andrew's work) can be accessed via http://www.bisharat.net/A12N/#font , but there's not a lot for Macs, esp. for Unicode.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Re /37

Chinedu,

If Ndi Igbo approach discussions on our language with your level of madness, there would hardly be cohesiveness and collaboration among them. Even to a stranger or a disguised fellow, as you are not always sure about whom you are writing to, you seem not to think before exposing ignorance on the net. You jumped from my sincere suggestion on orthography to attacking Echeruo and his publication. Are all these your attitudes in the form of gossip, retardation due to environment, or just ungentle expressions of yourself that can neither be curtailed nor curbed? Or are you deliberately but unconsciously interacting on the net? Our observations being your routine attitudes, it is a shame.


You have indicated that you are resident in Germany, which is very much far from our beloved Alaigbo, let alone our blessed Africa. You then said that those that often come up with whatever suggestion you have in mind are always outside of Alaigbo, "indicating a lack of touch with the grounds". Then, what common sense have we learnt in the reverse way of understanding that derisive illusion? You are serious communicating and making suggestions through the internet, but you had said that orthography is not an issue to discuss over the net.

I very much know from where I, and possibly you, got this website address on which added your deceived perception against my write-up, and I know very much how you remain untruthful and fastidious on my contributions. And under a critical examination, we find out that you knowingly cover up the truth only to pounce on what sounds trivial to you. An unhurried scrutiny says that you are either ignorant of the concepts you seem not to grasp or you are lying. Covering the truth and being partial are qualities I strongly deter and abhor; not the individual that expresses them, however. I know that sometimes individual philosophies cause these differences in idealistic personalities: My thoughts are always first and foremost from the point of the Igbo nationhood and the things that fundamentally make that exist. I am still watching your level of grip on the beginning point of charity.

I am not saying that I do not concur with your style of cogitation and suggestions; I am saying that your behavioural approach to mere issues can do more harm than good, unless you do not realize the aim of making more than 99% of Ndi Igbo able and willing to express themselves in all areas of writing and speech in Igbo. And the world too. Visions and missions cannot be concretely achieved over the internet. Enforcement is best made right here in Alaigbo. If you as well as others come up with an arranged project on how to implement all these, a step forward has then been taken.

Lastly, it is too easy for everyone to agree or disagree with anyone under any tone - simply by typing and sending. And behaviours destitute of respect mean clashes back and forth, and therefore retrogression. I have privately talked this over and over with you, and deliberately pay deaf ears and dumb to yourself. Igbo ekwuo si, ugwu nkwanye nkwanye ka nwaanyi jiri muta ibe ya. Pinpointing all I am saying would make these literal expressions brief. As I am not hinting on the principles of legality and ethics now, it is obvious that right from day one of my communication with you over the internet, I can demonstrate the sine qua non, implications and the unwarranted level of your insults you hurl on me.

Obum.

Just for the records. THE MESSAGE Obum was replying:


Chinedu Uchechukwu 37

11-15-2002 04:45 AM ET (US)
Don, Changes in orthography should actually not be an issue to be discussed on the net. Igbo linguists at home have done enough to produce a stable orthography that takes care of the writing of Igbo. The problem with some of us native speakers is that we have not adjusted to writing our mother tongue with the orthography that has been developed for it. This is as a result of our too much acquiantance with the scripts of foreign languages like English, German, French etc. Many a time, out of this state of helplessness, we wish to change our tradition of writing to look like the scripts of any of the languages we have been used to. This is a sad state, but it cannot change what has become a tradition of Igbo orthography. To illustrate my point. An Igbo-English dictionary written by Micheal Echeruo (Cambridge University Press, 1998) had the sub-dotted vowels being written as German umlauted vowels. Apart from the fact that this leaves no room for the tone marks (which Igbo as a tone language is known for), it is also a blatant waving aside of the decades of work that has been done on the Igbo orthography. The very sad thing was that this was done without consultations with Igbo linguists at home in Nigeria. Reason: because they would stoutly have opposed such moves. The easiest way out is to publish such a work OUTSIDE Igboland, where there would not be such an opposition. If any thing is achieved by such an attitude, it is the denigration of the tradition of writing Igbo, which does no good to the language. When therefore Obum comes up with a suggestion to bring a further change in the Igbo orthography, we should simply bear the above mentioned situation in mind. Such suggestions have often come from Igbo native speakers with these traits: * They are usually OUTSIDE of Igbo land (indicating a lack of touch with the grounds) * * They are MOST OFTEN none-linguists (as they really do not know the linguistic implications) * * It is often not clear to them that they are doing a disservice to their mother tongue through such changes. * * Andrew, please ignore such suggestions, and thanks for the works you have done so far, and for those you are about to do. Jisie ike! (More grease to your elbows!) Chinedu...






>From: QT - Obum
>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN
>To: QT topic subscribers
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 19 Aug 2003 04:38:22 -0000
>

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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Re /m37 and follow up - I'm a little puzzled why the delay and all, but be that as it may, I'd request all participants to refrain from flaming.

Regarding issues of orthography of any language, I think it may be useful to remember that 1) if there is an official orthography approved by the relevant authority of the country (in this case Nigeria) that would probably be considered by any observer as the standard, and 2) any experimentations with alternative transcriptions may by innovations or problems but are not a crime.

I personally have no issue here, but would be curious to know if there is indeed an "official orthography" in Nigeria for Igbo. In the case of Hausa, I am aware that various dictionaries have used different tone marking systems and I'm not sure why that should be the case if there exists a standard system.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Don, There is an official orthography for Igbo known as the Onwu Orthography of about 1960. All Igbo linguists have been, and are still, using this orthography. Primary and Secondary school Igbo text books have been, and are still being written in that orthography. I am sure Obum himself can confirm this. WHat, however, has been pointed out by some Igbo linguists is the need to ADD a few diacritics to the existing orthography so that the peculiar sounds of some dialects not included in the standard can be taken care of. In the new Igbo-English Dictionary from Egemba Igwe (1999), the author has added the necessary signs for the missing sounds, as his dialect is one of those that cannot be fully written the standard orthography. His dialect has nasalized vowels, and some other dialects have nasalized consonants. But note please that he DOES NOT add any new alphabets. He simply used diacritics. This is also the very form that other Igbo Linguists at home use when writing on any other dialect of the language. No Igbo linguist has argued against Igwe's method, as the man has used some recognized principles in the language. The Keyman Keyboard developed by Andrew can be used to write ALL the features pointed out by Igwe. Echeruo's method was an effort to REPLACE the Igbo sub-dotted vowels with German umlauted vowels [ü ö ä ] and to replace the Igbo digraph "ch" with "c". I pointed out how, with the umlauted vowels, there is no room for tone marks; and Igbo without tone marks, is not quite Igbo. I also poiinted out how all the reasons put forward for such a change have no linguistic basis. .[1] The reasons are purely technological. But with technological improvements, those reasons have also been taken care of. My own point has been to retain what has been built BEFORE me, and improve on it. I recognize such an improvement in Igwe's addition of the tilde for nasalization. Some of the Igbo linguists at home I sent the German keyboard and the Keyman program are happy about it. They can write whatever they want to write [and in whatever dialect] without the stress of multiple key combinations. One asked me how he needed to pay me for it. My answer was: Andrew Cunningham wrote it for Igbo free of charge; that is why I am sending home free of charge. I also want to point out something Don. Igbo also has different tone marking systems. There is the Gree/Igwe Method and the PAN Method. All these have to do with "which tone mark should be indicated and which should not". Green/Igwe (1963) do not mark high tones, as the majority of the words of the language have hight tones. They always mark low tones, and mark the Downstepped tone with a macron. PAN uses a contrastive method. He marks The first tone on a word, if all the following tones within the word are the same as the first, they remain unmarked. COntrastive tones within a word are marked. For any double accent signs, the second is ALWAYS a Downstep, as the downstep always comes after a high tone. As you can see, this is simply a question of tone marking actual texts for syntactic analysis. It does not affect the orthography as such. It is only with Echeruo's use of the German umlauts that you then have the problem of expressing the tones of the language, as you have to ADD the tone sings ON TOP of the umlaut signs. You may now understand why in his dictionary he uses the letters "H" (for HIGH) and "L" (for LOW) in expressing the tones of the words. Try to imagine writing an Igbo text with these letters standing for the tones of the words. It would only lead to confusion. Nothing more. Tone marking is not the same as orthography, but orthography makes it possible to use tone marks. In Echeruo's case it does not. That has been my point. Greetings!
Chinedu...




>From: QT - BisharatNet
>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN
>To: QT topic subscribers
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 19 Aug 2003 23:47:23 -0000
>

Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8.
< replied-to message removed by QT >

International Conference on Igbo Studies

Call for Papers

Proposal Deadline December 2, 2003



You are cordially invited to participate in the second annual
International Conference on Igbo Studies to be held April 2-3, 2004 on the campus of Howard University; Washington, D.C. Jointly sponsored by the Igbo Studies Association and Howard University School of Social Work, E. Franklin Frazier Center for Social Work Research, the theme of the conference is:

 [The Igbo] in the 21st Century: Leadership, Society, and Development


The conference will center on the Igbo—their environment and society, their Diaspora, and Igbo relations with their neighbors. We especially welcome papers that interpret, analyze, and reconstruct the many facets of Igbo language, history, and society such as Igbo leadership, interethnic relations, power structures in Nigeria, and the role of Igbo Diaspora in the development of Igboland. We invite research that cuts across
theoretical and disciplinary boundaries to focus on the Igbo and all that is relevant to them.



CONFERENCE AREAS AND TOPICS
The conference will focus on all aspects of the study and progress of Igbo people including: history, language, people, politics, anthropology, sociology, economy, religion, culture, literature, gender, health, environment, infrastructure, agriculture, organization, architecture, archaeology, art, science, technology, and conflict.



ABSTRACTS AND PAPER SUBMISSION
Proposals should not exceed 500 words, and can be submitted electronically as MS Word or PDF file format to nnadozie@truman.edu. We will also accept completed papers for inclusion at the conference; completed papers can be sent to the above email address and should either be in MS Word or PDF format.



AUDIOVISUAL EQUIPMENT
The only audiovisual equipment provided for most meetings will be an overhead projector and a screen. Video or data projection or any other equipment, if needed, will have to be supplied by the presenter.



REGISTRATION FEES
Conference activities include keynote addresses, special policy and problem solving sessions as well as cultural activities. There will be a $50.00 registration fee to help organizers and participants defray expenses.



ACCOMMODATION AND TRAVEL INFORMATION
The conference venue will alternate between the Holiday Inn Georgetown and Howard University



Accommodation:

The conference Hotel is the Holiday Inn Georgetown



Holiday Inn Georgetown

2101 Wisconsin Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20007



Rate: $149 per night (group rate)

Reservations: (202) 338-3120 Ext. 7253; Fax: (202) 338-4458

Indicate that you are part of the ISA International Conference/Howard University group to get the group rate

Deadline: February 29 [please make your reservations by this date to get the group rate]



If you encounter any difficulty in your hotel reservation contact
Shetal Bhalja

Sales Manager

Tel: (202) 338-3120 Ext. 7253

Fax: (202) 338-4458



Travel:

Individuals should make their own travel arrangements. Making your travel arrangements in time will enable you to take advantage of bargains.


Use any one of the three Airports in the Washington DC area: Washington Dulles, National, and Baltimore/Washington (BWI). National is the most convenient for easy access to Georgetown but Dulles and BWI are better bargains. Staying till Sunday will usually give you a cheaper rate.


IMPORTANT DATES
December 2, 2003 Proposal Deadline.

April 2-3, 2004 International Conference on Igbo Studies.



CONFERENCE CONTACTS
Further details can be found at the Conference web page:
http://www.igbostudies.com ,



All inquiries should be directed to shass@truman.edu or fadzaids@hotmail.com.


 Howard University Contact: Dr. Mike Mbanaso: (202) 806-8101;

E-mail Address: MMBANASO@FAC.HOWARD.EDU



Emmanuel Nnadozie, Ph. D.

Chair, Igbo Studies Association

Truman State University

100 E. Normal

Kirksville, MO 63501

(660) 785-5393

(660) 785-7524 [fax]



QuickTopic daily digest said:


Defend Igbo Economic Rights. Do Not Compromise On:
            ENUGU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT


-----------------------------------------

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http://webmail.catholic.org/
< replied-to message removed by QT >

Test virtual key input to Igbo forum via http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/tools/qt-igbo.html :


Ịị Ṅṅ Ọ� Ụụ

For a reader's information, umlauted vowels also have tone marks in between the two horizontal superdots. Handwriting can do that easily. Technologically and technically speaking, I have been seeing umlauted vowels with tone marks of all positions. Lexical entries in Egemba Igwe's dictionary (1999) are in a 62-alphabetical order. Onwu Orthography is made up of 36 alphabets. Maazi Egemba included aspirated, nasalized, palatalized and labialized consonants in that his dictionary.

While interested in following the established conventions, I wrote regarding the enhancement of the dotted vowels Ii, Oo and Uu so as to end the issue of subdots and umlauts in Igbo. This idea caused all these regurgitations. Those vowels and only them were umlauted in Echeruo's (1998). And Echeruo gave academic reasons for doing so.

"Underlining of Igbo texts has hitherto been plagued by technical problems. In both handwritten and in some type[d] texts, the sub-dots have invariably been over-written or typed over by the underlining character" (Echeruo, Igbo-English Dictionary, x, '98).

Maazi Echeruo knows too well the significance of tone marking in Igbo. Regarding his dictionary and even Egemba's and the absence and presence of tone marks, we know that new editions are often for changes, which are for betterment.

Obum.

HAllow Andrew,
That's great. Ị ị Ọ � Ụ! The keys are working in my university computer. Only these two keys are not effective:
Ṅṅ

This is a wonderful development.
Jisie ike!ụ

Andrew, This input window in /m103 is definitely an interesting add-on. Thanks!

Checking the user interface, it may need
1) a title line offering a bit of explanation, perhaps: QT Igbo text input for "Igbo language & ICT" board - test
2) to have the popup keys displayed automatically (so you don't have to click the keycap symbol to bring them up)
3) a very short clue re usage, perhaps: Type message in window. For Igbo subdot character input, click on the keys at the right.
4) a font input key or better yet put the font command in the window and the cursor at the right place - can this be done? I test here, manually typing in a font face command for Arial Unicode, Lucida Sans Unicode, and Gentium as alternates (though I realize not everyone will have these) Ị ị Ṅ ṅ Ọ � Ụ ụ ... I just noted that the input from the popup keys enters at the bottom of the message and not where the cursor was (if you try like I did to enter the characters in the middle of a text string). So I ended up cutting & pasting the characters in the appropriate spots.

Altogether very interesting. I'd like to add a link to the window at the head of the QT page but that would require paid upgrade to the QT Pro service...

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Re Obum's message in /m104, I hope we don't get into a debate on orthograpies on this board, which is mainly concerned with the technical aspects and content uses of Igbo on computers and the internet.

That said, from a technical point of view as I understand it, the adding of more than one diacritic is called "stacking." Some languages do this a lot, such as Vietnamese, others not at all, such as Bambara that use special characters for sounds not represented in the traditional set of letters. The latter solution permits a tone marking if used to be the only diacritic, but it is not one that all languages have opted for - Yoruba of course uses dots under similar to Igbo (though different letters) and Sango for instance uses marks above.

There are probably are disadvantages to any solution, but as an outsider whose maternal language (English) uses weird and inconsistent letter combinations instead of diacritics or special characters, I recognize the importance of keeping to an accepted standard, whatever that be.

At the same time reasoned debate on the merits of alternatives shouldn't be blocked - after all there are some people who even suggest changes in the way French or English is written. But preferably such debate would not take place on this board.

Thanks...

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Re /m108, suggestion #4 - I see that my little trick with the font command was not so clever after all...

re /m108

it was done as a quick experiment, to see if it would work in practice. I'll update the page based on your comments.

I'll see if I can add a font face, no sure if i can, but will try.

re /m110

the problem is that the text is being transmitted as utf-8 unicode to the QT server. But QT web server is sending out the following header:

Server: Apache/1.3.27
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Connection: close
Set-Cookie: userdata=sort&0; path=/; expires=Sat, 31-Aug-2013 04:12:15 GMT
Date: Wed, 03 Sep 2003 04:12:14 GMT

The QT server automatically identifies the page as iso-8859-1. So, only way to display page is to select utf-8 after page has displayed.

Ndi igbo ndewo nu.
Aham bu Nnamdi Elekwachi.
Oru unu n'aru maka itinye nkpuru akpupko igbo n'ime komputa bu ezigbo oru.
Chukwu g'agozi unu maka oru oma unu n'aru.

Ekenemkwam unu ozo.

Nnamdi Elekwachi

Dear Nnamdi,
The few Igbo speakers connected to this mailing list are really NOT the persons working on the use of Igbo in computer and Internet. We only make available to the owners of the website what is the norm in standard Igbo. TO be more precies: Andrew Cunningham in Australia is the person that has been doing ALL the technical work of writing Igbo keyboards that can be used on (1) the English Keyboard (2) the German Keyboard and (3) the Danish Keyboard.
Andrew has also been doing this for us at no extra cost! That is also why some of us that make available the keyboard programs to those in Igboland and those abroad DO NOT charge any fees for it. It is simply a good work that has been done just for the love of it.
Feel free to make available the programs to other Igbo writers. The language stands to benefit all the more from such efforts.
Jisie ike.
Chinedu...

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This is my rough translation of Nnamdi's letter:


Ndi igbo ndewo nu. = Greetings to you Igbo folks.

Aham bu Nnamdi Elekwachi. = My name is Nnamdi Elekwachi.

Oru unu n'aru maka itinye nkpuru akpupko igbo n'ime komputa bu
ezigbo oru. = You people's effor to make the Igbo scripts available in computer is a good development.

Chukwu g'agozi unu maka oru oma unu n'aru. = The Lord shall bless you (people) for your good work.

Ekenemkwam unu ozo. = Greetings to you once again.

Nnamdi Elekwachi

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MOE wrote: "There are probably are disadvantages to any solution, but as an outsider whose maternal language (English) uses weird and inconsistent letter combinations...."

MOE, I recall when you sent this Bisharat link into Uwandiigbo forum. Are you now calling yourself an outsider, and not an Igbo?

Well, I am still pondering on the specific disadvantages you were trying to communicate.

Jisie ike.
Obum.

TO Obum:
COpied below is the message you are trying to reply. Please have a look at the bottom of the letter. That migh help you SEE who wrote it.
Chinedu......
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Re Obum's message in /m104, I hope we don't get into a debate on orthograpies on this board, which is mainly concerned with the technical aspects and content uses of Igbo on computers and the internet.

That said, from a technical point of view as I understand it, the adding of more than one diacritic is called "stacking." Some languages do this a lot, such as Vietnamese, others not at all, such as Bambara that use special characters for sounds not represented in the traditional set of letters. The latter solution permits a tone marking if used to be the only diacritic, but it is not one that all languages have opted for - Yoruba of course uses dots under similar to Igbo (though different letters) and Sango for instance uses marks above.

There are probably are disadvantages to any solution, but as an outsider whose maternal language (English) uses weird and inconsistent letter combinations instead of diacritics or special characters, I recognize the importance of keeping to an accepted standard, whatever that be.

At the same time reasoned debate on the merits of alternatives shouldn't be blocked - after all there are some people who even suggest changes in the way French or English is written. But preferably such debate would not take place on this board.

Thanks...

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

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When you go to http://www.bisharat.net/, you see that the title or headline is written in four languages including Hausa. But our own language Igbo is not there. Questions of [for] who[m] and why fill everywhere.

In order words, the above observations and questions were being made and asked by Nnamdi Elekwachi, I thought, notwithstanding the dialect seems Nneujesi, not Nneofia in Alaigbo. I need to be truthfully told through ekwe nti.

Remains sincerely,
Obum.

Thanks Obum, for your posting and questions. Let me take a moment to clarify a few things going back a few messages.
 
Regarding Nnamdi's letter /m112, it is expected that people should be able to post on this board in Igbo. Indeed that is why Andrew attempted to set up a way of sending Igbo text with the subdots to the list in /m103. In fact this is part of a larger interest to enable people to post to this and other boards in whatever language. Early this year, for instance, Andrew and I discussed this issue with the owner of QuickTopic, but the technical issues at this time are somewhat limiting.
 
Naturally as Chinedu pointed out in /m113, not everyone using the board speaks Igbo. (Thanks for the translation in /m114.) All I ask is keep in mind who you want to communicate with, and whichever language you use, keep the posting on a high level (mutual respect).
 
Re your comments in /m117 on the Bisharat site, the first two things to say are that 1) it concerns all Africa and 2) the site is always in development (it will continue to change).
 
Re the Hausa translation of the name and introductory pages, note that working out of Niamey with limited resources (no funding, only voluntary time), I was able to arrange with a colleague to do the Hausa translation. Other major languages of the region, or even in Niger, have not been attempted.
 
By the same token, other pages on the site appear in various languages without an effort to do everything in all languages. Thus there is a dictionary for Zarma, but no other language.
 
It would be most interesting to have a good text or feature in Igbo to include also, either translation of the introductory material (as done for Hausa) or anything else that could go in the Demos area: http://www.bisharat.net/Demos
 
As for the question of who, I have coordinated Bisharat since founding it while in Mali in early 2000. It is an informal network though a couple of others are more closely involved and several individuals serve in an advisory role. The objectives and some of the background of the initiative are explaned on the site. Bisharat itself like the site is evolving.
 
Some basic guidelines in this work bear mentioning:

1) There is no interest in "favoring" any particular language, but to try to work with all.
 
2) If things are figured out for one African language on computers and the internet, all African languages "win" (and indeed all maternal languages benefit).
 
3) By working together and sharing information on techniques and projects each and all can advance (in whatever place and with whatever language). There seems to be a need for more communication and collaboration across national and linguistic boundaries (and even within them in some cases).
 
4) "Your language is as beautiful as mine" is a good approach in this work. (See the site http://www.namediffusion.net/talangue/ - I did not notice an Igbo translation in the marquis display, in case anyone wants to translate this phrase for them)

I hope this addresses your questions. If anyone is interested in doing an Igbo translation of any part of the Bisharat site, please contact us about that. More African language content is one of the goals!

Thanks again and all the best...

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Re: /m118

Go ahead and do the Igbo translation of considerable parts of the Bisharat site.

Jisie ike.
Obum.

Thanks, Obum. Is there anyone who would like to help us by doing a translation? If you prefer you may contact bisharat@bisharat.net (NB since Bisharat is not funded, this would be entirely voluntatary but credit would be given for any material that may ultimately be posted). Thanks in advance!

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Don,
Could you please send me "essential documents" of the website that need to be turned into Igbo.
Chinedu...




>From: QT - BisharatNet <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: QT topic subscribers <qtopic+subs@quicktopic.com>
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 20 Sep 2003 19:15:23 -0000
>

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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Thanks, Chinedu. Basically we're talking about what's online at the website, beginning if you want with the title and an Igbo welcome page like there is for English, French, Portuguese and Hausa. More can follow.

I'll be in touch by e-mail.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Click here for an exciting new presentation on the Igbo language:
http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritche...fwp/igbo_index.html
Mz Ani


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Hello everybody,

it has been quite a long time since I posted here -actually quite a long time since anybody at all did so. I wonder if there are any improvements concerning this topic by now.

Does anybody in here have Microsoft Word 2003 that seems to support the Igbo language? How does it help typing Igbo and does it also help when trying to publish any Igbo text online? Does the combination of subdots and tone marks work? http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3ben-us%3b95473

Also, where can I find instructions on how to create dynamic compositions? Reading Don's 2nd message at http://www.quicktopic.com/15/H/KKgbRqJUAR8/p-1.-1 and the faq at http://www.unicode.org/faq/char_combmark.html make me think that this is something that exists by now. But how can one use it?

If Unicode shouldn't work, does anybody know any font that includes the doted n as well as tone-marked nasals und tone-marked subdoted vowels? One that you can download for free? I would like to use it for the following page, which at the moment is using a font with rather bad quality: http://www.uwandiigbo.com

Greetings, Anya

Yes, Word 2003 works well with Igbo, if you have an appropriate opentype font. The version of uniscribe that ships with includes support for combining diacritics and diacritic stacking, so it can easily handle the dots and the tones.

The problem is that there aren't many fonts yet that support combining diacritics. MS Office 2003 doesn't have any. They'll release updated fonts in their next operating system. SIL have produced one font, Doulos SIL [1], which is both an opentype and graphite font, and works well with Igbo. Although i've notice some differences in the OpenType and graphite defaults.

The font Code2000 might work as well.

Office 2003 uses its own version of uniscribe, and doesn't update the system version. So other programs that use uniscribe use the older version that doesn't support combining diacritics.

There are indications that Windows XP service pack 2 will update the WinXp version of uniscribe, so other programs like mozilla and internet explorer will support Igbo appropriately, if you use an opentype font that is suitable.

Alternatively there are experimental builds of mozilla that use the graphite rendering system and should be suitable for Igbo [2].

Andrew, good morning. Doesn't look too promising! I have Code 2000 on my computer but it doesn't look very impressive to me. It looked rather rough unless you ticked a certain box that softened it (Start > Systemsteurung > Anzeige > Effekte > Bildschirmschriften glätten). The look of it got better when you had done this but still was not up to the usual standard. Also, though it has a huge number of non-Latin characters, I don't remember seeing the combination of tone-marks AND subdotes. Now, I will have a look at the other options you mentioned. Thanks, Anya

2ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON IGBO STUDIES

Please click here for details:

http://igbonet.com/pressreleases/Igbo-Stud...-ISA/2004mar15.html

At the Annual Conference of African Linguistics (ACAL35) earlier this month I had the chance to meet Chinedu among a number of other people, including Victor Manfredi to mention only one other. Chinedu mentioned that although he has been very busy (he presented there too), he has helped a number of people to use the Igbo keyboard based on the German model. Jisie ike!

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

If he was talking about Code2000 -what I assume- then I have to say, that we had another dissappointment with that font just a short time ago: Some characters showed up as squares in Uwandiigbo.com's newest lesson, which was posted by the instructor. After I reposted the lesson, the text looked fine to me while another person -I believe she is using a Mac- still is seeing squares. :(

Anya, The fonts and keyboard issues are separate, though clearly linked - the perfect keyboard layout for extended characters / combinations is useless if the fonts don't have those characters / combinations.

What other fonts have you tried? Some fonts may not have Mac version.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Hi Don,

I know: input and output and solving one of them does not necessarily do the same for the other.

We have also tried a self-created Igbo font (a slightly altered Arial Standard), which you can find at: http://www.uwandiigbo.com/website/igbo.ttf. I don't know yet if it works on a Mac. Also, the images are not clear in all possible sizes. Sometimes the tone mark on a capital letter almost disappears or a low tone n looks like a dotted n. It's nothing close to acceptable yet, I fear.

Greetings, Anya

With fonts, there are two separate issues.

One, is locating a font that has the required characters. For some languages I work with, this means i have a very limited choice of fonts.

Additionally some languages require "smart fonts", either Microsoft and Adobe's OpenType, Apple's AAT or SIL's Graphite. Code2000 has OpenType tables. Doulos SIL has Both OpenType and Graphite tables, neither are AAT fonts.

There may be something suitable on the MAc, not sure, but if you're using unicode, then wou;d probablu need MAC OS 10.2 or 10.3.

The second issue, is the quality of the fonts, esp. font hinting and how good, or easy to read a font is on a computer screen. Font hinting is an esoteric and time consuming art, and requires the skills and knowledge of professional type designers. If I had the money to spend, I'd commission a type foundary to produce a font to my specifications, unfortunately, its a project idea I don't have the funds for.

Microsoft has indicated that new updated fonts will come with longhorn, in 2006. Although I suspect they will not make the fonts available to older operating systems.

Until then the only real option for quality screen fonts is to look at the option of commisisoning a font. If you want properly hinted fonts that display well on the screen at smaller point sizes.

Andrew

Andrew, thanks. If I had lots of money, I too would commission an Igbo font. Since I don't have it, I will continue trying to learn as much about fonts, iso code, etc. as possible. Greetings, Anya

Just received an invitation to join Linux2Igbo, a group for localization of Linux into Igbo. Text of most of the letter follows (the URL for the Yahoogroup is towards the end).

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Linux (as you may know) is a computer operating system providing pretty similar functionality to Microsoft Windows with the exception that it is free and its development process is open (see attached images of the desktop).

Because it is free and is developed by the community, Linux has spread fast all over the world. It has been officially adopted by the governments of Germany, Brazil, India, South Africa and France and is being translated by volunteers into many languages from Zulu to Sanskrit for common use (see:
http://www.citi.org.za/Article/1000/1003/1219.html and
http://www.economist.com/science/tq/displa...fm?story_id=2246308).
There is even one project that aims to translate a part of Linux into Yoruba (see:
http://www.wazobiasoft.org/gnome/yoruba.htm).

In this vein, translating Linux also into Igbo would be a tremendous boost to the millions of native Igbo speakers in Nigeria. The zero cost of Linux combined with seeing an operating system in Igbo would facilitate computer learning and use for many people back home.

I would appreciate if you would join us to get this thing going. Your expertise in language structure, characters, encodings, phrases, meanings, and all things linguistics would be tremendously invaluable for the task at hand.

I have just created a group that will serve as a focal point for discussions on how to go about this and I would be very happy to see you there:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Linux2Igbo/

Please send this message on to others who you may think would be valuable in creating the world's first computer operating system translated into Igbo!

Best wishes.

Nwabu.

Please Visit UWA NDIIGBO WEBSITE

http://uwandiigbo.com/website/website.html

This item re Microsoft's localization plans in Nigeria may be of interest. There is also, as mentioned in /m135, an open source software initiative for Igbo - see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Linux2Igbo/.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

"Microsoft Endorses Due Process in IT" This Day (Lagos)
December 15, 2004, Posted to the web December 16, 2004
http://allafrica.com/stories/200412160060.html

" ... Microsoft Nigeria has also begun a process of software localisation in the three major Nigerian languages as part of its commitment towards reinvesting into the Nigerian society. By this, Microsoft intends to come up with a software programme that would enable functions to be performed in the three local languages of Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa. Ilukwe disclosed this in Lagos last week, saying that such a programme has already been produced in South African for Swahili language."

Greetings and Happy New Year.

Kindly see our modest contributions towards the promotion of Nigerian languages since 2001. Our award winning word processor and translator - Paradigm Lingua® makes it easy to produce documents in several African languages on the PC.
http://www.paradigmint.net/lingua.htm
For details, please see our News Page.

Edited by author 07-02-2005 10:16 AM
Please have a look at the following wiki page on the Igbo language:
http://www.bisharat.net/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/PanAfrLoc/Igbo

... it is part of a survey of localization in Africa for the PanAfrican Localisation project, and as such is intended to provide a minimum of linguistic background plus useful information on use of the language on computers and the internet. Comments, corrections, and new information is welcome.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

"3 Number of Speakers / Nombre de locuteurs

18,000,000 (1999 WA) (Ethnologue)"
------------------------------------------------

I have a problem here. I don't know where they get these figures. The question of number of speakers of Igbo and other nigerian languages is highly politicised. There is at present, no accurate census on nigeria let alone the number of speakers of a particular language.

Igbo is believed to be the largest ethnic group in nigeria, numbering over 40 million. This figure is based on census figures collected by the colonial authorities prior to nigerian independence. Since then, no accurate census has been conducted and none had included a breake down into ethnic groups. So what is the source of this estimate?

Right now, nigeria is planning to conduct a census. Igbo leaders have demanded the inclusion of ethnicity in the census data in order to determine once and for all, the relative sizes of Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. On the other hand, the nigerian state fearing that the myth of Hausa numerical superiority would be shattered are insisting on the exclusion of the ethnicity data. The Igbo have therefore decided to boycott the forth- coming census unless ethnicity is included in the data set.

Conclusion?
The Igbo constitute the largest ethnic group in nigeria making up 25% of the population. Igbo language is spoken in the following states: Imo, Anambra, Ebonyi, Benue, Delta, Cross River, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Enugu and Abia states as well as the neighbouring Equatorial Guinea.

The arbitrary and politically allocated estimate of 18 million Igbo speakers bandied about since the early 1980s is grossly off the mark. Until the operators of the nigerian state allow the empirical verification of the number of speakers of each language, any figures which purport to depict the number of Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba speakers in nigeria must be treated with utmost scorn.

Ndeewo!

Mazi Kevin Ani



QuickTopic daily digest said:
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< replied-to message removed by QT >

Celebrating Nigeria's Independence, Sept. 30th - Oct. 2nd in Atlanta, GA
------------------------------------------------------------

UIU's mission is to encourage young Igbo Professionals and college students in all corners of the US to network professionally, culturally and socially.

EVERYONE'S WELCOME To Atlanta, GA!

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Registration will increase after September 7th, 2005.

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Check out our new and updated website at: http://www.UmuIgboUnite.com

Thank you, Mazi Kevin Ani, for your information (/m142) and update on the wiki (/m141). Unfortunately censusing can get politically charged - hopefully it will be worked out.

Another issue is mention of Igbo language (and others too) in the constitution. There was an article in the Lagos Vanguard on this last April, but perhaps it's been resolved by now; see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/message/344

In any event it is clear that Igbo is a "decamillionaire" language, definitely important to arrange for use of on computers and in software. See for instance the list for those working on localizing Linux in Igbo: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Linux2Igbo/

Also, what do you say regarding the claim that use of Igbo language is dramatically decreasing? There was an editorial in the Daily Champion (Lagos) last December entitled "Igbo: Endangered Language"; see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/message/280 . Use of the language on the internet and in computer software are important parts of language development.

Thanks again.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Thank you, Ijeoma, for the notice on your upcoming meeting (/m143).

I hope it's okay to ask what languages are generally spoken (officially and in the corridors, as it were) in such meetings outside Nigeria. Mainly curious to know the extent to which Igbo language is used.

I had a chance to take a quick look at your website (before my browser crashed for some reason - probably a setting on my Firefox), but did not notice any Igbo content in addition to the English. This is not a criticism, but I am interested to know if the idea of some Igbo content was considered, and if so whether it was a technical issue(s) that contributed to a decision not to have Igbo content.

Thanks in advance.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Edited by author 08-29-2005 02:43 AM
A quick follow-up to the previous message re /m143. I realize that Igbo has some significant dialect variations so that may be a hurdle in using it in large meetings. An interesting comparison is a recent meeting of Inuktitut from across Canada's northern regions where they too had to rely largely on English due to dialect variation. See http://www.nunatsiaq.com/news/nunavut/50826_08.html
 - though I think their dialects are much more divergent than Igbo ones.

(In the realm of software localization for Inuktitut, however, there is apparently an effort for Microsoft that is trying to use terms from all dialects in a single version.)

Another question that comes to mind re Igbo is what the status is of the Onwu standard. Is this used? Is it widely understood? Is it only on paper?

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Just saw that Chinedu has a presentation scheduled at the Lesser Used Languages & Computer Linguistics (LULCL) conference in Bolzano, Italy, 27-28 Oct. 2005:

The Igbo Language and Computer Linguistics: Problems and Prospects
Chinedu Uchechukwu (Otto-Friedrich-University, Bramberg, Germany)

See http://linguistlist.org/issues/16/16-2494.html for the whole conference program.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Don,
Just few comments on the two points you raised.

DIALECT: It is indeed the truth that Igbo has many dialects. However, a recent study has shown that what we have is "dialect groups/zones". There is an effort to demarcate them along the lines of the different Igbo speaking states. However, some who have travelled and experienced some of the different dialects (or those who are able to move out of their dialect zone) can confirm the following:
If we take the typical/core individaul dialects as numbers 1 to 10, it is normal that the person from dialect 1 understands dialect 2, dialect 2 understands dialect 3... and so on. But dialect 1 has serious problem understanding dialect 10. Meanwhile BOTH do understand the spoken form that was once called GENERAL IGBO, and is now emerging as STANDARD IGBO. The emergence of this form is connect with mass mobility and intermarriage between different dialects. Some Igbo linguists now call this process DIALECT LEVELING. It is also this form that is being promoted/encouraged by the Society for the Promotion of Igbo Language and Culture. It cuts acrsoss the different dialects and can be understood by all. You can find it in written works.
Generally, two tendencies can be ascertained for the written and the spoken standards. The written standard tends more towards Central Igbo, while the spoken standard tends more towards Northern (Onicha) Igbo. In any case these are TWO tendencies that can easily be found in written texts and conversations, but they remain subject to the effect of the process of dialect leveling.

ONWU ORTHOGRAPHY: WIth regard to Onwu Committee, the committee did not produce a Standard Igbo. They simply produced a standard ORTHOGRAPHY for writing Igbo. It was AFTER the acceptance of the Onwu Orthography that there was some improvement in written Igbo. Up to today the Onwu Orthography still remains the OFFICIAL ORTHOGRAPHY of the Igbo language. Note however, that there are some dialect specific sounds that were not included in the orthography. Some still want to have those sounds included. The problem that rares its head for such an adventure is that ALL dialects would also want their dialect specific sounds to be included, thus leadidng to another round of "Orthography War". The difference between such a war and the ealier one of 1929-1960 would be that while the first one was caused by the church politics of the Roman Catholic and CMS churches, this one would be caused by the native speakers themselves. To avoid such a draw back, the Onwu Orthography has been accepted as a temparate measure that should satisfy every person. It has also done this indeed since its establishment.
Best regards!
Chinedu...

style='FONT-SIZE:11px;FONT-FAMILY:tahoma,sans-serif'>

---

From: QT - BisharatNet
<qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com><br>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com><br>To: QT topic subscribers <qtopic+subs@quicktopic.com><br>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards &
applications)<br>Date: 28 Aug 2005 23:42:48
-0700<br>>--QT-------------------------------------------------------------<br>> Reply by email or visit<br>>
http://www.quicktopic.com/17/H/tCcDxVXHgQx...t;br>>A quick follow-up to the previous message re /m143. I realize<br>>that Igbo has some significant dialect variations so that may be<br>>a hurdle in using it in large meetings. An interesting<br>>comparison is a recent meeting of Inuktitut from across Canada's<br>>northern regions where they too had to rely largely on English<br>>due to dialect variation. See<br>>http://www.nunatsiaq.com/news/nunavut/5082...tml<br>&___GT___; - though I think their dialects are much more divergent than<br>>Igbo ones.<br>><br>>(In the realm of software localization, however, there is<br>>apparently an effort for Microsoft that is trying to use terms<br>>from all dialects in a single version.)<br>><br>>Another question that comes to mind re Igbo is what the status<br>>is of the Onwu standard. Is this used? Is it widely understood?<br>>Is it only on paper?<br>><br>>Don
Osborn<br>>Bisharat.net<br>>_________________________________________________________________<br>>To unsubscribe: http://www.quicktopic.com/17/X/tCcDxVXHgQx...>>Start your own topic in 20 seconds: http://www.quicktopic.com
|QT<br>

Thanks, Chinedu, for these helpful explanations. Re the dialects, if I'm not mistaken, the term "dialect continuum" has also been used to describe varieties of Igbo. Interesting to know about dialect leveling - I think this is going on in some other languages in the region too (for instance the Manding languages).

Under separate cover you asked about the planned Microsoft localization into Igbo (my message on the announcement was /m139). To my knowledge this has not been released and may actually be only in the planning phase. Does anyone know differently?

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Edited by author 09-20-2005 08:58 PM
If your kids speak only english and you want to teach them Ìgbo using your PC, there is only one keyboard in the world that gives you all Ìgbo alphabets and all English alphabets on a single layout for easy direct access typing.

The keyboard is KỌNYIN Nigeria Multilingual Physical Keyboard made by LANCOR Technologies of Boston, MA (http://www.konyin.com)

KỌNYIN Multilingual Keyboard

You can download a FREE Igbo keyboard from the following link:
http://tavultesoft.com/keyman/downloads/keyboards/index.php
Just chose the following options:
Language: "Igbo"
License: "Freeware"
Character set: "Unicode"
Thereafter click "Search for Keyboard", and you shall get the download links for the keyboard maps and their explanatory notes. These are for the "English" and the "German" keyboards: You can use either the German or the English keyboards to write Igbo. Chinedu...

Dear Chinedu, /m151

Of cause, there are many, many virtual keyboard layouts for Ìgbo out in the market, some using Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator, (MSKLC) that anybody with a little knowledge of computing can use to create their own keyboard layout. But, there is only one physical multilingual keyboard, the one you can buy to replace your existing keyboard with more functions for multilingual capabilities, that physical keyboard is KỌNYIN Nigeria Multilingual Keyboard. All alphabets, tonal marks and currency symbols are clearly labeled on the keys. You simply have to experience it to understand the world of difference.

Most multilingual input devises in the market today use the virtual multi-layout keyboard approach which allows users to switch from one language layout to another in other to access character-sets for various languages. These virtual keyboard layouts cannot be considered as true multilingual input devices, because users can only input one or two language character-sets at a time; and users have to understand and remember multiple combination keystrokes and shortcuts during typing. These problems have been eliminated with the introduction of the first multi-function enabled single-layout multilingual physical keyboard from LANCOR Technologies. Simply put, KỌNYIN multilingual keyboard users do not have to switch keyboard layout to type in any language. The keyboard truly does not change how users type today, and does not use the "dead key" typing process.

KỌNYIN Multilingual Keyboard
http://www.konyin.com

I wonder how far ALT-I has gone with their physical Igbo Keyboard. Are there any more recent news then the following? Anya

"We recently developed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), in Aba, Nigeria to collaborate on the design of Hausa and Igbo keyboards and to develop computer readable lexicons for the two languages. This project is projected to commence early in 2005."

http://www.alt-i.org/projects.htm

Dear Mailer (name?),
My focus is on contributing to solving the problem that I have identified; and I shall continue to make available the identified solution to people that need it.

I know of the competition to get the Nigerian market. But that is not my area of interest.You can have a look at this link below. I think it would show you whom to compete with:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
http://www.alt-i.org/2003Report.doc
Visit to Lancor in Cambridge Massachusetts
After WOCAL4, the ED took advantage of his presence in the USA to pay a two-day visit to Lancor in Cambridge Massachusetts. Lancor is a US-based IT company that has also developed a computer keyboard for Nigerian languages. The visit to Lancor turned out to be a good networking opportunity. It facilitated comparison of notes on the needs and desired functionality of keyboards for various African languages. Mutual understanding for possible future collaboration between Alt-I and Lancor was established during the visit. From the point of view of Alt-I, Lancor may be an ideal company to market the Alt-I Yoruba Keyboard while Alt-I concentrates on research and development. During the meetings, Lancor demonstrated strength in marketing and great advantage of their strong links within the international IT industry. However, it was clear that the Alt-I keyboard is superior to the Lancor product on the grounds that Alt-I considered a lot of human factor engineering and other social issues, which Lancor seems to have overlooked in their keyboard design. Alt-I was able to take advantage of its modest corpus of computer readable Yoruba text and its strong links with the individuals who were involved in the most recent revisions of Yoruba orthography to develop an information theoretically motivated keyboard that offers a high level of efficiency with due consideration of ergonomics. These elements were larking in the Lancor keyboard.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

All the best,

Chinedu

style='FONT-SIZE:11px;FONT-FAMILY:tahoma,sans-serif'>

---

From: QT - KONYIN
<qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com><br>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com><br>To: QT topic subscribers <qtopic+subs@quicktopic.com><br>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards &
applications)<br>Date: 21 Sep 2005 06:59:38
-0700<br>>--QT-------------------------------------------------------------<br>> Reply by email or visit<br>>
http://www.quicktopic.com/17/H/tCcDxVXHgQx...r>>Dear Chinedu, /m151<br>><br>>Of cause, there are many, many virtual keyboard layouts for ÃŒgbo<br>>out in the market, some using Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator,<br>>(MSKLC) that anybody with a little knowledge of computing can<br>>use to create their own keyboard layout. But, there is only one<br>>physical multilingual keyboard, the one you can buy to replace<br>>your existing keyboard with more functions for
multilingual<br>>capabilities, that physical keyboard is KỌNYIN Nigeria<br>>Multilingual Keyboard. All alphabets, tonal marks and currency<br>>symbols are clearly labeled on the keys. You simply have to<br>>experience it to understand the world of
difference.<br>><br>>Most multilingual input devises in the market today use the<br>>virtual multi-layout keyboard approach which allows users to<br>>switch from one language layout to another in other to access<br>>character-sets for various languages. These virtual keyboard<br>>layouts cannot be considered as true multilingual input devices,<br>>because users can only input one or two language character-sets<br>>at a time; and users have to understand and remember multiple<br>>combination keystrokes and shortcuts during typing. These<br>>problems have been eliminated with the introduction of the first<br>>multi-function enabled single-layout multilingual
physical<br>>keyboard from LANCOR Technologies. Simply put,
KỌNYIN<br>>multilingual keyboard users do not have to switch keyboard<br>>layout to type in any language. The keyboard truly does not<br>>change how users type today, and does not use the "dead key"<br>>typing process.<br>><br>>KỌNYIN Multilingual Keyboard<br>>http://www.konyin.com<br>>_...;br>>To unsubscribe: http://www.quicktopic.com/17/X/tCcDxVXHgQx...>>Start your own topic in 20 seconds: http://www.quicktopic.com
|QT<br>

Dear Chinedu,

I most understand that your primary focus is getting information to Ìgbo people and anybody interested in advancing Ìgbo language in computing environment. We at LANCOR Technologies share your goal and even one better, to advance the use of all Nigerian languages in computing environment. (I will address Mr. Adegbọla's completely misleading report last. I was part of the people that met with him when he visited LANCOR)

As you will clearly agree with me, for any multilingual keyboard solution to be viable for Educational and Commercial purposes in Nigeria, it must start with English as the primary language and incorporate, in the least, all the three major languages. That is what LANCOR Technologies has achieved.

The NITDA MSKLC’s created virtual keyboard layout though incorporated Hausa, Ìgbo and Yorùbá, did so at the expense of English. (There is no letter Q in their layout) And to attempt a comparison of Alt-I's MSKLC re-arrangement of alphabet key positions, after removing letters Q, Z, X, V, and C from the standard layout with a completely new technology based 106 keys driver is a disservice to the genuity of the good people of LANCOR. By the way, the KỌNYIN keyboard driver technology is patented.

NOW, to Tunde Adegbọla's misleading statements. I'm really sorry to say that this guy must have been on something when he wrote whatever report.
First, even though he was welcomed by LANCOR at the request of Prof Victor Manfredi our linguistics adviser, he did not see it fit to send us a copy of the report before publication. Whatever that tells you.
Second, how in the world a person in his right mind can compare a re-arrangement of standard keyboard layout using MSKLC to achieve a mono-lingual virtual keyboard layout, with a patented driver technology for physical multilingual keyboard is beyond my imagination.
Third, Alt-I's approach of re-arranging the keyboard fails to take into account that the primary language in Nigeria is English, and any literate person with a little computer know-how is familar with the QWERTY layout.

In short, Alt-I is a virtual mono-lingual keyboard layout for Yorùbá, while, KỌNYIN is a patented physical multilingual keyboard for all Nigerian languages combined. You make the call.

Thanks
KỌNYIN Multilingual Keyboard

Dear Mailer, I shall not be a party to your disagreements.
All the best. Chinedu...





From: QT - KONYIN <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com> To: QT topic subscribers <qtopic+subs@quicktopic.com>
Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
Date: 21 Sep 2005 11:00:32 -0700
>--QT------------------------------------------------------------- > Reply by email or visit > http://www.quicktopic.com/17/H/tCcDxVXHgQxN/m155 >----------------------------------------------------------------- > >Dear Chinedu, > >I most understand that your primary focus is getting information >to ÃŒgbo people and anybody interested in advancing ÃŒgbo language >in computing environment. We at LANCOR Technologies share your >goal and even one better, to advance the use of all Nigerian >languages in computing environment. (I will address Mr. >Adegbọla's completely misleading report last. I was part >of the people that met with him when he visited LANCOR) > >As you will clearly agree with me, for any multilingual keyboard >solution to be viable for Educational and Commercial purposes in >Nigeria, it must start with English as the primary language and >incorporate, in the least, all the three major languages. That >is what LANCOR Technologies has achieved. > >The NITDA MSKLCÂ’s created virtual keyboard layout though >incorporated Hausa, ÃŒgbo and Yorùbá, did so at the expense of >English. (There is no letter Q in their layout) And to attempt a >comparison of Alt-I's MSKLC re-arrangement of alphabet key >positions, after removing letters Q, Z, X, V, and C from the >standard layout with a completely new technology based 106 keys >driver is a disservice to the genuity of the good people of >LANCOR. By the way, the KỌNYIN keyboard driver technology >is patented. > >NOW, to Tunde Adegbọla's misleading statements. I'm really >sorry to say that this guy must have been on something when he >wrote whatever report. >First, even though he was welcomed by LANCOR at the request of >Prof Victor Manfredi our linguistics adviser, he did not see it >fit to send us a copy of the report before publication. Whatever >that tells you. >Second, how in the world a person in his right mind can compare >a re-arrangement of standard keyboard layout using MSKLC to >achieve a mono-lingual virtual keyboard layout, with a patented >driver technology for physical multilingual keyboard is beyond >my imagination. >Third, Alt-I's approach of re-arranging the keyboard fails to >take into account that the primary language in Nigeria is >English, and any literate person with a little computer know-how >is familar with the QWERTY layout. > >In short, Alt-I is a virtual mono-lingual keyboard layout for >Yorùbá, while, KỌNYIN is a patented physical multilingual >keyboard for all Nigerian languages combined. You make the call. > >Thanks >KỌNYIN Multilingual Keyboard >_________________________________________________________________ >To unsubscribe: http://www.quicktopic.com/17/X/tCcDxVXHgQxN >Start your own topic in 20 seconds: http://www.quicktopic.com |QT

Edited by author 09-22-2005 09:06 AM
Dear Chinedu, /m156

We have no disagreements with Alt-I, I had to address it because you referenced their report. KỌNYIN was introduced to Nigeria in April, 2005 and Alt-I was invited to showcase their product, but declined. So much for that.

And by the way, who says there has to be only one local language keyboard. The market can accommodate as many innovations as possible to give Ìgbo people and fellow Nigerians the much needed entry point to incorporate local languages in day-to-day computing.

Let's just all support these local and other foreign companies. But remember, KỌNYIN Nigeria Multilingual Keyboard is the only physical keyboard in the world that offers all alphabets, tonal marks and currency symbols needed for all Nigerian Languages combined.

Thanks
KỌNYIN Multilingual Keyboard
http://www.konyin.com

Keyboard driver, physical keyboards and virtual keyboards are only one component to the equation. As has been mentioned there are already a range of solutions for typing Igbo already out there. There are more important issues than keyboards that need to be addressed.

its one thing to be able to type in Igbo, but if Igbo can not be correctly displayed, then the ability to type in Igbo is merely of academic rather than practical interest.

If the keyboards are using Unicode, and support the input of tones in Igbo, it is necessary to have appropraite smart fonts and appropraite font rendering systems to display Igbo with tones.

Currently Office 2003 can correvctly display Igbo with tones (but it doesn't have the necessary fonts). Windows XP Service Pack 2 can also do this when using Uniscribe aware programs (likewise it doesn't ship with appropriate fonts).

In both cases there are a limited number of OpenType fonts with the necesary GPOS or GSUB tables to correctly render Igbo with tones. I'm currently aware of four fonts that are suitable (Code2000, Doulos SIL, AFRomanSerif and AfSans).

Windows Vista will ship with a updated set of core fonts, some of which will be suitable for Igbo with tones.

There are alternatives to Microsoft. SIL International produces a rendeing system called Graphite, and beta versions of Firefox, Thunderbird and OpenOffice that use Graphite are available for Windows and Linux. Currently there is only one Graphite enabled font available that is suitable for Igbo (Doulos SIL).

I haven't had a chance to evaluate MacOS 10.x yet and invesitigate AAT support for Igbo with tones.

Long term issues for Igbo keyboards will be interoperability with MS Office and Windows language serrvices, proofing tools, etc.

Andrew

Edited by author 09-26-2005 12:32 PM
Reply to /m158

Andrew, you have to update your information, currently Office 2003 ships with many TrueType/OpenType Fonts with all required Unicode ranges for correctly displaying Ìgbo alphabets and tonal marks.

Ìgbo alphabets and tonal marks are completely accommodated by any TrueType/OpenType font with the following CharSet/Unicode Ranges:
1. Basic Latin
2. Latin 1
3. Latin Extended A
4. Latin Extended B
5. Latin Extended Additional
6. Combining Diacritical Marks
7. IPA Extensions
8. Currency Symbols

To find out the properties of any font, download the program at: http://www.microsoft.com/typography/TrueTypeProperty21.mspx

Fonts like: Microsoft Sans Serif, Arial Unicode MS and Tahoma to name a few works perfectly with any Unicode compliant input devices.

The First step in the process to getting Microsoft products to completely accommodate Ìgbo words in command programming is getting Microsoft to create a National Language Support (NLS) for Ìgbo.

The Microsoft Language Enabling Pack has the template and forms required to submit a request for Ìgbo NLS. To get more information about this subject go to http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev

KỌNYIN Multilingual Keyboard

re /m158

I know that there are fonts on Winodws XP and Office 2003 that support those unicopde ranges. What they are lacking is Latin script Open Type features for mark to mark and mark to base positioning. Microsoft did not ship any. They will ship them for the firsdt time in Windows Vista.

You may be satisfied with approximately display of Igbo tones, but most of the projects I work with prefer the combining diactritics esp. on uppercase and on larger type sizes to be optimally positioned, and off-centre dot below or an off-centre acute, grave or macron, of a diacritic that overstrikes a capital letter isn't acceptable for us.

The only combining diacritics that are supported by the fonts in Office 2003 are those used for Vietnamese. Only some of the Igbo characters that use combining diacritics are represented in teh Vietnamese repetoire.

I have the Font properties extension. You are looking at the wrong tab. Its not the CharSet/Unicode Ranges tab you should be looking at, instead you need to look at the Features tab, which lists the opentype features supported by the font by writing script.

Microsoft Sans Serif, Arial Unicode MS and Tahoma do work with any Unicode compliant application, BUT they DO NOT possess the necessary OpenType features for correct display of Igbo text that uses combining diacritics.

And that goes for a lot of African langauges that use combining diacritics.

You may settle for non-ideal, approximate display of combining diacritics, but you should know the difference between an appropriate Igbo Unicode font, and a Unicode font you have to make do with.

Thats the crux of the issue.

yes NLS support would be good, although if Microsft goes the way that they're suggesting they'll go with Vista, it will be posisble for developers to enhance the langauge support for languages Microsoft themselves do not impliment. Although I'm still waiting to see what happens.

Andrew

Edited by author 09-27-2005 12:36 PM
Question for Andrew Re /m160

Thanks for taking the time to elaborate on your position about the need for specific properly developed Fonts for Ìgbo.

However, if the orthography of Ìgbo characters are purely Latin based and Latin scripts do support combining diacritics, why do we still need an Ìgbo script?

I do not think your analysis of the Fonts and scriptings are correct. I have tried to duplicate your concerns and attached is the result. The Latin scripting is perfectly suited for Ìgbo Language. The rendering and display whether as single character or combining diacritics looks the same to me. Check for yourself. I used Microsoft Sans Serif Fonts in MS Office Word 2003.
http://www.konyin.com/files/Igbo_Alphabets.doc and http://www.konyin.com/files/Igbo_Alphabets.pdf

Am I missing something on Font technology and character representations?

KỌNYIN Multilingual Keyboard

re /m161

I had a look at your PDF. I'd suggest that your PDF is incomplete. For instane under the vowels with tones (grave. acute and macron) you do not include examples of the sub-dotted vowels with tones.

For example, if we take the letter "sub-dotted i" and add a grave accent to this, then its possible to represent this character in four different codepoint sequences. If we normalize the text then there are only two forms.

I've added a screen capture taken in MS Word 2003 using Windows XP SP2. In other words a rencent and optimal OS/Word combination for igbo.

I've types the character first as "i + combining dot below + combining grave" (NFD), then as "i-dot-below + combining grave" (NFC) and then as the non-normalized hybrid "I-grave + combining dot-below".

The characer sequences are represented in both upper and lowercase, and I have included representations in three fonts: Microsoft Sans Serif and Verdana (which lack OpenType tables for mark to base and mark to mark positioning for the Latin script). The third version is suing the font Doulos SIL which has OpenType tables for combining daicritics.

The difference between Doulos SIL and the other fonts should be obvious. This is what most users would see on thier computers.

have a look at http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/afric...bo/isubdotacute.gif

I'm not saying that you need a separate Igbo script. What I am saying is that you need Open Type fonts designed to support combining diacritics.

I've had to work with combining diacritics with Indigenous Australian languages, Minority languages in Vietnam, and a number of African languages. Some of the languages in Togo and Benin use stacking diacritics above the character, which would be even more problematic that the Igbo case.

If you add tones to Igbo text, then some letter-tone combinations do not exist as precomposed characters in Unicode. These require the use of combining diacritics. Display of combining diacritics requires:

1) an OpenType font with either GPOS or GSUB tables and features that support the display of combining diacritics, and

2) font rendering technology to use these fonts and correctly rneder the text. For Winodws users, this means having the right version of Uniscribe (usp10.dll) - the Unicode Script Processor.

3) use applications that are uniscribe aware.

John Hudson (from Tiro) wrote a good intro for Microosft, which is available on Microsoft Typography's web pages. http://www.microsoft.com/typography/Glyph%20Processing/intro.mspx

Make of this what you will ...

Andrew

Edited by author 09-27-2005 11:08 PM
Re /m161 and /m160

Now I get it. You want to be able to add tonal signs to any alphabet, especially sub-dotted vowels regardless of linguistics limitations. Well, I share your goal and completely agree with it.

The only problem is that linguists in Nigeria will disagree with you on that issue. The once we work with have insisted on persevering linguistics integrity, by not allowing uncontrolled use of tonal marks. This was one of the reasons why we stopped further development of KỌNYIN line of fonts with Agfa Monotype.

After visiting your website at http://openroad.net.au/languages/african/igbo/ and see how the tonal marks are used for Ìgbo (Ìgbò), I think the lingusits may be right.

(By-the-way, can you give me an Ìgbo word where the sub-dotted i is used with tonal mark on top?)

Thanks

KỌNYIN Multilingual Keyboard

Good morning,
 
yes, tonemarks for all eight vowels (a, e, i, i*, o, o*, u and u*) as well as sillabic nasals (m and n) would be great. One word, in which a subdoted i (i*) bears a tone mark is ì*gbà (drum). Have a look at http://uwandiigbo.com/website/lessons/lesson01.pdf. There you see how the word should look like. For more words, have a look at the Igwe dictionary.
"The only problem is that linguists in Nigeria will disagree with you on that issue. The once we work with have insisted on persevering linguistics integrity, by not allowing uncontrolled use of tonal marks."
Which linguists do you mean by that? There are words that would remain ambiguous if left unmarked, some even when put into context. "Akwa" for example can mean cloth, egg, bed, bridge or tear. I can imagine a situation where somebody is selling "akwa" and the reader wouldn't know which of the first three it is. Hence, at least thus words should always be marked. Then for second language learners, it would be a help to tonemark everything because otherwise they won't know how to pronounce the words. Have you had a look at Standard Igbo Spelling: Nsùpe Igbo Ìzùgbe by E. Nolue Emenajo? He seems to disagree with the linguists you have consulted. Have a special look at the chapter "The importance of tones and tone marks in written Igbo" (pp. 17-19).
Greetings, Anya



--

http://uwandiigbo.com: Ụwandịigbo, a group dedicated to the study of Igbo language and literature.
http://igbodeutsch.de: IgboDeutsch, eine Diskussionsgruppe zum Thema Igbo.
http://tubosun.de: Website of Kọla Tubọsun, poet, journalist and linguist from Ibadan, Nigeria.



  
---------------------------------
Was denken Sie über E-Mail? Wir hören auf Ihre Meinung.

Dear Anja /m164

Thanks for the very educational piece, and like I said in /m163 I do agree that users should be free to use any tonal marks on any alphabet. That is exactly how our product KỌNYIN Nigeria Multilingual Keyboard is designed. (With 13 combining diacritical marks clearly labeled on specific keys for direct access typing)

The issue then becomes rendering and display of the combining diacritics, which has been brilliantly detailed by Andrew.

In creating our product back in 2000, we thought it will make sense to ship some fonts with the keyboard, but we had a lot of push back from linguists in Nigeria about making available too many tonal marks, in the first place, and allowing these tonal marks to be available for combining with any alphabet. So much for that, after beta testing with 12 fonts created by Agfa Monotype, under license to us, we decided not to enter into the font creating business.

In any case, I agree that use of tonal marks should be left to the user's discretion.

Thanks
KỌNYIN Multilingual Keyboard

Re /m164 & /m165, one of the advantages of the technology with Unicode is the ability to have a number of options. At some point, however, it will be necessary to define how alternatives are handled (via locale definitions, I believe) so that the different ways of composing, say, a subdot vowel with tone mark would be read the same way.

Re some disagreements in earlier postings, it is inevitable that different points of view arise and not everyone agree, but if it is possible to avoid that getting personal, that is more ideal. I don't want to start a discussion on this topic, nor to question anyone's postings or point of view, just to express a hope. Thanks.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

FYI, from http://www.conferencealerts.com/seeconf.mv?q=ca1h8600 . I have not been able to access the site so don't have any details on topics to be covered. DZO

LANGUAGE,CULTURE AND GLOBALIZATION
21 to 24 November 2005
Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

Website: http://www.apnilac.4t.com
Contact name: ANOPUE CALISTUS CUSSONS
E-mail: callycussons_AT_yahoo.com (to e-mail the conference organizers, please
replace _AT_ with @)

Organized by: ASSOCIATION FOR PROMOTING NIGERIAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURE.
Deadline for abstracts/proposals: 20 October 2005 (Check the event website for latest details.)

Microsoft to Present Windows Essentials in Nigerian Languages

http://allafrica.com/stories/200510060019.html

KOYIN,
Someone drew my attention to your statement that "there are many, many virtual keyboard layouts for Ìgbo out in the market". Check: /m152
But you did not provide ANY link to even one of such keyboards.

You provided links for the Yoruba keyboard [message no.216 on the Yoruba keyboard discussion group: http://www.quicktopic.com/15/H/KKgbRqJUAR8]

Could you provide any such links for the Igbo virtual keyboard that does not include my collaboration with Andrew Cunningham?


Chinedu

Edited by author 10-31-2005 03:46 PM
Hi Chinedu, /m170

here are a few sites you can go to:

http://www.worldlanguage.com/Products/Igbo/System/Page1.htm

http://www.linguistsoftware.com/afrou.htm

http://www.language-keyboard.com/world-cla...guage-keyboards.htm

Bye the way, I think you know how to do the research on the internet, if you need more virtual keyboard links. In any case I can create one using MSKLC and the default "AltGr" key in less than 10 mins. I'm sure you know what I mean.

Oh, I forgot that the Nigerian NITDA, also claim to have the keyboard layout and driver for Ìgbo http://www.nitda.gov.ng/projects/kbd/index.php

KỌNYIN

re /m170 and /m171

I'd make a distinction of

1) a virtual keyboard (and too me this is an on-screen keyboard), software that will display a keyboard layout on the screen and allow you to either type on the keyboard or on the screen, either using a mouse or a touch-screen

2) a keyboard driver and associated keyboard layouts.

3) a physical keyboard (usually bundled with an appropriate keyboard driver).

4) other input mechnisma like IMEs, graphic tablet based input systems, or hand writing recognition systems.

With the example list KONYIN provided:

* http://www.worldlanguage.com/Products/Igbo/System/Page1.htm
This is an add for "AfroRoman for Windows" which is made by Linguist's Software (see http://www.linguistsoftware.com/afro.htm). Linguist's Software manufacture fonts and bundle keyboard drivers to work with their custom fonts. The AfroRoman font is not Unicode based, and would not be conpatible with any other fonts. They keyboard layout is a multilingual layout designed to work with many different African languages, which some people may find awkward.

* http://www.linguistsoftware.com/afrou.htm
This is the Unicode version of AfroRoman. Similar issues with keyboard driver.

* http://www.language-keyboard.com/
This company provide physical keyboards and graphic tablets. Alternatively, they also amnufacture keyboard skins and keycap stickers as a cheaper alternative to full keyboards. They bundle an appropriate driver with products.
They are also willing to develop custom solutions. Their existing Igbo layout doesn't include tones.

Andj.

Andrew /m172

You left out one, what is your thought on the Nigerian NITDA's so called keyboard layout and driver?

KỌNYIN

Re /m173 and /m171,

ahh .. the NITDA keyboard layout, what can I say about that mess:

* attempted to create a layout that generates data that complies with Unicode Normalization Form C. Due to the severe limitations in the driver they used this results in a very awkward keyboard arrangement if you need to type subdotted vowels with tone marks.
* isn't compatible with soem unicode compliant software like sc unipad
* doesn't provide a macron diacritic
* If you need to use tones with Igbo or some other Nigerian languages, NEVER use this keyboard. With the subdotted vowels, they have used depreciated Vietnamese tone markers rather than using the combining acute and grave which they should have used. Very messy.

Thier recommendations on which fonts to use and which operating systems it should be used with is questionable.

It would be easy to fix the broken characters, but would still be a very awkward keyboard to use. Excessive use of deadkeys and AltGr keys can be awkward to type.

Andj.

Hi again,

one other thought. If Microsoft do get around to creating a keyboard layout in Windows, there is probably two approaches they would take:

1) sub-doted vowels as single unicode characters AND use combining diacritics for tones. This is probably the most likely approach for them.

Or

2) Only use combining diacritics, ie no precomposed characters with diacritics.

Andrew,
Thanks for the clarification on KOYIN'S submission.

If you do a google of "Igbo Keyboard", the 6 of the 8 hits you would get refer to my collaboration with you. The remaining hits have nothing to do with any actually existing Igbo keyboard. That explains why KOYIN could not find ANY, and then came up with the following statement: /m171 "In any case I can create one using MSKLC and the default 'AltGr' key in less than 10 mins."

This is just to say that we are not doing any thing special. As you can see, his focus is just to diminish our effort, and nothing more. You get such responses when "money/profit" becomes involved.

There is no harm in making money, but do not diminish other people's works because it might affect your profit. It might boomerang with a much greater loss.

Chinedu...

Edited by author 11-02-2005 09:31 AM
Hi Chinedu, /m176

The product links I gave were for commercially available products that are sold in the market today, with the exception of the so called NITDA. Maybe you should try and type “Igbo keyboard layouts” without quotation marks and see what you get. Oh, by-the-way, you do not have "Igbo Keyboard" what you have with Andrew should be properly described as "Igbo keyboard layout and driver."

Anyway, I thank Andrew for his analysis.(/m172, /m174, /m175) It really helps any interested party to understand the differences between these products.

I think you completely miss my point. If you check other postings from my colleagues at work, you will see that we have always giving credit to all efforts at making Nigerian languages and the extended Latin characters needed to type them available in multilingual computing. I can still recall chats between Andrew and Adé on other forums.

I have nothing but praises for academia efforts at giving free software based solutions for those that simply needs to type in multiple languages once in a while.

The product that we sell for all Nigerian languages combined, KỌNYIN Nigeria Multilingual Keyboard, is in a different class, but I will not go any further into it, so that Chinedu will not accuse me again.

I think a country of over 130 million people with almost 400 mostly tonal languages using extensive combining diacritical marks can definitely accommodate more than one product as the solution. I can assure you that whenever I am asked about software solutions for Nigeria languages, I always include the work of OpenRoad as part of the solution.

KỌNYIN

Hi Chinedu and KONYIN,

re /m177 and /m176

I'm not concerned about what physical keyboards or drivers or keyboard layouts people use. They can use whichever solution they feel appropriate. But they do need to be aware of the issues involved.

In the case of KONYIN, KONYIN's approach is interesting, but like most Igbo/Nigerian input projects, KONYIN doesn't give any idea of what output their keyboard layout generates.

Will the KONYIN keyboard work with other drivers or only with KONYIN's? How flexible is it as just a physical keyboard if decoupled form the keyboard driver. Partly this would depend on what scan codes their unique keys are using and if those scan codes are published allowing someone to create an alternative driver for it.

Just some proactical issues relating to keyboards and why I think that the characters generated by a keyboard layout is important when using applications and using the Internet.

I'll use Vietnamese as an example, since there is a lot of Vietnamese content on the internet and keyboard layout wise it suffers form similar problems to Igbo and other Nigerian languages when tones are used.

Unlike Nigerian languages (using tones), each character and tone combination used by Vietnamese exists as single characters in Unicode. Most keyboards would generate these precomp[osed characters. I've actually used one Vietnamese IME (WinVnKey) to type in Igbo.

Microsoft introduced Vietnamese support in the English version of Windows 2000. Due to the way Microsoft creates keyboard drivers, their driver could not generate Vietnamese in fully precomposed characters. So instead they use precomposed characters for distinct vowels (this includes the diacritics breve, circu,flex and side-hook) and use combining diacritics for tone markers (acute, grave, tilde, hook above, and dot below).

So a third-party (non microsoft) IME would type "o-circuflex-acute" (U+1ed1). Microsoft's keyboard layout will type "o-circumflex and combining acute" (U+00f4 U+0301).

Microsoft also added proofing tools like a Vietnamese spell checker in MS Office. If you type in vietnamese using Microsoft's keyboard layout, then the spell checker will work. If you use one of the third-party IMEs in precomposed mode, you will not be able to spell check, since the character sequences in the spell checker would not match the character sequences you were typing.

If an Igbo spell checker was developed for MS Word (and supported Igbo with tones) then which keyboard you could use or could not use would be a big issue. If you used the wrong igbo keyboard layout you would not be able to use the spell checker.

Searching for Vietnamese Unicode websites using Google is problematic. Google doesn't normalize their data. If you search google using a Vietnamese third party IME (using precomposed characters) then you will find websites that were written using precomposed characters. If you search using Microsoft's keyboard layout, you will only find websites written with that keyboard layout. The two sets of search results will be different. To tey to find a unicode website, in Google you'd need to do the search twice.

Similar issue with BBC website. If you search using precomposed characters, you'll find old Vietnamese articles only. If you search using Microsoft's keyboard layout you will only find the newer articles.

If you develop a Igbo language web servie it will be necessary to compensate for all the varied keyboar layouts since they will produce a range of outputs, precomposed, decomposed or some hybrid, and in the case of NITDA invalid character sequences.

The other issues that are linked to keyboards but aren't directly related to keyboards: fonts and minimum operating systems.

If you are typing in Igbo (without tones) there are a range of fonts you can use. For operating systems, Windows 2000 onwards is bets, although its possible to get Unicode input working to various degrees with a limited number of applications on older versions of Windows.

If you need to type Igbo with tones, then you need to use MS Office 2003, or any unscribe aware program on Windows XP (Service Pack 2). Fonts are very limited. There are only a couple of fonts currently available, and none available from Micrsoft.

The next version of Windows (Windows Vista) should ship with fonts suitable for Igbo with tones.

As i said earlier, doesn't matter what keyboard layout you use for Igbo. Just be aware of the issues relating to the relative strengths and weaknesses of your choice. There are benefits to using a physical keyboard or keyboard skins developed for Igbo. Makes typing easier initially. But irregardless of what layyout or driver oyu use, awareness of what character sequences are generated will be increasingly important when using Igbo based web services as they develop in the future.

Just my two cents worth.

Andrew

Edited by author 11-02-2005 09:35 PM
Response to Andrew /m178

I will call your attention to Adé’s posting at http://www.quicktopic.com/15/H/KKgbRqJUAR8 posting /m213 in that posting Adé asks “Why don't you get a copy of the keyboard to find out, test it and report your experience to all.”

1. Do you have a copy of any version of KỌNYIN Multilingual keyboard?
2. Have you used the keyboard under any of the conditions you described?

If your answer is no to these 2 questions, and I think it will be, cause I cannot find any record of a sale or complimentary copy sent to you. Then I think, for lack of a better word, you are full…

I really respect your knowledge of the issues relating to characters for native languages and suggested solutions to website development issues. But when it comes to the technology developments of input devices and outputs in the Unicode environment, I think you need to brush up. I will not engage in discussing the technology behind KỌNYIN with you based on your ignorant questions. Like Adé said, get one and find out.

If you want to know, KỌNYIN keyboard driver has even been tested on the Microsoft Vista beta and found to be fully compatible.

At this point I think I will bid this forum goodbye, it does not seem to be serving the interest of people looking for information on current development on Ìgbo language computing anymore.

Ndeewo nụ

KỌNYIN

Andrew,

I just had a chat with Adé now and he indicated to me that you were included in a private email to submit your mailing address to receive a complimetary copy of KỌNYIN Nigeria Multilingual Keyboard. But that you did not responde to the email.

So I wonder, what is your point?

KỌNYIN

Dear KONYIN,

re /m179

I'm not attacking your product. All I'm doing is expressing curisoity about how it functions.

It is true I have not purchased a copy. Generally, before I buy a product I like to know how it will behave and interact with the other applications that I use. Some Unicode porgrams will take input from Microsoft keyboard layouts put not work correctly with third party products. Some keyboard drivers i've tried in the past conflict with IMEs or input softwrae that I need to work with regualarly, In our projects we deal with over a hundred languages from all parts of the world.

if your keyboard layouts are generated by MSKLC then there wouldn't be a problem. If they're custom .. then ..

I acknowledge that my knowledge of keyboard drivers and their technologies ahve gaps, but the issue of what character sequences are generated by the keyboard in an application, whether those character sequences are normailized (i.e. NFC or NFD or something else), how the character sequences impact on developing web services, building in normalization routines, collation, searching, indexing, etc, how i impacts on the use of editing and proofing tools are all important issues.

For European and East Asian languages which dominate the IT and web development industries, these are not important issues, because keyboard layouts or IMEs will generate fully precomposed character sequences, rather than combining character sequences.

Languages that have a strong web presence and have competing character sequence models are indicative of the problems that will face languages like Igbo as they become more prevalent on the web.

Personally, I feel people should use any keyboard that they want. A physical keyboard solution is better for most people than just a software solution. US style keyboards can be very limiting.

What I am interested in is how the shift to unicode input systems will impact on software and web development.

re /m180

I had a look through my email archive for the past couple of years and saw a number of emails that I had recieved from Adé, but was unable to locate one regarding a complimentary copy of KỌNYIN. I assume that either the message got caught in my isp;s spam filters. A problem I have with some emails, most notably if they do not have 7-bit clean headers.

Andrew

Edited by author 11-03-2005 06:25 AM
Andrew, /m181

We at KỌNYIN do not mind the constructive criticism of our product, in fact we welcome it, that is why we seek out knowledgeable people from linguists to software developers to website developers and media publication houses and offer complimentary copies of the product for their review and critic.

We are currently on the 4th version of the keyboard (7 years in the making) and most improvements were achieved because of the input we received from people. Don't get me wrong we have a load of experienced software engineers in-house, not to sell them short. LANCOR Technologies is a Boston, USA based company with extensive R&D portfolio. KỌNYIN Multilingual keyboard is only one of our products. (http://www.lancorltd.com/Konyin.html)

KỌNYIN Multilingual keyboard is fully compatible with Microsoft Windows 2000 or above, we just received the compatibility test result for Vista (Longhorn).

The physical keyboard is a perfect standard QWERTY keyboard without installing the driver. So that should answer your question about functionality. It is a complete plug and play standard keyboard.

When you install the driver, the "Ng" keys on the keyboard is activated and they function as perfect "make/brake" shift keys.

The keyboard uses Unicode standards for handling fonts and allows both precomposed and combining glyphs. The keyboard driver is completely font independent. The keyboard layouts are generated by proprietary DDK that mirrors MSKLC but incorporates 4 shift key functions.

If you have Adé’s email, you can send him a message about getting a complimentary copy, I am sure he will authorize one out to you.

KỌNYIN

Edited by author 11-03-2005 10:01 AM
The question I am asked to answer is: Is there a direct relationship between the text input using a specific input device and the text displayed in an application?

(E.g. if you use one keyboard to type “Ẹ” it may look different using another keyboard)

My answer is: NO!

This is like asking a person, how do you cook Ọgbọnọ with goat meat? Of course, you cannot, but you can use goat meat as part of the ingredients in Ọgbọnọ, if you want.

Please follow the roadmap to my answer.

1. Input Device, most common input device is the keyboard and mouse and I will reference keyboard in the physical and virtual sense. The keyboard is an input device and nothing more. When a user presses a key on the keyboard, the keyboard sends a scan code digit to the attached computer’s operating system (“OS”) (e.g. user presses key with letter U on the keyboard and let say the scan code for the key is 0xx44)

2. Operating System, when the OS receives the scan code from the keyboard, it will use the corresponding keyboard driver, which usually includes a keyboard layout mapping, to translate the scan code. The translated value can either be Hex or Unicode. (E.g. the Unicode value for Latin small letter “u” is U+075 and the Hex value is 0x75)

So, if the keyboard layout mapping was done in Unicode, the OS will translate the scan code 0xx44 to mean U+075 (I assume here that we are only dealing with Unicode compliant OS and I will not delve into codepages) The OS, now sends the new code to the opened software application. (E.g. MS Word, WordPerfect, FrontPage, PageMaker, Dreamweaver, etc)

3. Applications, all applications use fonts to render and display text values received from the OS. When an application receives a text value from the OS (in this case U+075) it will use the active font available to render and display the glyph representing the text value received, if an application does not recognize the text value, it will return a “?” mark value to the font for display. In this case the glyph for U+075 is “u” and if the font does not recognize the text value it will display a box.

That in short version is the roadmap from text input by a keyboard to text display by an application.

I answer the question to address Andrew’s frequent reference to “what an output a keyboard layout generates…” The answer is it depends on the OS, the application and font in use.

The main issue of character normalization and NFC or NFD is purely application to internet browser relations and has no direct relevance to the type of input device used.

Example: Dreamweaver web development application is fully Unicode compatible and it will properly display both precomposed and combining characters, but developers have to know to set the preferences specifically for internet browsers. Also, web developers have to do additional scripting to account for disparate treatment of text values by all the internet browsers. (My text example “u” is U+075 in Unicode, 0x75 in HEX and u in HTML(hex)) Most browsers use language codepages to support text translation, but most extended Latin characters are not contained in any codepage. This will be also be true for combining diacritics, so while browsers like Explorer can handle combining glyphs, Firefox cannot. A smart web developer has to write scripts to account for Firefox web browser shortcomings (normalization of text display across internet browsers). The answer to this problem is standardization under Unicode, if all the browsers a fully Unicode compliant, I think the problem will go away. (Not an expert in this area)

In conclusion, I say the action between an input text and what is displayed in the application or internet browser is not directly related to the keyboard used. Users will always get what the keyboard layout is mapped to give the application, what a user sees in the application is a different matter. (See NITDA)

Adé G. Oyegbọla
Co-President/CEO
Lagos Analysis Corporation
http://www.lancorltd.com

Hi Adé,

Good to hear from you. Thankyou for your response.

1) I'd be interested in the possibility of getting KỌNYIN to work with SCIM or even KMFL on the Linux platform,esp teh African keyboard underdevelopment.

2) re /m183

I wasn't asking a question. Just raising the issue that people may need to be aware of further down the track:

1) currently different input solutions for Igbo do produce different output. One input solution (NITDA) does produce invalid sequences.

2) most applications DO NOT normalize text. Irregardless of whether they should. You mention Dreamweaver (one of the few tools that does have an option to normalize text). Unfortunately Dreamweaver is an exception rather than the norm.

3) major web services like Google and others do not normalize data. Despite Unicode and W3C recommendations that NFC data should be used on the web.

Web authors are the ones who should be responsible for normalizing their web pages, and currently most web tools don't allow normalization. But then a lot of commonly used HTML and XML editors can't handle Unicode or have broken Unicode implementations.

4) rendering of text is OS specific and also specific OpenType, AAT or Graphite fonts (depending on what OS and what font rendering etchnology is being used).

You say
(E.g. if you use one keyboard to type "Ẹ" it may look different using another keyboard)

I'm not discussing whether the output appears the same, thats a font and font rendering issue. I'm discussing which unicode characters are in the data.

As I said before I don't care what input solution people use to type. They can use any keyboard driver or keyboard they like.

As you indicate. It is an issue for content developers and authors. Therefore content developers and authors need to know what their tools do or do not do. They need to be aware that different keyboard drivers will produce different character sequences. They need to know that their web pages may be searchable through Google with certain drivers and not with others. Mainly a problem for people who use tones. They need to be aware that they should normalize their pages or their data. They can do this with Dreamweaver or they can do it with other tools. Generally most websites are scripting langauge and databse driven, so it usually should be done in the scripts before data is saved and before a search is conducted.

people creating word documents converting them to correctly generated unicode PDF files and uploading them to the web need to know that there are discoverability issues.

It will impact on spell-checking in word processors. The issue has already been seen in some Microsoft Office proofing tools for languages Microsoft uses combining diacritics for.

Passing of the issue as a purely application or developer issue ignores the fact that most applications and web services do not normalize data. It ignores the fact that the content developers and authors need to be aware of the issue. It ignores the fact that end users will have resource discoverability issues.

NITDA is a bad example here since their keyboard actually uses depreciated characters, ie some of the characters it uses are the wrong characters (characters that Unicode standard says should NOT be used).

Yes, in theory, I'add agree with your statement that "the action between an input text and what is displayed in the application or internet browser is not directly related to the keyboard used".

This assumes that application developers have done the right thing. But since most Latin script languages only use precomposed characters, and the need for normalization is only critical for some African , Central Asian, and a handful of South east Asian languages, which most developers are in ignorance of ....

You end up with a situation where very few software developers are aware of the need for normalization in their tools.

The whole point of my replies, isn't really about the relative merits of different keyboards or keyboard drivers (except for NITDA who really DO need to fix those flaws in their keyboard layout).

The issue I have is that end users esp. people who will be developing content for the web, whether its X/HTML, XML, RTF, DOC, PDF, text or some other format need to know that

1) differnet character sequences may be produced by different input solutions (most notably with tones). I believe it is useful for a developer or author to know which format their favourite input solution uses. Since this will inform their need to normalize data (if they are producing content only). If their site also collects data or allows searching normalization should alwyas occur.

More importantly, they need to be aware of the issue. They need to be aware that they need to take normalization issues into acocunt, because other services or applications including web browsers do not.

2) a small number of tools can normalize data. You've mentioned Dreamweaver already. SC Unipad can convert data. SIL produce an encoding converter called TECKit which can be used to normalize a Microsoft Word document. If you use Perl, ASP, ASP.Net. VB.Net, Python there are ways of doing it as well.

Ultimately, there needs to be a guide containing information on web development issues when the content is in African languages.

Most tutorials and books on web development are from a anglocentric or eurocentric perspective, and rarely touch web internationalization issues.

Its rare to find a book or tutorial on creating web sites that mentions the word normalization, or why its important or critical for some languages.

Andrew

Edited by author 11-04-2005 12:09 PM
Hello Andrew, /m184

Another good description and recap of issues relating to multilingual computing outside the “AmeriEuro” languages circle, I totally agree with all your observations, however, it is important to always distinguish between the input device itself, the translation functionality of the OS and font text rendering that is application dependent.

The question I answered arose because of the way you framed the issue in /m178
“In the case of KONYIN, KONYIN's approach is interesting, but like most Igbo/Nigerian input projects, KONYIN doesn't give any idea of what output their keyboard layout generates.”

I think you differentiated it better in your reply /m184 item4 “rendering of text is OS specific and also specific OpenType, AAT or Graphite fonts (depending on what OS and what font rendering etchnology is being used).”

Other than this observation I really don’t have much to add to your recap of the issues relating to rendering and display of extended characters both precomposed and combining ones.

In the case of keyboard layout mapping, the correct use of Hex or Unicode code point is paramount. (Like the famous saying: garbage in, garbage out) KỌNYIN uses Unicode code points for its character mapping. KỌNYIN uses both precomposed and combining diacritical marks’ Unicode code points. All the characters labeled on keycaps uses precomposed Unicode code points in the mapping. You can only achieve characters with tonal marks by combining a based character with a tonal mark. All the tonal marks labeled on keycaps uses combining diacritical Unicode code points. The approach we believe gives consistent and uniform result for text handling and rendering regardless of the application. The technology is fully Unicode standard reliant, which is why the keyboard driver is only designed for Windows 2000 or above. (We are presently in the final development of the Mac OS X and Linux versions)

For our own in-house uses, we do have a script that maps any combining character to a corresponding precomposed glyph for internet communication purposes, like typing into this quicktopic portal. As you know, this portal does not translate combining characters properly and the default font does not include all extended Latin characters, so when you see “Adé” in my typing it is actually in Unicode code point lingo as U+0041, U+0064 & U+00E9; even though what I typed using the keyboard originally is U+0041, U+0064, U+0065 & U+0301.

Like you said, the answer is proper knowledge of scripting by web developers and better application development techniques by application programmers.

For Ìgbo and other tonal languages, the ability to freely use tonal marks is mandatory; and an input device without these capabilities will not be universally accepted. Trust me, we know, we spent over 7 years to arrive at that conclusion.

On the issue of getting KỌNYIN Africa Multilingual keyboard, we are presently waiting for final agreement of the characters to be included from our team of linguists. This is due before the end of this month. Currently the driver is for Windows 2000 or above, but we expect the beta for Mac OS X and Linux to be ready before the end of this year. So if you like to wait for the Linux version, we should begin shipping in February.

Que sera sera

Adé

Thanks Adé.

I believe that your reply has answered my initial query, thankyou. I now have a much better sense of how your product compares with others wrt to character sequences generated. Considering the limitations Microsft related technologies place on keyboard layouts, the output scenario you describe for KỌNYIN is a practical approach that has avoided some of the problems other Nigerian keyboard layout projects sometimes have.

As you noted this forum, much like a lot of other projects including web based email, discussion boards, blogs and wikis do hold traps for Nigerian languages. The in-house script you describe for converting to precomposed characets is useful. Within our projects we have similar scrips allowing us to convert to NFC or NFD and also NCRs for HTML. Sometimes they prove to be useful.

WRT QuickTopic ... the server is identifying the character encoding as ISO-8859-1, so the only effective way of adding text in African languages is to add the text (with a codepoint above U+0255) as NCRs. Mozilla, Firefox and Opera handle fonts somwwhat differently than IE. If a character is missing in IE, it will show the "missing glyph" glyph from the font being used. Current typographic convention is to display a square box or rectangle. Mozilla, Firefox and Opera on the other hand will instead change the font for that one characer.

Either approach results in problems with combining daicritics.

And if the website is using a font that has copepoints for the diacritics, but isn't an appropriate OpenType font, then the display will be sub-optimal.

The only successful way to render such text is with an appropraite OpenType font and an appropriate version of usp10.dll (ie use winXPSP2) or alternatively use a graphite font and a graphite enabled version of Firefox (on any Windows or Linux), or appropariate solutions on the MacOS.

With Firefox and the URIid extension (https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=563) its possible to write website specific CSS rules in the userContent.css file to override QuickTopics default fonts.

In my userContent.css file I have the following rule:

body#www-quicktopic-com div.messagecell {font-size: 1.1em !important; font-family: Doulos SIL !important;}

This is a quick hack. The ideal situation would be to use web services that are well internationalized and meet the needs of African languages. Instead we have to work around implemetations.

The chromEdit extension (http://cdn.mozdev.org/chromedit/) is a useful tool for editing the userContent.css file.

Likewise in Firefox and Mozilla it is possible to add a CSS language psuedo selectors to match a language and override the font of the website. This approach is useful, BUT only when web developers markup the primary language of a website or markup any change of language. Some do, some don't.

For example, you could add the rules:

*[lang|="ig"] {font-family: "Charis SIL",serif !important;}
:lang(ig) {font-family: "Charis SIL",serif !important;}

These CSS rules would kick in if the web developer had language tags in the web page that identified the page or part of the page as Igbo.

I started working with the issues arising from multilingual web development, multilingual public access services, electronic multicultural library services and resource discoverability of multilingual government documents since late 1994. Things have got a lot easier over time. Unfortunately there are still issues that need resolving as African langauge web content increases.

Re the issue of getting KỌNYIN Africa Multilingual
keyboard. I tend to use multiple operating systems. Win98SE, Win2000, WinXPSP2 and we're also using Ubuntu Linux. When working with languages that use combining diacritics I predominately use WinXPSP2. I've had minxed results on Ubuntu. I need to test on other Linux distros, but to date I've found that I get the best results in Linux if I use graphite enabled software (I haven't had a chance to apply Graphite patches to Pango/Gnome yet). Ubuntu doesn't seem to handle OpenType support for combining diacritics.

Andrew

Edited by author 11-06-2005 01:22 PM
Hi Andrew,

Your passion about correct internationalization practices for website and web-content developers show through in your latest write-up and like I said before I or my company are no experts in these arena. Your scripting suggestions are very informative and I hope that web developers reading your posting will use it effectively.

Our single focus is that if the input device hardware (keyboard) allows you to easily type the character, then the character can be used anywhere in general programming.

My question is will most of these scripting issues go away if we have websites and contents developed using default fonts, especially OpenType fonts, with complete features for GSUB and/or GPOS layout tables?

Some house cleaning issues I will like to address: KỌNYIN Multilingual keyboard is not a Nigerian keyboard layout project. The technology behind the 63 alphanumeric keycaps with 4 shift keys was created by LANCOR Technologies of Boston, MA United States. (http://www.lancorltd.com/Konyin.html) The hardware created by the company can be used for any combination of character-sets regardless of the scripting, from Cyrillic, to Syllabic, to Latin alphabets. Like I said in explaining the input/output as using Unicode standard for handling fonts, if the character has a code point in the Unicode charset we can create a layout mapping in our driver for it. The keyboard driver compilation is language neutral.

We have used the LANCOR Multilingual Keyboard Technology (LMKT) to create a multilingual keyboard for United States, which included all Latin characters and tonal marks for English, Español, Deutsch, Français, Gaelic, Italino, 'Ōlelo Hawai'i, Polski, Português, etc... The keyboard is currently on sale and is expected to be available in some major retail stores in the US in January. (http://www.konyin.com) We are also in the final stages of releasing the KỌNYIN South American Multilingual Keyboard that will represent all the Latin characters and tonal marks for Spanish (Español), Portuguese (Português), English, Italian (Italiano), German (Deutsch), Quechna (Runasimi), Aymará, French (Français), Guaraní, Dutch and other Latin alphabetic languages.

Just thought it is very important to make the distinction. LANCOR Technologies is a division of Lagos Analysis Corporation (LANCOR) and the privately held company is owned by two US based Nigerians, which should explain why the LMKT was first used to create a multilingual keyboard for all Nigerian languages combined and why the product carries a Nigerian name. KỌNYIN in Yorùbá means “a drop of honey.”

So much for my rambling about our company, the issues of correct representation of extended and combining Latin characters in website and web content development, which is better understood by people like you, should be disseminated through information exchange. Have you thought about writing a book on this, something like “Proper techniques for developing internationalized website and contents for dummies?” I will buy it.

Adé G Oyegbọla

Dear Adé,

re /m187

You asked: "My question is will most of these scripting issues go away if we have websites and contents developed using default fonts, especially OpenType fonts, with complete features for GSUB and/or GPOS layout tables?"

With correct OpenType fonts, rendering issues will disappear, i.e. with a well developed font NFC, NFD or hybrid data will display fine (in the visual sense) and will be visually indistinguishable.

It will not directly address the issue of how web services handle data and how they processes data. There will be no way to escape the need for normalization and proper internationalization of services. There is an educative process that needs to occur.

With respect to your house keeping message. Thank you for the information. I'm familiar with these details from looking at your website.

I had thought of writing such a book, although it will have to wait until I finish one on electronic multicultural library services that is underway. If I did write one, i'd be inclined to release it under a creative commons licence, making it available for free and allowing it to be used in fairly liberal ways that traditional copyright wouldn't allow.

Either way ... a key source of information on web internationalization are the W3C Internationalization techniques documents that are being developed by the W3C I18N GEO working group combined with Richard Ishida's turtorials. All are available at http://www.w3.org/International/geo/

Although it might be worth writing a companion document to these tutorials on issues like the need for normalization, and font selection issues, etc that impact on African languages. I'll have a chat with some of the other GEO folk and see if an FAQ on web development with African languages would be worthwhile.

Andrew

NITDA to promote Nigerian keyboard

Everest Amaefule, Abuja

The National Information Technology Development Agency has pledged to promote the study of Nigerian languages through the use of information technology.

Director-General, NITDA Prof. Cleopas Angaye, made the commitment on Friday in Abuja when a team from Lancor Management Limited, presented a special computer keyboard and software known as Konyin, that can write most Nigerian languages to the agency.

Angaye said the promotion of Nigerian languages through IT has become imperative at a time when several languages are becoming extinct because of generations that have been alienated by their mother tongue.

He congratulated the Lancor team for integrating both software and hardware to achieve the feat of the special Nigerian keyboard and pledged to promote the keyboard especially in the public sector.

Full Story... http://www.punchng.com/computer/article05

The PUNCH, Monday, January 16, 2006

Issue: Now I can type words from Nigerian native languages on my PC, but I cannot save these words into my custom dictionary. Every time I tried to save words with Hausa, Ìgbo or Yorùbá characters, I get a message that: “The custom dictionary is full. The word was not added.”

Solution: The custom dictionary is a notepad that is defaulted to ANSI encoding, to save non ANSI characters, like Hausa, Ìgbo or Yorùbá words that includes Ẹẹ, Ịị, Ọọ, Ụụ or tonal marks, you will need to change the custom dictionary encoding from ANSI to Unicode.

How to change Custom Dictionary encoding in Windows XP:

1. Click - .START button on the left bottom of you screen;
2. Click - My Computer from the menu;
3. Open – Local Disk (C:) from the menu;
4. Open – Documents and Settings folder;
5. Open – [Your User Profile] folder;
6. Open – Application Data folder;
7. Open – Microsoft folder;
8. Open – Proof folder;
9. Open - CUSTOM file;
10. Click – File at the top left corner;
11. Click – Save As from the menu;
12. On the line for Encoding – click the dropdown and select Unicode;
13. Click – Save button;
14. Click – Yes button;
15. Click –CLOSE ALL FOLDERS

KỌNYIN Nigeria Multilingual Keyboards
http://www.konyin.com

A short online Igbo dictionary is available at http://www.umes.edu/alp/lexicon1/public/default.asp

Edited by author 10-14-2006 10:45 AM
Just came across a list about the Igbo language in German: http://www.igbodeutsch.de/ (it's actually a Yahoogroup).

Two thoughts:

1. It would be great to have a list of lists about and in African languages. The links at http://www.bisharat.net/links2.htm#11b are an attempt at that (these need updating). Re Igbo language, we have heard on this forum previously about Ụwandịigbo* for instance.
2. Are there any lists in Igbo?

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

* /m86, /m92, /m115, /m124, /m129, /m131, /m136, /m164

Still on development:
www.okwuigbo.org
Chinedu...




>From: QT - BisharatNet <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: QT topic subscribers <qtopic+subs@quicktopic.com>
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 14 Oct 2006 07:33:07 -0700
>
< replied-to message removed by QT >

Ótù laptọ́ọ̀pụ̀ maka ótù nwatakịrị
http://laptop.org/index.ig.html

Happy New Year 2007! Hope the holiday season was good (whichever holidays you observed)!

I've opened up a new "wikigroup" on the PanAfriL10n.org website/wiki for Nigerian localisation: http://www.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/NG-L10n/HomePage

The object is to provide a more flexible space for Nigerian localisers to list their contact details, websites, and projects. This is in some ways an online "virtual plaza/market," interactive, with the added advantage that it links with the larger PanAfrican Localisation wiki and other country-specific "wikigroups."

Among other things, I am trying to set up an RSS feed from this forum to the new wikigroup.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net
PanAfrican Localisation project

The PanAfriL10n.org page on Igbo has been updated. See http://www.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/PanAfrLoc/Igbo (corrections, more updates are invited).

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net
PanAfrican Localisation project

Don,
You have consistently left out the Keyboard effort from Andrew and myself: http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/african/igbo/igbo301.html

Do you have any reason for leaving it out of the page on Igbo?

Chinedu...




>From: QT - BisharatNet <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: QT topic subscribers <qtopic+subs@quicktopic.com>
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 10 Feb 2007 09:34:11 -0800
>

_________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
< replied-to message removed by QT >

Edited by author 02-16-2007 08:05 PM
Hi Chinedu, sorry for the slow reply. No there is no reason for leaving it out, just an oversight while juggling too many things - my apologies. I will see to it, but please feel free to add it or other information yourself(ves). The editing password is Africa, as indicated in the left column on the wiki.

All the best. Don

Hello Don,
It's ok.
I've just made the addition.
all the best,
Chinedu...




>From: QT - BisharatNet <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: QT topic subscribers <qtopic+subs@quicktopic.com>
>Subject: Igbo language & ICT (fonts, keyboards & applications)
>Date: 16 Feb 2007 17:05:01 -0800
>

_________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
< replied-to message removed by QT >

Thanks Chinedu, I appreciate your taking the time.

One of my current headaches is trying to figure out why the RSS feeds of the Hausa and Ibibio boards display at http://www.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/NG-L10n/L10nForums but not this one (Igbo) and Yoruba. I think it must have to do with the fact that the latter 2 have >100 messages while the other two are less than 100. Strange minutiae. The hope is that the NG-L10n pages can permit more people to keep up with and join in discussions and work on localization of Nigerian languages.

More on this later. All the best...

Don

Hi Don,
I really do not know what could be the problem.

May be it might be connected with the configuration of the two groups.
All the best,

Chinedu...




>From: QT - BisharatNet <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: QT topic subscribers <qtopic+subs@quicktopic.com>
>Subject: Igbo language and ICT
>Date: 20 Feb 2007 18:55:04 -0800
>

_________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
< replied-to message removed by QT >

I am happy to see everthing about igbo land in computer world but what i wanna encourage all igbo christian musician to make sure they post their music in the internet.Look at yoruba any time i wanna make research here in Australia i always see yoruba on the front, why we are christians we suppose to make sure that igbo christians music both enlish and igbo is posted here in the internet cos we use to listen to it by so doing it exposes what we are,where are those people that saved many soul via their christain songs ,luke Ezeji, Obigwe,Patty Obaassi,Chika okpara,Agape love etc.I don't know whether this msg is relevant but pls help me to send it to the apprpriate body thanks.

Echee,
Please go to www.youtube.com. You would find some good Igbo gospel songs AND videos!

Here are some examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr3kp-adUpg

Once this opens up, look at the right hand cornner for more titles.
Jisie ike!

Chinedu Uchechukwu





>From: QT - Echee <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>Reply-To: QT topic 17-tCcDxVXHgQxN <qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com>
>To: QT topic subscribers <qtopic+subs@quicktopic.com>
>Subject: Igbo language and ICT
>Date: 21 Apr 2007 05:54:36 -0700
>

_________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
< replied-to message removed by QT >

FYI, the Teaching and Learning with Technology site of the Pennsylvania State University has a page on "Igbo Accent Codes" at http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/interna...ylanguage/igbo.html

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net
PanAfriL10n.org

Don,Thanks for the link.Chinedu...> Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 02:36:15 +0000> Subject: Igbo language and ICT> From: qtopic+17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com> To: qtopic+subs@quicktopic.com> > --QT-------------------------------------------------------------> Reply by email or visit> http://www.quicktopic.com/17/H/tCcDxVXHgQxN/m205>; -------------------------------------------------------------- --> > FYI, the Teaching and Learning with Technology site of the> Pennsylvania State University has a page on "Igbo Accent Codes"> at> http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/interna.../bylanguage/igbo>; .html> > Don Osborn> Bisharat.net> PanAfriL10n.org> _________________________________________________________________> To unsubscribe: http://www.quicktopic.com/17/X/tCcDxVXHgQxN>; Start your own topic in 20 seconds: http://www.quicktopic.com |QT _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm0...STRIPMIME_JOINLINES

The Centre for Text Technology (CTexT) at the North-West University (South Africa) are developing data for several African languages, viz. Hausa, Igbo, Kinyarwanda, Wolof and Yoruba. The developed data will be used in proofing tools such as spelling checkers and grammar checkers. These tools are important human language technology resources that enable speakers of the language to preserve and promote their language and culture while benefitting from Information Technology advancements.

This project is a part of Microsoft’s Local Language Program, a global initiative to provide desktop software and tools to their customers by collaborating with local experts (governments, universities and other interested parties). Their aim is to help build a robust local IT economy to:

- Help bridge the language and digital divide between developed and emerging markets.
- Help preserve language and culture. Help technology impact language and culture in a positive way.
- Help maintain the connections between communities.

In order to conduct this project successfully, we are currently sourcing any available resources, most notably electronic resources (word lists, corpora, etc.) and people (experts and assistants) to contribute to the project.

Should you have access to any resource, or if you could suggest someone who would be interested in being a subcontractor for us, please contact me: Sulene.Pilon@nwu.ac.za and provide us with a broad idea of your expertise/resources, as well as contact information (especially a telephone number and time when we can call you, if necessary).

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Hi Suléne, Belated thanks for your message. I'd be interested in knowing more about how the project is going.

In the meantime I've added a page on CTexT to the PanAfrican Localisation wiki at http://www.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/PanAfrLoc/CTexT

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net
PanAfriL10n.org

 
Several Nokia mobile phone models apparently have text menu support in Igbo. Does anyone have any experience with using this? How good is it?

See http://www.panafril10n.org/wikidoc/pmwiki.php/PanAfrLoc/Nokia for a list of models.

TIA for any info.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net
PanAfriL10n.org

Edited by author 11-23-2007 02:00 PM
During the last four weeks there has been a discussion about keyboard layouts on the a12n-collaboration list. The main topic is plans by the One Laptop Per Child project for a multilingual keyboard for its "XO" laptop. The keyboard layout would be intended to support languages of Nigeria (including Igbo) or the whole of West Africa.

If you are interested, see http://lists.kabissa.org/lists/archives/pu...a12n-collaboration/ (Note- this list is not an official OLPC forum)

The OLPC layouts are shown at:
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Image:WAfrica-Alt-1.png
&
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_Nigeria_Keyboard

See also /m194

Don

The One Laptop Per Child project (OLPC) has a page for people who want to work on localization at http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Pootle#Sign-up . For languages like Igbo not yet in the table, it looks like you will have to add appropriate rows in order to enter your name.

Note link to their page on Igbo.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net
PanAfriL10n.org

Hallo Don,
The registration and admin are not clear at all.
SOmetimes it is as if some of the people involved in
some of these projects just write for themselves or
people like them (whoever that might be).
There is NO SIMPLE WAY of registration or administring
a localization, apart from simply

Well, I have registered with the pootle localization site
and hope to read from them.
All the best.
Chinedu...

----------------------------------------
> Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2007 15:28:51 +0000
> Subject: Igbo language and ICT
> From: qtopic-17-tCcDxVXHgQxN@quicktopic.com
> To: qtopic-subs@quicktopic.com
>

_________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm0...STRIPMIME_JOINLINES < replied-to message removed by QT >

Hi Chindeu, I'm not sure how it works on their site. Apparently there are some sort of permissions involved? (Of course one can register on their wiki like one would with Wikipedia, but that's another matter.) You can put Igbo and your name in the signup table, but I don't know if that implies any recognition of your initiative. And although I know of some names in the hierarchy of OLPC I am not clear on who is managing translation of the interface. Maybe on the "localization" list mentioned on the page there would be more answers. Let us know how it goes. Don

 GINI NA EME ALA ANYI.
OBURUM IHE NWUTE NA AGBAWA M OBI NA EJIRI MARA NDI IGBO ABURULA NKE A KWATURU MA ZOJUO YA KA OKU NA ALA ANYI BU NAIJIRIA, NKE KAZI EWUTEM BU NA ANYI ONWE ANYI BUT NDI IGBO DUZI AKA N'AKULA BANDI AZU.
  UMU IGBO OLEE OKE NKE RUURU UNU NA GOVMENTI, OLEE AKA JI YA? KA ANYI JUO AJUJU A MA ZAAKWA YA BU AJUJU. OMENALA IGBO NA ANYUZI KA OKU, OKE RUURU ANYI ,ANYI EKETEGHI, OMENALA ANYI ANYI EJIGHI, AHUIKE ANYI ANYI EJIGHIKWA GINI NA EME BIKO NDI ONU RURU NA-OKWU MEGHARIANU AHU, MA UDO DIRI UMUIGBO NILE.

Regarding message /m258, I'm not qualified to interpret the contents, but would like to ask the several subscribers who are fluent in Igbo whether this forum (or another) could transition to discussing Igbo language & ICT in Igbo, or in more than one language (Igbo and English, perhaps).

A larger question is the future of this forum in general. What are your thoughts?

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Hello All,
I am desperately seeking experienced Igbo translators inside the US. If anyone can help me, please don't hesitate to call me at (301) 984-2309 ext. 126. Thanks in advance.

Onye ka I bu

This message board has been getting a lot of spam recently. Do any of the subscribers or others who read the it have any thoughts about:
1) how to deal with the spam (upgrading to version of QuickTopic that permits moderation would cost money)?
2) the continued need for this forum as opposed to other forums on Igbo and ICT?

Any serious proposals and thoughts are welcome.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

According to an article in The Economist (Oct 23rd 2008) about the golden jubilee of Chinua Achebe's famous work, "Things Fall Apart," the author's "next project" will be to translate the novel into Igbo for the first time. See http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12459705

Nowadays of course the process will involve computers and certainly Unicode fonts for production of the text. It would be interesting to know how this develops.

Apparently Mr. Achebe will not be using Union Igbo, but rather the variety spoken in his home area. What this means in terms of orthography etc. is another question.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Happy celebration to one of my heroes! Congrat! and may God bless. It's amazing to feel a bit proud of some of our great brothers who created history in some positive ways.

God bless African!

Microsoft's Local Language Program is working to localize Windows Vista in Igbo.

See this story on 'Gbenga Sesan's Oro blog:
"Vista, MS Office in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba"
Friday, December 12th, 2008
http://www.gbengasesan.com/blog/?p=307

The translation of terminology in Igbo is available for review at:
http://www.pinigeria.org/microsoft/igboglossary.pdf

You can check out more information about Windows Vista Language Support in Igbo and other languages at:
http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/vista/V...nguage_Support.mspx

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

THE GENETIC CLASSIFICATION OF IGBO LANGUAGE

Re /m323, see http://www.panafril10n.org/PanAfrLoc/Igbo . It has some info in section 1 as well as a link to the Ethnologue page in the references at the end. Hope this helps.

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

Excerpt from a message posted by Manuela Noske on A12n-collaboration:

FYI that Microsoft Corporation has released the Windows Vista Language Interface Packs for Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba on June 2nd. The LIPs are available at the locations below. They are free downloads that install on any PC that runs Windows Vista with either SP1 or SP2.

Igbo Details Page and .mlc:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...7f5b&displaylang=ig

http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/0...F88F5/LIP_ig-NG.mlc

...

(See also /m310 on this message board.)

Andrew Cunningham did a writeup on installing the Igbo LIP in Windows Vista. See: http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/afric.../igbo-vista-lip.pdf