Topic Gurague fonts and keyboard

Hello,

I understand that extensions have been added to Ge'z fonts by Wolf Leslau to write Gurague Af or Gurague language, a semitic branch of ge'z of Ethiopia. I have seen on the web the extensions for 'g', 'q', 'k', etc. But usable, downloadable and installable Gurague Fonts are nowhere to be found. I assume Gurague Fonts have not been developed to the level of usage by downloading or purchasing.

Your advice please! what would you advise that we those who are interested to have a developed Gurague Font should do?

Dama

Could you provide a link to sources that show the additional characters?

Are the additional characters included in the Unicode Ethiopic Supplement or the Ethiopic Extension?

Have a look at http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1380.pdf and http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2D80.pdf

The only Unicode font I'm aware of that supports the supplementary and extension characters is the Abyssinica SIL [http://scripts.sil.org/AbyssinicaSIL] font. It is released under the Open Font License, so it is possible to make changes to the font.

The font description says:

"Abyssinica SIL supports all Ethiopic characters which are in Unicode including the Unicode 4.1 extensions. Some languages of Ethiopia are not yet able to be fully represented in Unicode and, where necessary, we have included non-Unicode characters in the Private Use Area".

PUA (Private Use Area characters are listed at http://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/render_download.php?site_id=nrsi&format=file&media_id=AbyssinicaSIL_PUA.pdf&filename=AbyssinicaSIL_PUA.pdf

Do these cover any of the characters you require?

SIL also provide a Keyman keyboard layout to type using this font. Although the layout is designed to type all the alternative characters available in the font. If the font contains all the necessary characters, then it would be possible to develop a Gurague specific keyboard layout.

Andrew

Hi Andrew,

Thank you very much for responding to my question. The Gurage fonts are in Ethiopic Extended. In the link you provided, it's under one of the Gurage dialects called Sebatbeit Syllables. But, it's not usable because as you keyboard has not been developed for it. What would it would cost?

Gurage is a south ethiopic language in southwest Ethiopia, spoken by an estimated at least 3 million people. Would you like to advertise your services to the regional government if I give you their address?

Regards
dama

Hi Andrew,

Thank you very much for responding to my question. The Gurage fonts are in Ethiopic Extended. In the link you provided, it's under one of the Gurage dialects called Sebatbeit Syllables. But, it's not usable because as you said keyboard has not been developed for it. What would it would cost to develop one?

Gurage is a south ethiopic language in southwest Ethiopia, spoken by an estimated at least 3 million people. Would you like to advertise your services to the regional government if I give you their address?

Regards
dama

If you already have a copy of Keyman installed, go to http://scripts.sil.org/AbyssinicaSIL_Download and,:

[list=]Download the Abyssinica SIL font[/list]
[list=]Install Abyssinica SIL Unicode Keyman keyboard[/list]

This will allow you to type all the Ethiopic characters available in the Abyssinica SIL font, including the Extended Ethiopic characters and a range of PUA characters representing characters Ethiopic characters not in Unicode yet.

This Keyman keyboard package will allow you to type Gurange, and all other possible extended Ethiopic characters.

It easier for you to have a Keyboard that specifically supports only Gurange, but as an alternative the Abyssinica SIL layout will work for you.

If you are interested I could help you create a Gurague layout, but at the moment the SIL layout should allow you to type Gurague.

Andrew

Thank you. I will try your suggestion and use SIL but get back to you on how to develop a Gurague layout.

You made a mistake spelling Gurague as Gurange. Please correct it.

dama

Hey Andrew,

Excited to learn you have created Sebatbeit Gurague fonts.

dama

Hi Dama,

I didn't create that keyboard layout, it was produced by SIL International.

Most of my work lately has been with Harari.

Regards

Andrew