|
Pali
Fonts
a
lot of character
updated
Mar 2, 2000
Introduction
This is a long web page and has much reference information on it. You
may wish to print it out and then read it on paper. Due to the
complexity, it is easier to "get the big picture" if you
read it on paper. It is also handy to have it for "quick
reference" later.
Fonts are the hardest part about getting started with Pali with a computer!
On this web page I describe:
1. the tranliteration style of Pali representation - with a handy
reference table
2. software - txt2pali that converts transliteration
style to a Pali font
3. software - palitrans (you type transliteration
style and instantly see the Pali character)
4. an overview of Pali fonts
5. where to get Pali fonts
6. notes about word processor compatibility with the fonts.
7. handy reference tables for the fonts
8. Unicode information for Pali people
9. how to install a font on Windows 95 and above.
If you know something about Pali fonts that isn't on this web page,
please email the information to me.
The
Transliteration Style
This is a very easy and intuitive way to type Pali if you are using
the standard "abc" type of keyboard. Here is the standard
transliteration ASCII version of diacritical marks for Pali as
recommended by the Pali Text Society.
|
Long vowels are doubled |
aa, ii, uu |
straight line over single vowel |
|
cerebral consonant |
.l |
dot underneath letter |
|
cerebral consonants .ta group |
.t .th .d .dh .n |
dot underneath letter |
|
palatal nasal |
~n |
tilde over letter |
|
guttural nasal |
"n |
dot over letter |
|
niggahita consonant |
.m |
dot underneath letter |
|
Example |
Paa.li |
Pali written correctly in transliteration style |
Until recently, there was no way to easily convert the
transliteration style into the Pali special characters. So I wrote a
free little program (called txt2pali) that does this.
The advantage is that you can:
1. use transliteration to create a text in Pali on a Unix,
Windows, or Macintosh computer
2. save the files as a "Text File" (.txt - sometime
called ASCII Text)
3. use my Windows program txt2pali to convert it to the font of
your choice
4. print it out using your word processor.
|
Download
txt2pali
Version 2.0 |
txt2pali is a
free small program that can take a simple Pali tranliteration
(example: Paa.li) and convert it to following fonts: "Times_Norman",
"LeedsBit PaliTranslit", "CSX", "VriRomanPali
CN" and "Skt Times".
(The
software runs only under Windows 95 and
above,
but files created can be used on both Windows and
Macintosh computers).
The file is
102 Kb. zipped, 208 Kb. unzipped.
Transliteration
supported:
long a=
aa long i= ii long u= uu cerebral t= .t cerebral n= .n
cerebral d= .d and .l
palatal n=
~n gutteral n= "n
restrained m=
.m (also: "m converted to underdot m) |
|
Palitrans
Home
Page |
Palitrans is a
free Pali word processor that allows you to type in texts using the
transliteration style of typing and have the correct Pali characters
instantly appear while you are typing.
This is a
very free handy program for anyone who has to create texts in Pali.
After you
create a text, you can save it to disk or "copy and paste"
it into your word processor. |
General Notes
about Fonts
After you download a font, you must "install" it on your
computer. This is explained at the bottom of this web page.
In Windows, you can see the correct font name, version number, owner
and sample text by "Start"->"Control
Panel"->icon "Fonts" and then double-click on the
icon for the font you are interested in knowing about. You can also
print out the information for reference, and to see what the font
will look like printed on your printer.
Here is an overview of the Pali fonts for different computers that I
know about. Below there is another table which lets you get the
fonts. Finally, there is a section about different word processors
|
Correct
Font Name |
Other
common names |
Computer Systems |
Notes |
|
Times_Norman |
Norman
Normyn |
Windows
Macintosh |
Truetype font.
The entire
Tipitaka (The Buddhist Canon) is available as a free download using
this font at: >> The
Sri Lanka Tripitaka Project . |
|
LeedsBit PaliTranslit |
Pali Leeds
Leedsbit
Pali Leed Translit |
Windows |
Truetype font.
Used by Ven.
Narada's free online Pali textbook "An Elementary Pali Course".
|
|
Indic Times |
indic times |
Windows
(Macintosh?) |
Unicode font.
There is info
about Unicode on my Unicode and Pali page. There is a link to this
web page on this web page. |
|
VriRomanPali
CN |
vri
vri roman |
Windows
(Macintosh?) |
Truetype font.
This Pali font
was updated on 16th Nov 1999. To update, please download and
re-install it.
All copyrights
of this font are reserved with >> Vipassana
Research Institute (VRI).You are free to
use this font for your personal use, but any commercial use must
be sanctioned in writing by VRI. |
|
Skt Times |
Skt Times |
Windows
Macintosh? |
Truetype font.
This part of a
series of fonts developed by Ven. Pesala. All of the fonts in the
family use the same font codes. This means, that you can take a file
using the font 'Skt Times', select the text, and then just select a
different font in the series. |
|
CSX |
csx
csx+
csutopia |
Windows
Macintosh
Unix |
Postscript
Type 1 font.
This is the
"Classical Sanskrit Extended" font.
Windows 2000
can use these fonts without any additional software necessary.
Windows 95/98:
You will need the "Adobe Type Manager" on your computer to
use them. You can download the ATM 4.1 for free from ATM
Light Web Site (note ATM is included with some Adobe products) |
The table below shows where to get the fonts.
About Word Processors
In General
To use the fonts if you are using a non-English language
version of Windows, you must 1. open your word processor, 2. select
an English language keyboard 3. select the Pali font you wish
to use. 4. enter your Pali text.
To insert comments using your native language into the document you
must 1. position the cursor where you wish to insert your comments 2.
select your native language keyboard 3. select your usual word
processor font 4. enter your comments.
Microsoft Word, Microsoft WordPad, Microsoft Works
These work fine with the fonts in the word processor itself. You may
find, depending on your font, that a "Copy" and
"Paste" into a different program will destroy some of the
Pali characters. This can also happen when you save the file to disk
as a "text file" (.txt).
WordPerfect
WordPerfect works fine with the CSX font. WordPerfect (version 9)
does NOT work correctly with the "LeedsBit PaliTranslit",
"Times_Norman" and "VriRomanPali CN" fonts. This
is a WordPerfect specific problem and there is no way to fix this.
If you are doing short texts, only have WordPerfect, and do not have
the CSX font you can use the free standard Windows program
"WordPad" that comes automatically with Windows
("Accessories") to create your texts.
Entering the Pali Special characters into your word processor
on Windows computers:
1. press and hold down the Alt key
2. enter the appropriate number below, including the leading "zero"
3. release the Alt key
4. you will see the correct Pali character with its diacritic mark
LeedsBit PaliTranslit
|
aa |
0140 |
.n |
0246 |
.l |
0194 |
.d |
0182 |
|
Aa |
0238 |
.N |
0239 |
.L |
0226 |
.D |
0223 |
|
ii |
0180 |
~n |
0150 |
.t |
0202 |
|
|
|
Ii |
0231 |
~N |
0132 |
.T |
0233 |
|
|
|
uu |
0232 |
"n |
0186 |
.m |
0181 |
|
|
|
Uu |
0242 |
"N |
0220 |
.M |
0200 |
|
|
Times_Norman
|
aa |
0140 |
.n |
0246 |
.l |
0194 |
.d |
0182 |
|
Aa |
0238 |
.N |
0239 |
.L |
0226 |
.D |
0223 |
|
ii |
0180 |
~n |
0150 |
.t |
0160 |
|
|
|
Ii |
0231 |
~N |
0132 |
.T |
0233 |
|
|
|
uu |
0232 |
"n |
0186 |
.m |
0181 |
|
|
|
Uu |
0242 |
"N |
0220 |
.M |
0200 |
|
|
VriRomanPali CN
|
aa |
0177 |
.n |
0186 |
.l |
0188 |
.d |
0185 |
|
Aa |
0190 |
.N |
0240 |
.L |
0253 |
.D |
0222 |
|
ii |
0178 |
~n |
0241 |
.t |
0181 |
|
|
|
Ii |
0191 |
~N |
0209 |
.T |
0221 |
|
|
|
uu |
0179 |
"n |
0170 |
.m |
0189 |
|
|
|
Uu |
0208 |
"N |
0240 |
.M |
0254 |
|
|
CSX (Classical Sanskrit Extended)
|
aa |
0224 |
.n |
0245 |
.l |
0235 |
.d |
0243 |
|
Aa |
0226 |
.N |
0246 |
.L |
0236 |
.D |
0244 |
|
ii |
0227 |
~n |
0164 |
.t |
0241 |
|
|
|
Ii |
0228 |
~N |
0165 |
.T |
0242 |
|
|
|
uu |
0229 |
"n |
0239 |
.m |
0252 |
|
|
|
Uu |
0230 |
"N |
0240 |
.M |
0253 |
|
|
The Skt Series (Skt Times, Skt Arial, Skt etc.)
|
aa |
0230 |
.n |
0188 |
.l |
0185 |
.d |
0240 |
|
Aa |
0198 |
.N |
0164 |
.L |
0161 |
.D |
0208 |
|
ii |
0248 |
~n |
0241 |
.t |
0165 |
|
|
|
Ii |
0216 |
~N |
0209 |
.T |
0191 |
|
|
|
uu |
0254 |
"n |
0179 |
.m |
0181 |
|
|
|
Uu |
0222 |
"N |
0163 |
.M |
0186 |
|
|
Here's all I know about Unicode right now
Useful, practical information about Unicode. If you are using Pali,
there is a tremendous amount of useful information on my Unicode
and Pali page. You should definitely take a look here, since
Unicode is already becoming the standard for fonts on all computer systems.
Installing a Font On a Windows 95 or above computer
Use the "Start"->"Help" to read about
installing fonts for your computer, or consult your handbook. If you
are still stuck, phone the store where you bought the computer.
|