Typing in polytonic Greek, step 3: the key combinations

Let's start with an example.  You want to type the verb γράφω.

After enabling the Greek keyboard you type γ and ρ.  Now what?

To type an acute accent

    1  Make sure the Greek keyboard is enabled.

    2  Type the semi-colon / colon key (immediately to the right of 'L').  Nothing will seem to happen.

    3  Type the vowel needing the accent (in the case of γράφω, of course, an 'α').

Acute accents are probably the most frequent diacritic, but breathings are also common.  As a second example, here is how you would type the noun ἀδελφός:

To type a smooth breathing

        1  Greek keyboard.

        2  Type the apostrophe / quotes key (2 steps to the right of 'L').

        3  Type 'α'  =>  ἀ

        4  Finish typing the word, using the method for acute accents for the 'ο'.

Combinations (acute plus breathing, circumflex plus iota subscript, etc.) use a similar system, but a combination of keys must be entered in the proper order before each letter requiring those diacritics.  The list is below;  keep in mind that these combinations work for PCs but might not work for Macs.

Some combinations call for using 'shift', 'ctrl shift', 'ctrl alt', and so on.    

For example, to type a grave accent on an 'ε', the shift key must be held down while the apostrophe / quotes key is hit but then let up before the 'ε' is typed.

Or - to type an 'α' with both an acute accent and an iota subscript, the ctrl, alt, and q keys must be held down together, then let up and the 'α' typed.  

Note 1:  " means shift plus apostrophe,   ? means shift plus / , etc.

Note 2:  If left-alt doesn't work properly, try the right-alt.

Note 3:  The vowel 'α' is used as an example, except for the diaeresis combinations, which work for the vowels ι and υ.  These are the only vowels that take a diaeresis.  

acute accent                            ;      (followed by) vowel            ά

grave accent                            ]     vowel            ὰ

circumflex accent                    [     vowel            ᾶ

smooth breathing                    '     vowel            ἀ    

rough breathing                       "    vowel            ἁ

iota subscript                            {    vowel            ᾳ

diaeresis                                    :     vowel            ϊ, ϋ

acute accent, smooth breathing         /    vowel        ἄ

acute accent, rough breathing           ?     vowel        ἅ

grave accent, smooth breathing        \    vowel        ἂ

grave accent, rough breathing           |    vowel        ἃ

circumflex and smooth                        =    vowel       ἆ

circumflex and rough                           +    vowel       ἇ

acute and iota subscript        ctrl alt q      vowel       ᾴ

grave and iota subscript       ctrl alt  ]       vowel       ᾲ

circumflex and iota sub.       ctrl alt  [        vowel      ᾷ 

smooth, iota subscript          ctrl alt '        vowel      ᾀ

rough, iota subscript             ctrl alt "       vowel      ᾁ

acute, smooth, iota sub.        ctrl alt /       vowel     ᾄ

acute, rough, iota sub.           ctrl alt ?      vowel    ᾅ

grave, smooth, iota sub.        ctrl alt \     vowel     ᾂ

grave, rough, iota sub.          ctrl alt  |     vowel     ᾃ

circum., smooth, iota sub.     ctrl alt =      vowel    ᾆ

circum., rough, iota sub.        ctrl alt +      vowel    ᾇ

diaeresis and acute*                 `                 ι or υ     ΐ, ΰ      

diaeresis and grave*                  ~               ι or υ     ῒ,  ῢ  

_____________

*  On my keyboard these two symbols (the backtick and the tilde) are located immediately to the left of '1'.                                                        

Typing in Greek, step 2: keyboard layout

Once you have enabled polytonic Greek on your system you should be able to switch back and forth from English to Greek.  If your computer is like mine, you will see 'ENG' (English) over on the right side of your taskbar, next to the icons for internet access, battery life, etc.

To switch:  Either click and pull down from 'ENG' to 'ΕΛ', or use the Windows + Space bar combination to toggle back and forth.

Many Greek letters correspond easily to English:  'α' is 'a', for example.  But some do not.  Here is the usual keyboard layout:

Note one troublesome spot:  U / u is not Υ / υ (upsilon).  U is θ (theta).  Y / y is Υ / υ (upsilon).

I have included the semi-colon for 'Q'.  The semi-colon is used instead of '?' when typing a question in Greek.

Next time, step 3:  The key combinations for breathings, accents, and so on.

 

Interlude: typing in (polytonic) Greek, step 1

31 August 2023

I'm adding the information below as a post; later, I'll make it available as a page, so that it can always be accessed from the 'Page list' on the Home page, (above). 

The full set of polytonic Greek diacritics includes:

    3 accents: acute, grave, circumflex

    2 breathings: smooth and rough

    iota subscript

    diaeresis  (two small dots placed above a vowel)

The system is more complicated than this, however, because the diacritical marks can be combined.  An 'α', for example can have a breathing, an accent, and an iota subscript:  ᾄ

You may want to be able to type the whole nine yards of polytonic Greek.  You may not.  But if you do, suggested instructions for a PC are below.  (I don't have a desktop Apple product, and don't know the procedure there.)

Step 1

Enable polytonic Greek on your system.  I admit this may not be as easy as it sounds, because it seems like the procedure can be different for every computer, and every edition of Windows.  Try the following:

Find SETTINGS.  

Go to TIME & LANGUAGE.  

Go to LANGUAGE & REGION.

Click on  ADD A LANGUAGE.

You will need to scroll through a long list, but should eventually be able to find both 'Greek' and 'polytonic Greek'.

If that procedure doesn't work on your system, look for anything having to do with 'control panel', 'settings', 'keyboard', 'language', etc.

Next time; the Greek keyboard, followed by key combinations for typing the diacritics.