Help:On Englisce Ƿrītan

Windows ALT codes

If you do not have a customised keyboard or other quick way of doing it, the distinct letters used in Englisc can be typed using ALT+(number)

Normal letters

Letter	þ	Þ	ð	Ð	æ	Æ	ƿ	Ƿ
Alt+	231	232	208	209	145	146	447	503

Vowels with macrons

Letter	ā	Ā	ē	Ē	ī	Ī	ō	Ō	ū	Ū	ȳ	Ȳ	ǣ	Ǣ
Alt+	257	256	275	274	299	298	333	332	363	362	563	562	483	482

The Complete Set

Customising your keyboard

Macintosh OS X

For Macintosh OS X, you can place this custom-made keyboard layout into your Library > Keyboard Layouts folder, and then activate it by choosing Anglo-Saxon under your System Preferences > International menu after restarting. The file is available here and here.

The acute accent is alt+e then the vowel, macron is alt+a then the vowel, ȝ is alt+y, and ƿ is alt+w. Capital versions of the letters are done by using shift+ the letter needed.

And for those interested in the exotic Runic script, its keyboard layout file can be found here. It will appear as Anglo-Saxon Runic under your International pane. This layout corresponds almost identically to the Anglo-Saxon layout.

Ubuntu Linux

For Ubuntu systems, download this US-based keyboard layout, then place it in your ~/usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols folder with this following Terminal command:

cd ~/Downloads

to navigate there (assuming that's where you put it), and then:

sudo cp us ~/usr/share/X11/xkb/symbols

After which, just restart and navigate to System > Preferences > Keyboard > Layouts > Add... > By country and choose United States > USA International (AltGr dead keys). It's an exact copy of your existing us layout, but with additions for ȝ (ALT+y) and ƿ (ALT+w) for your keyboard.

Autocorrects

An alternative, to avoid mucking your keyboard settings up, is to type text in Microsoft Word or similar. Programme a series of "Autocorrect" options, but make sure they will not be triggered accidentally while typing something else. The "#" symbol is useful.

For example:

• th# might autocorrect to þ (the capital is dealt with by the programme).
• dh# to ð
• ae to æ
• a-# to ā

Further in that cae:

• thaet can become þæt
• thaere can become þære
• odde can become oððe

- and so forth

Downloadable keyboard layouts

Windows

• megse.unm.edu - OldEnglishKeyboard.exe

Mac OS X

• Eald Englisc Google Group - Anglo-Saxon.keylayout
• megse.unm.edu - OldEnglishVanBenthuysen.keylayout

Linux

• people.uleth.ca - Custom keyboard in Linux
• Eald Englisc Google Group - Linux layout (with instructions above)

External links

• http://megse.unm.edu/research/internal/keyboards.html