Overview

This keyboard layout is designed for Koine Greek, a trade language of the ancient Mediterranean and the language of the New Testament and Septuagint Scriptures.

This keyboard layout works best with a QWERTY (English) keyboard. It mimics the QWERTY (English) layout, not the modern Greek layout. It uses standard Unicode fonts.

Greek Keyboard Layout

Unicode : Unshifted

Unicode : Shift

Quickstart

This keyboard layout works intuitively with the QWERTY (English) keyboard. You can find most of the Greek letters by thinking of similar letters in English, by sound or appearance. For example, type w"[me/ga to get ὧμέγα.

As you can see, accents and breathing marks are typed after the vowel. They can be typed in any order. For example, ΰ is typed u/+ or u+/.

When you type an accent by itself (or after a non-accentable letter), you will also get that accent. For example, typing / by itself will give you ´ not /. To get the standard keystroke instead of the accent, type ` before the character (` shares a key with ~). For example, to get ? instead of ¨, type `?.

Examples

Language	Phrase	Meaning	Type the following keys
Greek (Monotonic)	εδακρυσεν ο Ιησους	"Jesus wept", John 11:35; note final sigma entered using s then spacebar	edakrusen o Ihsous
Greek (Polytonic)	ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς	"Jesus wept", John 11:35; note final sigma entered using s then spacebar	e]davkrusen o[ I]hsou~s

Keyboard Details

Letters

The Galaxie Greek keyboard uses an intuitive system where most of the Greek letters are matched to similar English letters, either by sound or appearance.

Example: typing w produces ω.

Example: typing u produces υ.

A few letters in Greek have no exact match in English, by sound or appearance. These have been assigned the remaining keys.

Example: typing q produces θ.

Example: typing y produces ψ.

Example: typing c produces ξ.

When followed by a space, sigma (σ) becomes final sigma (ς) automatically.

Example: typing sos produces σος.

Example: typing susswmos produces συσσωμος.

Final sigma can also be typed with the apostrophe key. This method is necessary when sigma is not followed by a space.

Example: typing so': produces σος·.

Example: typing susswmo'. produces συσσωμος..

Capital letters are typed using shift as in English.

Example: typing [Sd] produces Δ.

Example: typing [Sw] produces Ω.

Accents and Other Diacritics

The Galaxie Greek keyboard includes the following accents and other diacritics.

Character	Keystroke	English Name	Greek Name
῾	[[or J	rough breathing	dasia
᾿	]or j	smooth breathing	psili
ι	|	iota subscript	ypogegrammeni/ prosgegrammeni
¨	+or ?	diaeresis	dialytika
`	\or V	grave accent	varia
´	/or v	acute accent	oxia
῀	~or "	circumflex accent	perispomeni

Diacritics are typed after the vowel. They can be typed in any order.

Example: typing u/+ or u+/ produces ΰ.

Example: typing a"]| or a"|] or a]|" or a]"| or a|"] or a|]" produces ᾆ.

The only exception to this rule is the circumflex on capital Greek letters. It cannot be typed first because a capital Greek letter cannot take a circumflex without a breathing mark.

Example: typing WJ~ produces Ὧ. Typing circumflex first will not produce Ὧ.

Example: typing A]|" or A]"| or A|]" produces ᾎ. Typing circumflex before the breathing mark will not produce ᾎ.

Rho (ρ) can also take the rough and smooth breathing mark, though capital rho can only take a rough breathing mark.

Example: typing r] produces ῤ.

Example: typing R[[ produces Ῥ.

If you type a diacritic by itself or after any letter which cannot take that diacritic, you will get the diacritic by itself.

Example: typing / produces ´.

Example: typing g?d produces γ¨δ.

To get the standard keystroke for a key instead of the diacritic, type ` first (` shares a key with ~).

Example: typing `? produces ?.

Example: typing `" produces ".

Punctuation

Most punctuation on the Galaxie Greek keyboard is typed exactly as on the QWERTY (English) keyboard, though sometimes you will need to use the 'standard keystroke' rule above to get the punctuation you need.

Example: typing . produces ..

Example: typing ; produces ;.

The Greek semicolon or ano teleia is the only exception.

Example: typing : produces ·.

See the Complete Typing Chart for full details on how to type all the Galaxie Greek keyboard's letters, diacritics, and punctuation.

Technical Information

System Requirements

It is recommended that you use an English QWERTY hardware keyboard with this keyboard.

Unicode Version

This keyboard complies with Unicode 5.1

Keyboard Authorship

This keyboard was created by Hampton Keathley of Galaxie Software. SIL International graciously acknowledges the contribution made by the author in developing this keyboard and making it freely available for use with Keyman Desktop and KeymanWeb. His effort has assisted greatly in enabling people to communicate in Koine Greek.

Version 2.1 released 15 December 2009. Full Greek documentation.
Version 2.02 released 11 April 2008. Fixed Greek: rho + dasia and rho + psili with [ and ] keys.
Version 2.01 released 13 March 2008. Fixed Hebrew: holem and other letters in On Screen Keyboard, added support for final mem, peh, nun with enter.
Version 2.0 for Keyman Desktop 7.0. Released 24 October 2007

Copyright and Terms of Use

The Galaxie Greek (Phonetic) keyboard layout for Keyman is Copyright 2004-2018 Galaxie Systems and SIL International. It is released under the MIT license.