Re: [SLE] Farsi [Was: Balmer threatens Asian governments who want to use Linux]

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To: suse-linux-e@suse.com
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 01:23:32 +0000

On Thursday 16 Dec 2004 00:18 am, Bahram Alinezhad wrote:
> ->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> "cwsiv" (cwsiv@juno.com)
> wrote:
> ----------
> I don't speak or read the language.

Neither do I, but as a linguist with special interest in writing systems
I might make some comments...

> I can only
> recommend general solutions at this point. In Suse
> you can import and use true type fonts directly. If
> the fonts you need in Farsi exist in the windows realm
> then you can use them in Suse. I do not know if your
> custom distro has the ability to use TTF files.

Indeed, and there are many relevant fonts available online, either free
(in one or other sense, or both) or at cost. Unfortunately, just having
the font doesn't necessarily make the language 'writable' using
"standard" software (likely especially terminals and text editors).

>
> As to the keyboard there are several kinds supported
> in Suse if you don't find support there is certainly a
> developer group which can help you. You would need to
> know the mappings in the hardware etc to create your
> own.
>
> Otherwise you could create a translation program which
> would remap the signals of a normal KB to Farsi
> assuming you have the same number of letters.

Hmmm, there are definitely "Arabic" keyboards, but the concept of
"number of letters" is not so simple. While English has 26 (52 counting
upper and lower case) would we say French has 26, or 32, or more
(taking accented vowels into account.) For European langs with accents,
the additional characters are encoded separately so that 'ê' is /one/
character, separate from 'e'. This approach tends to break down for
systems where the vowels are represented as 'diacritics' (dots, ticks
and other simple marks above or below a preceding or following
consonant) as in principle any consonant-vowel combination could occur.
If English worked like this we'd need at least 136 characters, not
considering capitals or vowel combinations.

In some cases (Sanskrit script and its descendents, for example)
adjacent consonant symbols amalgamate into single composite glyphs
either according to strict rules or by a common cluster having its own
symbol (as English used to have a single character for each of the two
different 'th' sounds [thin vs this].) The permutations can easily
multiply beyond practical implementation.

I don't know exactly how the Farsi writing system works, but it's
certainly not just a simple string of letter symbols the way English
is.

Dylan

> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<-
>
>
> Thank you for your answer, Carl.
> Since you are not familiar with Farsi, I prefer not to
> waste your time more on the subject now by explaining
> why I say Farsi doesn't work properly.
> I appreciate your notice and help so far, and, follow
> the subject only if you are inclined.
> Please notify me if you are willing to help more or
> can forward me to somebody more acquainted to the
> subject or language.
>
> Thank you for your help,
> Bahram Alinezhad,
> Rudehen, Tehran, Iran.
>
>
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