Query

[Deshpande, Madhav]

Hello Patrick,

     Try using the NeoOffice that is freely downloadable for Mac.  Some of the ligatures you are describing can be typed without any extra effort in NeoOffice.  Best,

Madhav

Madhav M. Deshpande
Professor of Sanskrit and Linguistics
Department of Asian Languages and Cultures
202 South Thayer Street, Suite 6111
The University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104-1608, USA
________________________________________
From: Indology [INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk] on behalf of Patrick Olivelle [jpo at UTS.CC.UTEXAS.EDU]
Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 4:28 PM
To: INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
Subject: [INDOLOGY] Query

Dear Computer Wizards:

Here is a problem that, I hope, a wizard out there can solve. I am using a MAC (OS 10.7.3) and trying to type Devanāgarī on "Pages" with the Devanagari-QWERTY keyboard and Tahoma font. It works beautifully, except for a few annoying problems.

1. for the conjunct "ḍv" and "ṭv" the Qwerty functions well. I can even write well "ḍvi" and "ṭvi". But when these come immediately after another letter, for example "ṣ" or "g" -- the ligature between the two letters break down, and we have "ḍ" with a virāma followed by "v". However, if the same conjunct is preceded by TWO letters, the ligature remains intact!! This seems like witchcraft perpetrated on me who need these ligatures preceded by just one letter!!!

2. Another big problem with the Devanagari-QWERTY is the it is unable to form a proper ligature of the guttural nasal "ṅ" and a following "k" or "g", even though it does perfectly the ligature between the nasal and the conduct "kṣ". Go figure!!

Any help in overcoming these problems would be deeply appreciated by an ignoramus in Texas.

Thanks.

Patrick