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Umlaute
Conventional Method
Umlaute may cause funny characters with some e-mail programs. A wayto avoid them is using these alternatives:
a(umlaut) = Kra(uml)he = Kra"he = Kraehe = forcrow
u(umlaut) = Hu(uml)gel = Hu"gel = Huegel = forhill
o(umlaut) = Mo(uml)bel = Mo"bel = Moebel = forfurniture
double s = Has(uml) = Has" = Hass=Hasz = for hate
The e or sz version is easy to recognize for the native or experienceduser.
The " works very well for the beginner and others.
Hold down the ALT or MAC key while typing the number.
Mac IBM 8859 HTML Name
--- --- ---- --------
Ä128 142 196 Ä Aumlaut
ä138 132228 äa umlaut
Ö133 153214 ÖO umlaut
ö154 148246 öo umlaut
Ü 134 154220 Ü Uumlaut
ü159 129252 üu umlaut
ß 167 225223 ß eszet
Find a program that comes with Windows called "Character Map."From there you can copy and paste many foreign characters, including theumlauts, into your documents.
With the Mac go into the system folder then control panel. In the CONTROLPANELopen the KEYBOARDICON and set it to German. To do the Umlaut pushOPTION U and the next letter you type will have an Umlaut over it.
Adding Language Solution
This lets you choose between the keyboard layouts by simply selectingEnglish or German. Click on START, select SETTINGS, and then CONTROLPANEL.Next double-click on the keyboard symbol. Select LANGUAGE, and click onADDLANGUAGE. Select the GERMAN (Standard), and click on OK. Followthe rest of the instructions. Once done you will see a square marked ENfor English and DE for German (Deutsch). You can now switch between laguagesby either pressing ALT+SHIFT or clicking on the DE or EN box to selectthe other language. Here are the new assignments for the keyboard:
Ää = '"
Öö = ;:
Üü = [{
ß = -
z and y are switched
Other keys have different assignments too. The Windows manual should havea layout example.
Using the US-International Keyboard
Click on START, select SETTINGS, and then CONTROLPANEL. Next double-clickon the keyboard symbol. Select LANGUAGE, select ENGLISH (United States),and click on PROPERTIES. Change your keyboard layout to US INTERNATIONAL.Click on OK, and follow the rest of the intructions.
Once your keyboard is international, it's pretty much the same as itis now, but there are some added features. There are actually 2 ways tomake umlauted vowels.
First One, press the SHIFT key and type a quotation mark (").Now just simply type a small a, and it will be umlauted.
SHIFT plus " (release) a = äSHIFTplus " (release) A = Ä
SHIFT plus " (release) o = ö SHIFT plus "(release) O = Ö
SHIFT plus " (release) u = ü SHIFT plus "(release) U = Ü
SHIFT plus " (release) SPACEBAR = "
RightALT + s = ß
Second One way is to type umlauts with the US INTERNATIONAL keyboardis:
RightALT + q = ä
RightALT + y = ü
RightALT + p = ö
RightALT + s = ß
Link to INTERNATIONAL keyboard layout for otheritems made by using the RightALT key.
Gateway has a programmable keyboard called the Anykey or 124-key ProgrammablePS2 Keyboard. It does work with any IBM PS2 compatible computer. This onehas functions keys on top and on the site, a total of 24 keys. Just programthe ones on the left site with German characters and attache labels. Thisin particular is a good choice, because you do not have to deal with otherkeyboard layouts. Gateway supplies the programming instructions with thekeyboard. It is very simple. The current price is $49.00. Go to add-onswhen you visit the Gateway site. (http://www.gateway.com)
You may obtain a used one on the EBAY website. They usually go for around$20 on this auction website. (http://www.ebay.com)
Go to preferences. Then Keyboard. You can alter the current keyboardor copy it, giving it a new name (such as German), then modify the keystrokes. You do that by clicking Edit. Then click Play a Keyboard Script.Highlight the key (ex. A+Alt), put your cursor in the box which says "typethe script this key plays. Hit CtrlW to get a list of the various keyboards.Select International. Highlight a-umlaut. Click and close. Click assignscript. When you finish all the keys you want to modify, click okay, thenselect. When you type Alt-a, you will get an umlauted a. I have used A+Alt+Shiftfor the capital.
For more information contact davitt@german-usa.com
