Breathing marks... .

Are you learning Koine Greek, the Greek of the New Testament and most other post-classical Greek texts? Whatever your level, use this forum to discuss all things Koine, Biblical or otherwise, including grammar, textbook talk, difficult passages, and more.
Post Reply
David333
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:08 pm

Breathing marks... .

Post by David333 »

I've changed my keyboard settings to Greek polytonic (on Word 2007 using a Vista computer) which means that I can type in Greek: αβγδ... . I've worked out how to add accents (ά) although am studying Koine Greek from Wenham who avoids accents in his Elements. Anyway, I can't work out how to add rough or smooth breathing marks to my vowels. Can anyone give me a clue please...? Thank you!

User avatar
jaihare
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 959
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:47 am
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Contact:

Re: Breathing marks... .

Post by jaihare »

David333 wrote:I've changed my keyboard settings to Greek polytonic (on Word 2007 using a Vista computer) which means that I can type in Greek: αβγδ... . I've worked out how to add accents (ά) although am studying Koine Greek from Wenham who avoids accents in his Elements. Anyway, I can't work out how to add rough or smooth breathing marks to my vowels. Can anyone give me a clue please...? Thank you!
It's the same. You just have to hit the right key before your vowel.

' gives ἀ (smooth breathing).
" gives ἁ (rough breathing).
/ gives ἄ (smooth breathing with acute).
? gives ἅ (rough breathing with acute).
\ gives ἂ (smooth breathing with grave).
| gives ἃ (rough breathing with grave).
= gives ἆ (smooth breathing with circumflex).
+ gives ἇ (rough breathing with circumflex).

Regards,
Jason

David333
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:08 pm

Re: Breathing marks... .

Post by David333 »

Thank you so much! I can now do what appears to be a rough breathing if I look very closely at my screen - ἀ. There doesn't seem to be any way of doing a smooth breathing without an accompanying accent though; is this right...?

David333
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:08 pm

Re: Breathing marks... .

Post by David333 »

Okay, I've been playing. On reflection, here are my results:-

Circumflex - ᾶ
Circumflex with smooth breathing - ἆ
Grave accent - ὰ
Acute accent - ά
Smooth breathing with grave - ἂ
Smooth breathing with acute - ἄ

I think that I'm missing all of the possible rough breathings. Any advice please...? When you suggest " plus the vowel for a rough breathing, I don't actually have a " button: it's only shift plus 2 on my English keyboard and " isn't on the Greek keyboard. Sorry if I'm asking really obvious questions! Thanks again...

modus.irrealis
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 1093
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:08 am
Location: Toronto

Re: Breathing marks... .

Post by modus.irrealis »

If a key gives you X + smooth breathing, then shift plus that key gives you X + rough breathing. So ' gives you just smooth breathing, but " = shift + ' gives you the rough breathing.

David333
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:08 pm

Re: Breathing marks... .

Post by David333 »

modus.irrealis wrote:If a key gives you X + smooth breathing, then shift plus that key gives you X + rough breathing. So ' gives you just smooth breathing, but " = shift + ' gives you the rough breathing.

Thank you! It does work. Thank you so much both of you for your help!

[Edited because of initial stupidity]

David333
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:08 pm

Re: Breathing marks... .

Post by David333 »

Final question! By playing around I've managed to get a cedilla beneath a vowel - ῳ - but I'm struggling to get a cedilla underneath and another accent above the ω. Any ideas...?

modus.irrealis
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 1093
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:08 am
Location: Toronto

Re: Breathing marks... .

Post by modus.irrealis »

You have to hold down the right alt key to add the iota subscript, so ᾷ is right-alt + [, ᾂ is right-alt + shift + \, and so on.

This only doesn't work for ᾳ which you've already got, and ᾴ which you get by right-alt + Q.

David333
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:08 pm

Re: Breathing marks... .

Post by David333 »

Thank you so much! I really do appreciate your help. Somebody needs to write this stuff down somewhere! I really did try googling it... . That should have been my final answer but I'm tempted to ask how you get a Greek semi-colon... :wink:

modus.irrealis
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 1093
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:08 am
Location: Toronto

Re: Breathing marks... .

Post by modus.irrealis »

You mean ·? That's right-alt + shift + ]

; is q + space (or the way I do it q + q + backspace ;))

David333
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:08 pm

Re: Breathing marks... .

Post by David333 »

Thank you! I think that I finally have Mark 9 copied from my Nestle-Aland to my laptop, complete with unlearnt accents and fully memorised breathing marks. Now to exegete it :wink:


Post Reply