TrueType Fonts

These True Type Fonts which I have developed allow to type and to print some particular letters used to transcribe akkadian and other semitic languages.

Akkadian letters can be used thanks to an alternate character map, with some deviations from the Windows standard map. In few words, some characters of rare use have been eliminated (for instance $, @ and #) or moved elsewhere in the map (% and &) and they have been replaced with the special letters used to transcribe akkadian texts.

& = heth	\ = Heth uppercase
% = shin	^ = Shin uppercase
$ = zade	{ = zade uppercase
_ = teth	} = teth uppercase
@ = long a	# = long u
\| = long i	~ = long e

Other characters, rarely needed, can be inserted thru an ALT+number code: for ex. ALT+0131, that is ƒ, gives a shewa, and ALT+0247 or ÷ gives an 'Ayin. Characters which are not directly accessible from the keyboard include long A, E, I, U, o and O, short a, e, i, u and o, emphatic h/H and k/K (with dot), interdental d/D and t/T (underscored), and some others. In any case, practically every letter necessary to transcribe semitic languages is available (look at the character map after installing the fonts).

As the name of each font is followed by a "SEM" (for "Semitic" - e.g. Courier SEM and Swiss SEM), they will be easily noted from within your Word Processor's Characters list.

You can download and print an RTF file (it can be opened and printed with WinWord, Word 95 and later versions) containing a chart displaying every character side by side with its numeric code (ALT+number). This file, however, will display the newer special letters only if the New Roman SEM font had been installed.

Distribution agreement. These fonts are provided without expressed or implied warranty. Permission to use, copy, or distributed these fonts in a non-commercial way for non-commercial use is hereby granted. All other rights reserved.

SHORT DESCRIPTION

NOTE: my New Roman SEM should not be mixed with its "cousin" font Times New Roman in spite of their similarities. In fact, if you alternate these fonts withing a single sentence, differencies may become noticeable. This also applies to the other "SEM" fonts, wherever it is stated that they are "similar to" a certain well-known type. In practice, if you switch from Times New Roman to my New Roman SEM just to type a shin, and you switch back to Times New Roman, it might be easily noticed that my "s" is slightly different from every other "s".

I suggest that you either write everything with one of my fonts, or that you write regular sentences in modern languages using whatever font you like, switching to one of my "SEM" fonts to write akkadian words or phrases.

Clic on the name to download a zipped file containing the complete font "family" (you will need PKZIP or compatible program, like WINZIP for Windows, to decompress the ZIP archives).

New Roman SEM

Similar to Microsoft's Times New Roman, which you will find in every Windows system. The individual Files are NERSEM_N.TTF, NERSEM_I.TTF, NERSEM_B.TTF and NERSEM_T.TTF.

Courier SEM

Similar to Microsoft's Courier New (also in Windows). Unlike the other fonts, it is a to fixed space font (that is, each character occupies the same horizontal space, like in a traditional typewriter). Files: COSEM_N.TTF, COSEM_I.TTF, COSEM_B.TTF and COSEM_T.TTF.

Swiss SEM

Based on the Zurich BT font by Bitstream, it is a "sans serif" type. Files: SWSEM_N.TTF, SWSEM_I.TTF, SWSEM_B.TTF and SWSEM_T.TTF.

Antique SEM

Similar to the "Antique" Font by Corel Corp. It includes normal and italic only (bold is not available) (files: ANSEM_N.TTF, ANSEM_I.TTF).

Graphic Light SEM

A rather unusual Font, with very small lowercase letters. It is advisable to use a very low interline space. There is no italic or boldface.

The character set is slightly different from the standard "SEM" set, as some bindings (like "ft," "fl," "ffl," etc.) replacing some letters of very rare use (mostly used in european lenguages, like AE and ae, etc.). Font: GRLSEM.TTF.

Goudy Bertham SEM

Based on the Bertham type created by Frederick Goudy at the beginning of the century. Also barren of italic and boldface.

This font also includes some bindings, like "ft," "fl" or "st," replacing some rare letters (File: GOBSEM.TTF).

Click START, move to SETTINGS, click on CONTROL PANEL.
Double click FONTS. A window titled "Fonts" will appear.
Click on the FILE menu, then click on INSTALL NEW FONT. A dialog-box will appear.
Using the "Folders" and "Drivers" boxes, move to the folder containing the fonts (i.e. your new TTF files) to be installed. A list of the available fonts will appear on the upper box. Select the font(s) you wish to install. Be sure that the check box on the lower-right side ("Copy fonts to Fonts folder") is checked, then click OK.

From within the "Fonts" window, select the files you want to remove, then click on the FILE menu, DELETE, and OK. The files containing the selected fonts will be moved to the Recycle Bin, and the font name(s) will be removed from the list.

From within your Word Processor or Desktop-Publishing application, select the desired font and type whatever you want. To check which letter are available use your Windows Character Map (click on Start and look under Programs - Accessories; may not be available on certain systems).
Please note that, under certain display resolutions or certain viewing settings my fonts may look somewhat "ugly". However, they will print fine. Try to change the view settings of your Word Processor look for the "Zoom" button if available or use the "View" menu.

This is a different, alternate character map, with many obvious deviations from the Windows standard map. This character layout had been developed to trascribe akkadian texts without typing unusual characters, such as $, |, #, etc. In this case, some letters (c, x, etc.) which are not used in Akkadian transcriptions have been replaced with other letters:

c = shin	h = heth
v = teth	x = zade
w = long a	o = long u
y = long i	f = long e