XML has full support of Unicode. This is especially important for transcriptions of manuscripts or inscriptions.
All questions surrounding the use of Unicode, including software for various OS, are best answered on Alan Wood's Unicode page. More references, including converters, are to be found on Software-X' website.
Of all the programs, we'd like to single out Sharmahd Computing's Unipad, which is of extreme use for all writing purposes and extremely customizable. We've found an additional keyboard, for Polytonic Greek, which we put up here. We lost the original place of download, and unfortunately the original author's name isn't included …
Usefull is also the Unicode Inputter.
Apparently, the Mozilla and Firefox browser family usually make the best job of rendering Unicode texts because they automatically choose a complete font for the display, even when another (incomplete) typeface is specified.
For 95% of all cases, the standard set of typefaces found in most Office packages is sufficient. Nowadays most modern typefaces have (at least) support for Extended Latin and Basic Greek. The Extended Greek set is found, for example, in Palatino Linotype, part of the latest MS Office products, and Sylfaen and Thorndale, which are part of the OpenOffice.Org package. Fonts for Polytonic Greek are discussed on TLG's Unicode test page.
A special mention must go to two more outstanding typefaces:
Of high typographical quality, and free-of-charge, is Victor Gaultney's Gentium. There are truely wonderful specimens, including the full Ancient Greek set.
Interesting for classical scholars is Juan José Marcos' Alphabetum font, too, which contains not only classic & medieval Latin, ancient Greek, but also Old Italic — Etruscan, Oscan, Umbrian, Faliscan, Messapic, Picene — Gothic, Iberian, Celtiberian, old & middle English, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Runic, Ogham, Ugaritic, Old Persian cuneiform, old & medieval Nordic and linguistics (I.P.A.).
Here are small samples in Arabic and Polytonic Greek.
ما هي الشفرة الموحدة "يونِكود" ؟
أساسًا، تتعامل الحواسيب فقط مع الأرقام، وتقوم بتخزين الأحرف والمحارف الأخرى بعد أن تُعطي رقما معينا لكل واحد منها. وقبل اختراع "يونِكود"، كان هناك مئات الأنظمة للتشفير وتخصيص هذه الأرقام للمحارف، ولم يوجد نظام تشفير واحد يحتوي على جميع المحارف الضرورية. وعلى سبيل المثال، فإن الاتحاد الأوروبي لوحده، احتوى العديد من الشفرات المختلفة ليغطي جميع اللغات المستخدمة في الاتحاد. وحتى لو اعتبرنا لغة واحدة، كاللغة الإنجليزية، فإن جدول شفرة واحد لم يكف لاستيعاب جميع الأحرف وعلامات الترقيم والرموز الفنية والعلمية الشائعة الاستعما
ΙΛΙΑΔΟΣ
Α Μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω ᾿Αχιλῆος
οὐλομένην, ἣ μυρί’ ᾿Αχαιοῖς ἄλγε’ ἔθηκε,
πολλὰς δ’ ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς ῎Αϊδι προΐαψεν
ἡρώων, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν
οἰωνοῖσί τε πᾶσι, Διὸς δ’ ἐτελείετο βουλή,
ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα διαστήτην ἐρίσαντε
᾿Ατρεΐδης τε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ δῖος ᾿Αχιλλεύς.
As a mere test, we display here an small group of Unicode signs. They should display in various degrees, according to which Unicode fonts are installed on your system (Arial Unicode MS, Gentium, Palatino Linotype, Lucida Sans Unicode, &c.). More of these tables are to be found, for example, at Tex Texin's website.
ASCII + Latin 1 Supplement
! " # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . / 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 : ;< = > ? @ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z [ \ ] ^ ` a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z { | } ~ ¡ ¢ £ ¤ ¥ ¦ § ¨ © ª « ¬ ® ¯ ° ± ² ³ ´ µ ¶ · ¸ ¹ º » ¼ ½ ¾ ¿ À Á Â Ã Ä Å Æ Ç È É Ê Ë Ì Í Î Ï Ð Ñ Ò Ó Ô Õ Ö × Ø Ù Ú Û Ü Ý Þ ß à á â ã ä å æ ç è é ê ë ì í î ï ð ñ ò ó ô õ ö ÷ ø ù ú û ü ý þ ÿ
Latin Extended A
Ā ā Ă ă Ą ą Ć ć Ĉ ĉ Ċ ċ Č č Ď ď Đ đ Ē ē Ĕ ĕ Ė ė Ę ę Ě ě Ĝ ĝ Ğ ğ Ġ ġ Ģ ģ Ĥ ĥ Ħ ħ Ĩ ĩ Ī ī Ĭ ĭ Į į İ ı IJ ij Ĵ ĵ Ķ ķ ĸ Ĺ ĺ Ļ ļ Ľ ľ Ŀ ŀ Ł ł Ń ń Ņ ņ Ň ň ʼn Ŋ ŋ Ō ō Ŏ ŏ Ő ő Œ œ Ŕ ŕ Ŗ ŗ Ř ř Ś ś Ŝ ŝ Ş ş Š š Ţ ţ Ť ť Ŧ ŧ Ũ ũ Ū ū Ŭ ŭ Ů ů Ű ű Ų ų Ŵ ŵ Ŷ ŷ Ÿ Ź ź Ż ż Ž ž ſ
Latin Extended B
ƀ Ɓ Ƃ ƃ Ƅ ƅ Ɔ Ƈ ƈ Ɖ Ɗ Ƌ ƌ ƍ Ǝ Ə Ɛ Ƒ ƒ Ɠ Ɣ ƕ Ɩ Ɨ Ƙ ƙ ƚ ƛ Ɯ Ɲ ƞ Ɵ Ơ ơ Ƣ ƣ Ƥ ƥ Ʀ Ƨ ƨ Ʃ ƪ ƫ Ƭ ƭ Ʈ Ư ư Ʊ Ʋ Ƴ ƴ Ƶ ƶ Ʒ Ƹ ƹ ƺ ƻ Ƽ ƽ ƾ ƿ ǀ ǁ ǂ ǃ DŽ Dž dž LJ Lj lj NJ Nj nj Ǎ ǎ Ǐ ǐ Ǒ ǒ Ǔ ǔ Ǖ ǖ Ǘ ǘ Ǚ ǚ Ǜ ǜ ǝ Ǟ ǟ Ǡ ǡ Ǣ ǣ Ǥ ǥ Ǧ ǧ Ǩ ǩ Ǫ ǫ Ǭ ǭ Ǯ ǯ ǰ DZ Dz dz Ǵ ǵ Ƕ Ƿ Ǹ ǹ Ǻ ǻ Ǽ ǽ Ǿ ǿ Ȁ ȁ Ȃ ȃ Ȅ ȅ Ȇ ȇ Ȉ ȉ Ȋ ȋ Ȍ ȍ Ȏ ȏ Ȑ ȑ Ȓ ȓ Ȕ ȕ Ȗ ȗ Ș ș Ț ț Ȝ ȝ Ȟ ȟ Ƞ Ȣ ȣ Ȥ ȥ Ȧ ȧ Ȩ ȩ Ȫ ȫ Ȭ ȭ Ȯ ȯ Ȱ ȱ Ȳ ȳ
Latin Extended Additional
Ḁ ḁ Ḃ ḃ Ḅ ḅ Ḇ ḇ Ḉ ḉ Ḋ ḋ Ḍ ḍ Ḏ ḏ Ḑ ḑ Ḓ ḓ Ḕ ḕ Ḗ ḗ Ḙ ḙ Ḛ ḛ Ḝ ḝ Ḟ ḟ Ḡ ḡ Ḣ ḣ Ḥ ḥ Ḧ ḧ Ḩ ḩ Ḫ ḫ Ḭ ḭ Ḯ ḯ Ḱ ḱ Ḳ ḳ Ḵ ḵ Ḷ ḷ Ḹ ḹ Ḻ ḻ Ḽ ḽ Ḿ ḿ Ṁ ṁ Ṃ ṃ Ṅ ṅ Ṇ ṇ Ṉ ṉ Ṋ ṋ Ṍ ṍ Ṏ ṏ Ṑ ṑ Ṓ ṓ Ṕ ṕ Ṗ ṗ Ṙ ṙ Ṛ ṛ Ṝ ṝ Ṟ ṟ Ṡ ṡ Ṣ ṣ Ṥ ṥ Ṧ ṧ Ṩ ṩ Ṫ ṫ Ṭ ṭ Ṯ ṯ Ṱ ṱ Ṳ ṳ Ṵ ṵ Ṷ ṷ Ṹ ṹ Ṻ ṻ Ṽ ṽ Ṿ ṿ Ẁ ẁ Ẃ ẃ Ẅ ẅ Ẇ ẇ Ẉ ẉ Ẋ ẋ Ẍ ẍ Ẏ ẏ Ẑ ẑ Ẓ ẓ Ẕ ẕ ẖ ẗ ẘ ẙ ẚ ẛ Ạ ạ Ả ả Ấ ấ Ầ ầ Ẩ ẩ Ẫ ẫ Ậ ậ Ắ ắ Ằ ằ Ẳ ẳ Ẵ ẵ Ặ ặ Ẹ ẹ Ẻ ẻ Ẽ ẽ Ế ế Ề ề Ể ể Ễ ễ Ệ ệ Ỉ ỉ Ị ị Ọ ọ Ỏ ỏ Ố ố Ồ ồ Ổ ổ Ỗ ỗ Ộ ộ Ớ ớ Ờ ờ Ở ở Ỡ ỡ Ợ ợ Ụ ụ Ủ ủ Ứ ứ Ừ ừ Ử ử Ữ ữ Ự ự Ỳ ỳ Ỵ ỵ Ỷ ỷ Ỹ ỹ
Greek and Coptic
ʹ ͵ ͺ ; ΄ ΅ Ά · Έ Ή Ί Ό Ύ Ώ ΐ Α Β Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω Ϊ Ϋ ά έ ή ί ΰ α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο π ρ ς σ τ υ φ χ ψ ω ϊ ϋ ό ύ ώ ϐ ϑ ϒ ϓ ϔ ϕ ϖ Ϙ ϙ ϗ Ϛ ϛ Ϝ ϝ Ϟ ϟ Ϡ ϡ Ϣ ϣ Ϥ ϥ Ϧ ϧ Ϩ ϩ Ϫ ϫ Ϭ ϭ Ϯ ϯ ϰ ϱ ϲ ϳ ϴ ϵ ϶
Greek Extended
ἀ ἁ ἂ ἃ ἄ ἅ ἆ ἇ Ἀ Ἁ Ἂ Ἃ Ἄ Ἅ Ἆ Ἇ ἐ ἑ ἒ ἓ ἔ ἕ Ἐ Ἑ Ἒ Ἓ Ἔ Ἕ ἠ ἡ ἢ ἣ ἤ ἥ ἦ ἧ Ἠ Ἡ Ἢ Ἣ Ἤ Ἥ Ἦ Ἧ ἰ ἱ ἲ ἳ ἴ ἵ ἶ ἷ Ἰ Ἱ Ἲ Ἳ Ἴ Ἵ Ἶ Ἷ ὀ ὁ ὂ ὃ ὄ ὅ Ὀ Ὁ Ὂ Ὃ Ὄ Ὅ ὐ ὑ ὒ ὓ ὔ ὕ ὖ ὗ Ὑ Ὓ Ὕ Ὗ ὠ ὡ ὢ ὣ ὤ ὥ ὦ ὧ Ὠ Ὡ Ὢ Ὣ Ὤ Ὥ Ὦ Ὧ ὰ ά ὲ έ ὴ ή ὶ ί ὸ ό ὺ ύ ὼ ώ ᾀ ᾁ ᾂ ᾃ ᾄ ᾅ ᾆ ᾇ ᾈ ᾉ ᾊ ᾋ ᾌ ᾍ ᾎ ᾏ ᾐ ᾑ ᾒ ᾓ ᾔ ᾕ ᾖ ᾗ ᾘ ᾙ ᾚ ᾛ ᾜ ᾝ ᾞ ᾟ ᾠ ᾡ ᾢ ᾣ ᾤ ᾥ ᾦ ᾧ ᾨ ᾩ ᾪ ᾫ ᾬ ᾭ ᾮ ᾯ ᾰ ᾱ ᾲ ᾳ ᾴ ᾶ ᾷ Ᾰ Ᾱ Ὰ Ά ᾼ ᾽ ι ᾿ ῀ ῁ ῂ ῃ ῄ ῆ ῇ Ὲ Έ Ὴ Ή ῌ ῍ ῎ ῏ ῐ ῑ ῒ ΐ ῖ ῗ Ῐ Ῑ Ὶ Ί ῝ ῞ ῟ ῠ ῡ ῢ ΰ ῤ ῥ ῦ ῧ Ῠ Ῡ Ὺ Ύ Ῥ ῭ ΅ ` ῲ ῳ ῴ ῶ ῷ Ὸ Ό Ὼ Ώ ῼ ´ ῾
Runic
ᚠ ᚡ ᚢ ᚣ ᚤ ᚥ ᚦ ᚧ ᚨ ᚩ ᚪ ᚫ ᚬ ᚭ ᚮ ᚯ ᚰ ᚱ ᚲ ᚳ ᚴ ᚵ ᚶ ᚷ ᚸ ᚹ ᚺ ᚻ ᚼ ᚽ ᚾ ᚿ ᛀ ᛁ ᛂ ᛃ ᛄ ᛅ ᛆ ᛇ ᛈ ᛉ ᛊ ᛋ ᛌ ᛍ ᛎ ᛏ ᛐ ᛑ ᛒ ᛓ ᛔ ᛕ ᛖ ᛗ ᛘ ᛙ ᛚ ᛛ ᛜ ᛝ ᛞ ᛟ ᛠ ᛡ ᛢ ᛣ ᛤ ᛥ ᛦ ᛧ ᛨ ᛩ ᛪ ᛫ ᛬ ᛭ ᛮ ᛯ ᛰ
Old Italic
̀ ́ ̂ ̃ ̄ ̅ ̆ ̇ ̈ ̉ ̊ ̋ ̌ ̍ ̎ ̏ ̐ ̑ ̒ ̓ ̔ ̕ ̖ ̗ ̘ ̙ ̚ ̛ ̜ ̝ ̞ ̠ ̡ ̢ ̣
The following is a table of characters used in epigraphic studies which you can print out.
Alternatively, we prepared a 2-page flyer with the most used epigraphic signs.
David J. Perry discusses issues for scholars of Classical languages, including the newly proposed Greek characters by the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae.
| Character | Hexadecimal | Name |
| 〚 | U+0301A | LEFT WHITE SQUARE BRACKET |
| 〛 | U+0301B | RIGHT WHITE SQUARE BRACKET |
| ‖ | U+02016 | DOUBLE VERTICAL LINE |
| | | U+0007C | VERTICAL LINE |
| + | U+0002B | PLUS SIGN |
| ⊂ | U+02282 | SUBSET OF |
| ⊃ | U+02283 | SUPERSET OF |
| ☧ | U+02627 | CHI RHO |
| ✠ | U+2720 | MALTESE CROSS |
| ※ | U+203B | REFERENCE MARK |
| Ϝ | U+03DC | GREEK LETTER DIGAMMA |
| ϲ | U+03F2 | GREEK LUNATE SIGMA SYMBOL |
| Ϡ | U+03E0 | GREEK LETTER SAMPI |
| Ϟ | U+03DE | GREEK LETTER KOPPA |
| Ϙ | U+03D8 | GREEK LETTER ARCHAIC KOPPA |
| Ϛ | U+03DA | GREEK LETTER STIGMA |
| ▲ | U+025B2 | BLACK UP-POINTING TRIANGLE |
| ▴ | U+025B4 | BLACK UP-POINTING SMALL TRIANGLE |
| ▼ | U+025BC | BLACK DOWN-POINTING TRIANGLE |
| ▾ | U+025BE | BLACK DOWN-POINTING SMALL TRIANGLE |
| ⋮ | U+022EE | VERTICAL ELLIPSIS |
| 〈 | U+03008 | LEFT ANGLE BRACKET |
| 〉 | U+03009 | RIGHT ANGLE BRACKET |
| 《 | U+0300A | LEFT DOUBLE ANGLE BRACKET |
| 》 | U+0300B | RIGHT DOUBLE ANGLE BRACKET |
| 〈 | U+02329 | LEFT-POINTING ANGLE BRACKET |
| 〉 | U+0232A | RIGHT-POINTING ANGLE BRACKET |
| ⌜o | U+0231C | TOP LEFT CORNER |
| o⌝ | U+0231D | TOP RIGHT CORNER |
| ′o | U+02032 | PRIME |
| o‵ | U+02035 | REVERSED PRIME |
| ∘ | U+02218 | RING OPERATOR |
| ∙ | U+02219 | BULLET OPERATOR |
| Ⅰ | U+02160 | ROMAN NUMERAL ONE |
| Ⅴ | U+02164 | ROMAN NUMERAL FIVE |
| Ⅹ | U+02169 | ROMAN NUMERAL TEN |
| Ⅼ | U+0216C | ROMAN NUMERAL FIFTY |
| Ⅽ | U+0216D | ROMAN NUMERAL ONE HUNDRED |
| Ⅾ | U+0216E | ROMAN NUMERAL FIVE HUNDRED |
| Ⅿ | U+0216F | ROMAN NUMERAL ONE THOUSAND |
| ↀ | U+02180 | ROMAN NUMERAL ONE THOUSAND C D |
| ↁ | U+02181 | ROMAN NUMERAL FIVE THOUSAND |
| ↂ | U+02182 | ROMAN NUMERAL TEN THOUSAND |
| o̥ | U+00325 | COMBINING RING BELOW |
| ō | U+00304 | COMBINING MACRON |
| o̅ | U+00305 | COMBINING OVERLINE |
| ó | U+00301 | COMBINING ACUTE ACCENT |
| ó | U+00341 | COMBINING ACUTE TONE MARK |
| ô | U+00302 | COMBINING CIRCUMFLEX ACCENT |
| o̵ | U+00335 | COMBINING SHORT STROKE OVERLAY |
| o̶ | U+00336 | COMBINING LONG STROKE OVERLAY |
| { | U+0007B | LEFT CURLY BRACKET |
| } | U+0007D | RIGHT CURLY BRACKET |
| ⁰ | U+02070 | SUPERSCRIPT ZERO |
| ¹ | U+000B9 | SUPERSCRIPT ONE |
| ² | U+000B2 | SUPERSCRIPT TWO |
| ³ | U+000B3 | SUPERSCRIPT THREE |
| ⁴ | U+02074 | SUPERSCRIPT FOUR |
| ⁵ | U+02075 | SUPERSCRIPT FIVE |
| ⁶ | U+02076 | SUPERSCRIPT SIX |
| ⁷ | U+02077 | SUPERSCRIPT SEVEN |
| ⁸ | U+02078 | SUPERSCRIPT EIGHT |
| ⁹ | U+02079 | SUPERSCRIPT NINE |