Typing Old Icelandic Characters

When word-processing translations or essays on an IBM machine, you can make the special Old Icelandic characters by switching on the `Num Lock' key (right hand block of the keyboard, top row) and then holding down the `Alt' key while you type a number code on the block of numbers at the right-hand end of the keyboard. The usual codes are:

á Alt 160 Á Alt 0193

ð Alt 0240 Ð Alt 0208

é Alt 130 É Alt 0201

í Alt 161 Í Alt 0205

ó Alt 162 Ó Alt 0211

ú Alt 163 Ú Alt 0218

ý Alt 0253 Ý Alt 0221

þ Alt 0254 Þ Alt 0222

æ Alt 145 Æ Alt 146

œ Alt 0156  See below for Œ

ø Alt 0248 Ø Alt 0216

ö Alt 148 Ö Alt 0214

To make the `hooked o' (ô) you need a special font (I use Times Special), but it is acceptable to use ö for this even when it is distinguished from ø.

 

Alternatively, if you are using Word, you can click on `Symbol' in the `Insert' menu.  This brings up a grid containing all the symbols available in the font you are using.  Times New Roman has all the Old Icelandic characters except the hooked o (ô lower case, Ô upper case).  Double click on the character you want and it will be inserted into your text at the point where the cursor is (you can also get Œ by this method).  If you single click on the character, the window will display the combination of keys that will give you the symbol without having to display the grid again.  In many cases there is a shortcut combination which is intuitive: for example, [ctrl + apostrophe, a] gives á and [ctrl + colon, o] gives ö.  If these shortcut combinations are not already set, and you are working on YOUR OWN computer, you can set or modify the combination for a particular character by single clicking on it in the grid and then clicking the button marked `shortcut key'.  For example, you can set [ctrl + &, o] to give œ and [ctrl + &, O] to give the capital form Œ.  You have to exercise a little care, however, because some combinations are preset to perform completely different functions.

---