Software expert K.P. Rao launched a new font called ‘Apara’, through which all Indian languages can be phonetically represented using the modified Roman script comparable.
Mr. Rao is known for his contribution towards the development of Kannada keyboard and a software to use the language on computer.
Addressing presspersons after launching the font here on Wednesday, Mr. Rao said the use of the revised Roman Script must have begun at the very time when the art of printing was discovered. This is clear when one observed the dictionaries and treatises on grammar printed by the German Christian missionaries. F. Kittel, Manner, Winslow, Williams, Gundert used a kind of modified Roman script. The script had many positive points though it was not without deficiencies.
It is possible to write any Indian language in revised Roman script. But it has no symbols to represent all the sounds used by many other languages of the world like Parisian or Arabic. To overcome this problem, Mr. Rao has designed an extension of a modified Roman script, almost comparable to the International Phonetic Script, which he calls ‘Apara’, which literally means ‘unlimited’.
Unlimited potentialThis is a treasure of fonts in modified Roman scripts using the Unicode system. “It has been named ‘Apara’ to signify that the possibilities of its application and its potential is unlimited,” he said.
The uniqueness of this font is that it can incorporate within itself not only the sounds of the traditional languages of India but also the sounds of languages like Persian or Arabic, which have come into vogue in more recent times.
Converting to readThe secret lies in the possibility of reading a text originally written in any known language by converting it into a familiar script with the help of the computer. This can be used according to the needs of the individual user. It was also possible to use this font on the internet.
Many special sounds of regional languages such as Tulu, Konkani, Chitpavani, Tamil and Malayalam can be represented in this font. The keyboard layout broadly resembles the K.P. Rao Layout which makes it easy to enter aspirate characters and diphthongs. When new dictionaries in regional languages such as Tulu, Kodava and Beary, are being contemplated, there is a need for such a system of transliteration common to all these languages and K.P. Rao’s new font ‘Apara’ goes a long way in meeting this need.
This font may be used to write even languages such as Are Bhashe (a dialect spoken by Gowda community), Kunda Kannada (a dialect of Kannada spoken in Kundapur taluk of Udupi district) or Haviganannada (a dialect of Kannada spoken by the Havyaka community).
“It is a dream come true. It is a new font with unlimited possibilities. I hope there will be positive response to it and it will become a standard font for writing languages across the world,” Mr. Rao said.
“Those interested in having this font can email me at: kprao1940@gmail.com. I will send it to them and also tell them how to use it,” Mr. Rao said.
