How To Type German Characters On English Keyboard
The German Language:
This Germanic language is one of the closest cousins of English. It is one of the most widely spoken vernaculars in the world. Along with Germany, it is also spoken in Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, and Italy. One of the reasons behind the value of the language is Germany’s economic position in the EU. It has one of the biggest economies in Europe, and that makes it an ideal place for business. As a result, most people in businesses are often in need of content written in the German language. 49% of businesses consider it the most useful language in the corporate world.
The speakers of Germanic languages love their books. One-tenth of the books published in the world are written in German. The people of Germany are highly educated. It also means that they are deeply connected to their language. Despite being fluent in English, they continue to use their native tongue in conversations.
How to Type German Characters on English Keyboard?
Switching between different keyboards can be time-consuming, which is why some people use the English one to write in their tongue. However, when the German-speaking people try to do that, they have difficulty adding all characters of their vernacular. Umlaut is the reason behind that. It is the (¨) mark used over vowels. When used over a letter, umlaut indicates a different vowel quality. It is impossible to write some German words without it, and that’s why it may be challenging to use an English keyboard. However, we have a solution for every technology-related problem these days. So, even if you are a German speaker, there is nothing to worry about.
There are two methods of writing German umlauts using an English keyboard. If you are using Microsoft Word, you can pick umlauts from the insert symbol options. There are thousands of options, and you can pick the one you require. However, this method is limiting as it only works in Microsoft Word. The other method is quite useful and can work on any keyboard as long as it has a numbers keypad. This method will not work with the numbers that are above the letters keypad.
Make sure your Num Lock is on, press and hold the Alt key, and then use the following umlaut alt code to insert German characters in your text:
Type 0196 for Ä
Type 0228 for ä
Type 0223 for ß
Type 0214 for Ö
Type 0220 for Ü
Type 0252 for ü
Type 0246 for ö
If you are using a Mac, type Option + u, and then press the vowel, you need an umlaut on. If you need the umlaut on a capital letter, press Shift after pressing Option.
If you are using an iPhone, you can press and hold the vowel letters, and you will get a list of options to choose from. One of the options will be the letter with an umlaut. You can write all the German vowels this way. This feature is also available on a few Android devices. But soon it will be available on all modern phones. Until then, people can add multiple keyboards and switch from QWERTY to QWERTZ (German keyboard) whenever they have to insert an umlaut in their texts.
The German sign gives the word its meaning when you are using it in writing. Although there are a few alternatives to the umlaut like writing ae instead of ä, it doesn’t look proper when you are trying to make a formal conversation. Even when talking to a friend, it wouldn’t make you feel comfortable. But if you don’t want to switch between different keyboards every time you want to talk in your native tongue, the texting codes can prove to be helpful. You can also insert German words in your blogs and articles easily by using the codes on your PC or Mac.
There are different features of each language that make them unique. Although plenty of tongues share similarities, it is these unique features that define them. There is a reason that despite being closely related, many vernaculars are not the dialects of the same tongue. These features help us understand them in a better way. They prove that the influence of the speakers brings a change in languages, just like the spoken word influences a culture. Society is held together by these interactions that bring changes into every walk of life and make things fascinating. This is why people study communities and their many features.
