Solitreo.com
Sarah Bunin Benor
There's an excellent new resource available for scholars, students, and
speakers/writers of Ladino / Judeo-Spanish / Judezmo:
http://www.solitreo.com/ladinotype/index.php
I highly recommend going through the registration process and trying it out.
Also check out the chart of Ladino fonts at:
http://www.solitreo.com/ladinotype/chart.php
Here's a description of the tool:
About LadinoType™
LadinoType™ was created by me, Brian Berman (see About The Author
<abouttheauthor.php>), as a tool for the use and preservation of the
Ladino language, and specifically its writing form known as Solitreo. It
has taken countless hours over almost two years to create, and runs on a
very complex system built using XHTML, JavaScript, CSS, PHP5, MySQL,
XML, and PERL. The system is centered on my proprietary LadinoType
Engine™ that converts Romanized Ladino text into various Hebrew
alphabets according to Ladino orthography. Users of LadinoType™ can use
the intuitive and logical keyboard map that I created (see Keyboard
Layout <http://solitreo.com/ladinotype/faq.php#6>) to naturally input
Romanized Ladino. It then uses over 250 technical parameters to convert
the text into an intermediate code language that is then used to output
the text in Hebrew characters according to the "standard" orthography
rules of Ladino. Currently, the text can be outputted in Meruba Hebrew
(block Hebrew), Rashi Print, and the handwritten cursive script known as
Solitreo. The Solitreo script used is the actual handwriting of a
Salonikan man named I. Nefussy. The system is quite accurate, as
extensive testing has shown that almost all words written in Roman
letters are rendered just as they should be in the Hebrew scripts.
However, the system is not perfect and I am constantly trying to improve
it. If you use the system and find that a word is being rendered
improperly, I encourage you to submit Feedback
<http://solitreo.com/ladinotype/feedback.php>, or email me at
br...@solitreo.com <mailto:br...@solitreo.com> so that I can correct the
problem.
I have several goals for this project on which I have worked so hard.
First, I want LadinoType™ to be a tool for communication. I hope that
the few Ladino speakers that can read and write it in Hebrew characters
will use the system to write to each other (a messaging system will soon
be built in), as well as write journals, memoirs, etc. just for the sake
of preserving this precious art. Second, I want LadinoType™ to be a tool
for education. I want those that can speak Ladino, but not read and
write it in Hebrew characters, to use the system to learn to do so, as
they can write Ladino in Roman letters and look to see how it should
look in Solitreo, Rashi, and Meruba. Finally, I want LadinoType™ to be a
tool for preservation of the language. Every document written using the
system is automatically entered into a database. By naturally using the
system for all other purposes, users are helping to create a lexicon of
the Ladino language and its usage. Beyond communication, education, and
preservation, there are many other purposes which LadinoType™ can serve.
This is the first time that writting in the ancient script of Solitreo
has come to the computer, and no other tool exists that allows the
transliteration of Ladino. This is just the beginning. In the near
future LadinoType™ will be capable of sending messages between users,
allowing for instant communication in this beautiful language. Also, I'm
currently working on finalizing a Solitreo computer font that will allow
users to type in the old handwriting using programs such as Microsoft
Word, and email in Solitreo with programs such as Microsoft Outlook.
Soon you may even be reading this website in Solitreo!!! Developing this
site has been quite costly (especially for a student), so if you would
like to support my efforts please consider making a donation by clicking
on the donation button on the right menu (Your support is greatly
appreciated!).
The possibilities are endless, but this progress can only be achieved if
*YOU*, the users (and specifically the Ladino-speaking community), use
the website! I encourage you to look around and try it out. Also, PLEASE
pass word of the site along to everyone you know!
Thank you,
Brian Berman