Transliterator Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Credits
    1. Site Creator
    2. Copyright Owners
      1. Rarelythere.com
      2. Dan Smith
      3. Dr. Okrand
      4. Sami Laitala
      5. Tolkien Estate
      6. Paramount
  2. Using Transliterator
    1. Overview
    2. Fast Transliterators
    3. Slow Transliterators
    4. Installing Fonts
    5. Known Deficencies in Transliterator
  3. Frequently Asked Questions
    1. Why are there two types of transliterators for each language?
    2. I don't see Tengwar, I just see scrambled letters
    3. I use Mac (Linux, UNIX, etc.) I can't use Windows fonts
    4. Where can I learn to read these scripts?
  1. Credits
    1. Site Creator
      • Dustin Preuitt was instrumental in the creation of this site. All HTML, PHP, C and flex code and gif images were developed by Dustin Preuitt.
      • A special thanks to Sheela Subramaniam for her help with PHP, JavaScript and HTML!
    2. Copyright Owners
      1. Rarelythere.com
        All content of this site belongs to the owners of Rarelythere.com, except where noted.
      2. Dan Smith
        The Tengwar TTF fonts are the result of the good work of Dan Smith (         fontmaster@geocities.com ).
      3. Dr. Okrand
        Dr. Okrand is the creator of the Klingon language, without which there would be no pIqaD transliterator.
      4. Sami Laitala
        The Zig Trad "Klingon" freeware fonts were developed by Sami Laitala (         Sami.Laitala@sci.fi ).
      5. Tolkien Estate
        The Tolkien Estate owns all rights to the works of JRR Tolkien and their derivatives. The Tolkien Estate can be contacted here:

              Tolkien Estate
              c/o Cathleen Blackburn
              Morrell, Peel & Gamlen
              1 St. Giles'
              Oxford OX1 3JR
              United Kingdom

      6. Paramount
        Klingon and Star Trek are registered trademarks of Paramount.
  2. Using Transliterator
    1. Overview
      The purpose of this site is to allow people to view web pages in a variety of different alphabets -- not to translate the page into another language. The transliteration is done with an attempt to keep the result as close to the original as possible.
    2. Fast Transliterators
      Fast transliterators require you to download and install a free font to view the page. Currently, only Windows platforms are supported.
    3. Slow Transliterators
      Slow transliterators do not require any additional fonts or software. Each character is draw in the appropriate size and color as the page is loading. Of course, this takes more time to accomplish. However, a slow transliterator will work for any graphical browser.
    4. Installing Fonts
      Click on the link above the transliterator. This will load the page where you can download the free font. Unzip the downloaded file and extract the files to a folder on your computer. From the "Start" menu, choose "Settings->Control Panel". In the Control Panel, click on "Fonts". Drag the font files and drop them in the "Fonts" folder.
    5. Known Deficencies in Transliterator
      Transliterator is a work in progress. There are several known deficiencies that are currently being remedied. First, HTML forms are only minimally supported. Second, slow transliterators do not currently handled italics or bold styles.
  3. Frequently Asked Questions
    1. Why are there two types of transliterators for each language?
      I have created two types of each transliterator: fast and slow. The fast version requires that you install a FREE true-type font. The slower version requires no fonts, it produces the characters on the fly. This takes time, hence the slow down.
    2. I don't see Tengwar, I just see scrambled letters
      You are using a fast transliterator and you have either installed the font incorrectly or have not installed the font at all. If you are not using a Windows platform OS, try using the slow version of the transliterator.
    3. I use Mac (Linux, UNIX, etc.) I can't use Windows fonts
      Use the slow version of the transliterator. A Mac version of the Transliterators is being considered based on demand. If you'd like Mac support, please voice your opinion.
    4. Where can I learn to read these scripts?
      There is a link to tips for reading the scripts on the transliterator page. Additional information can be found using a search engine. If you know of a good resource, please mention it and it will be listed here.