Sinhala input methods
{{Short description|Keyboard layout for the Sinhala language}}
File:Sinhala text input on Linux.webm into Firefox under Linux. As shown in the video, under the Singlish method, to input {{Lang|si|විකිපීඩියා}} (Wikipedia), {{Tt|wikipIdiyaa}} is entered.]]
Sinhala input methods are ways of writing the Sinhala language, spoken primarily in Sri Lanka, using a computer. Sinhala input methods can be broadly classified into two main groups: ones based on typewriter keyboard layouts, and ones that are meant to be typed on QWERTY keyboards using an input method, known as "Singlish".{{Cite journal|last1=Kishino|first1=Fumio|last2=Itoh|first2=Yuichi|last3=Hayashi|first3=Yoshihiko|last4=Goonetilleke|first4=Sandeva|date=2007|title=An Efficient and User-friendly Sinhala Input Method Based on Phonetic Transcription|url=https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/imt/2/4/2_4_1228/_article/-char/ja/|journal=Information and Media Technologies|language=en|volume=2|issue=4|pages=1228–1247|doi=10.11185/imt.2.1228|issn=1881-0896}}
Wijesekara keyboard
The Wijesekara keyboard is the standard typewriter keyboard for the Sinhala script. This keyboard layout was first created and approved by the government of Sri Lanka in 1964.
File:Sinhala keyboard win.png layout]]In 2004, it was given the SLS standards as the Sri Lanka Sinhala Character Code for Information Interchange, SLS 1134 : 2004.{{Cite web |title=SLS 1134 : 2004 (Sinhala ICT standard) |url=http://www.icta.lk/si/programmes/658-sinhala-standard-sls-1134-2004.html |publisher=icta.lk }}
= Implementations =
The first standards compliant Sinhala Keyboard for Apple iOS was created by Bhagya Silva. This implementation featured a copyrighted custom layout that was based on SLS 1134:2004 optimised for mobile keyboards.{{Cite web|title = Sinhala for iOS - Apple AppStore|url = https://akuru.madusanka.one/type|website = appstore.com|accessdate = 2015-09-02}}
= Virtual Keyboards =
The first Sinhala virtual keyboard is "Helakuru". Helakuru was developed by Bhasha Lanka (Pvt) Ltd for Android and iOS devices. It was first released on Android in 2011 and in 2015 it was released on App Store also.{{cite web |title=හෙළකුරු (Helakuru) – Real-time Unicode and Sinhala Font |url=https://classifylanka.com/helakuru-sinhla-keyboard-guide/ |website=classifylanka.com |date=16 November 2020 |access-date=28 May 2021}} In 2019, Apple allowed Sinhala to be a keyboard layout and an iPhone language to boost Apple product sales in Sri Lanka.{{cn|date=May 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Sinhala language}}
{{Keyboard layouts}}
Category:Data interchange standards
Category:Encodings of Asian languages
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