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Character Requirements for African (Latin) Orthographies

If a font supports all of the following characters, we believe that most languages of Africa (that use the Latin script) would be able to typeset texts in their orthography. Note, however, that this list does not include required characters for phonetic description of all African languages, just orthographic use.

There are comments below about glyph variants that may be needed to support some languages.

The process for developing this list was based on the following (in order of process):

  • A review of custom-encoded fonts from Africa
  • 10+ years’ experience of user support for language support from Africa
  • A review of annotations in The Unicode Standard charts
  • Decision to include all Codepage 1252 and MacRoman characters
  • Decision to include many characters required for publishing (spaces and dashes)
  • Decision that if a combining mark, such as ◌̣ was required, then all precomposed characters with that mark should also be included. (e.g., if a was in the subset, then ạ was also included in the subset, but since ơ is not in the subset, then ợ was not included in the subset).
  • Feedback of the resulting character set
GraphicUSVNameComment
0020
!0021
"0022
#0023
$0024
%0025
&0026
'0027
(0028
)0029
*002A
+002B
,002C
-002D
.002E
/002F
00030
10031
20032
30033
40034
50035
60036
70037
80038
90039
:003A
;003B
<003C
=003D
>003E
?003F
@0040
A0041
B0042
C0043
D0044
E0045
F0046
G0047
H0048
I0049
J004A
K004B
L004C
M004D
N004E
O004F
P0050
Q0051
R0052
S0053
T0054
U0055
V0056
W0057
X0058
Y0059
Z005A
[005B
\005C
]005D
^005E
_005F
`0060
a0061
b0062
c0063
d0064
e0065
f0066
g0067
h0068
i0069
j006A
k006B
l006C
m006D
n006E
o006F
p0070
q0071
r0072
s0073
t0074
u0075
v0076
w0077
x0078
y0079
z007A
{007B
|007C
}007D
~007E
 00A0
¡00A1
¢00A2
£00A3
¤00A4
¥00A5
¦00A6
¨00A8
©00A9
ª00AA
«00AB
¬00AC
­00AD
®00AE
¯00AF
°00B0
´00B4
µ00B5
00B6
·00B7
¸00B8
º00BA
»00BB
¿00BF
À00C0
Á00C1
Â00C2
Ã00C3
Ä00C4
Å00C5
Æ00C6
Ç00C7
È00C8
É00C9
Ê00CA
Ë00CB
Ì00CC
Í00CD
Î00CE
Ï00CF
Ð00D0
Ñ00D1
Ò00D2
Ó00D3
Ô00D4
Õ00D5
Ö00D6
×00D7
Ø00D8
Ù00D9
Ú00DA
Û00DB
Ü00DC
Ý00DD
Þ00DE
ß00DF
à00E0
á00E1
â00E2
ã00E3
ä00E4
å00E5
æ00E6
ç00E7
è00E8
é00E9
ê00EA
ë00EB
ì00EC
í00ED
î00EE
ï00EF
ð00F0
ñ00F1
ò00F2
ó00F3
ô00F4
õ00F5
ö00F6
÷00F7
ø00F8
ù00F9
ú00FA
û00FB
ü00FC
ý00FD
þ00FE
ÿ00FF
Ā0100
ā0101
Ă0102
ă0103
Ć0106
ć0107
Ĉ0108
ĉ0109
Ċ010A
ċ010B
Č010C
č010D
Ď010E
ď010FAfrican languages are more likely to use a caron than an apostrophe (see Caron Glyph Variants)
Đ0110
đ0111
Ē0112
ē0113
Ĕ0114
ĕ0115
Ė0116
ė0117
Ě011A
ě011B
Ĝ011C
ĝ011D
Ğ011E
ğ011F
Ġ0120
ġ0121
Ĥ0124
ĥ0125
Ħ0126
ħ0127
Ĩ0128
ĩ0129
Ī012A
ī012B
Ĭ012C
ĭ012D
İ0130
Ĵ0134
ĵ0135
Ĺ0139
ĺ013A
Ľ013DAfrican languages are more likely to use a caron than an apostrophe (see Caron Glyph Variants)
ľ013EAfrican languages are more likely to use a caron than an apostrophe (see Caron Glyph Variants)
Ń0143
ń0144
Ň0147
ň0148
Ŋ014AAfrican languages are most likely to want a large form of the lowercase character (see Uppercase Eng: Large form of small Eng (with descender) and Uppercase Eng: Large form of small Eng (no descender))
ŋ014B
Ō014C
ō014D
Ŏ014E
ŏ014F
Œ0152
œ0153
Ŕ0154
ŕ0155
Ř0158
ř0159
Ś015A
ś015B
Ŝ015C
ŝ015D
Ş015E
ş015F
Š0160
š0161
Ţ0162
ţ0163
Ť0164
ť0165African languages are more likely to use a caron than an apostrophe (see Caron Glyph Variants)
Ŧ0166
ŧ0167
Ũ0168
ũ0169
Ū016A
ū016B
Ŭ016C
ŭ016D
Ů016E
ů016F
Ŵ0174
ŵ0175
Ŷ0176
ŷ0177
Ÿ0178
Ź0179
ź017A
Ż017B
ż017C
Ž017D
ž017E
ƀ0180
Ɓ0181Two languages in Liberia use a glyph variant (see Glyph Variant for U+0181)
Ɔ0186African languages are most likely to want the serif at the top (see Glyph Variant for open o)
Ƈ0187
ƈ0188
Ɖ0189
Ɗ018A
Ǝ018E
Ə018F
Ɛ0190
Ƒ0191
ƒ0192
Ɠ0193
Ɣ0194
Ɩ0196
Ɨ0197
Ƙ0198
ƙ0199
Ɯ019C
Ɲ019DAfrican languages are most likely to want a large form of the lowercase character (see Glyph Variant for U+019D)
Ɵ019F
Ƥ01A4
ƥ01A5The Serer language of Senegal requires the hook at the top right of the bowl (see Glyph Variant for U+01A5)
Ʃ01A9
ƪ01AA
Ƭ01AC
ƭ01AD
Ʈ01AE
Ʊ01B1
Ʋ01B2One or two Liberian languages use a glyph with a distinct ""v"" appearance (see Glyph Variant for v with hook)
Ƴ01B3African languages are most likely to want a right hook (see Glyph Variant for U+01B3)
ƴ01B4
Ʒ01B7
ǀ01C0
ǁ01C1
ǂ01C2
ǃ01C3
Ǎ01CD
ǎ01CE
Ǐ01CF
ǐ01D0
Ǒ01D1
ǒ01D2
Ǔ01D3
ǔ01D4
Ǖ01D5
ǖ01D6
Ǘ01D7
ǘ01D8
Ǚ01D9
ǚ01DA
Ǜ01DB
ǜ01DC
ǝ01DD
Ǟ01DE
ǟ01DF
Ǡ01E0
ǡ01E1
Ǣ01E2
ǣ01E3
Ǧ01E6
ǧ01E7
Ǩ01E8
ǩ01E9
Ǯ01EE
ǯ01EF
ǰ01F0
Ǵ01F4
ǵ01F5
Ǹ01F8
ǹ01F9
Ǻ01FA
ǻ01FB
Ǽ01FC
ǽ01FD
Ǿ01FE
ǿ01FF
Ȃ0202
ȃ0203
Ȇ0206
ȇ0207
Ȋ020A
ȋ020B
Ȏ020E
ȏ020F
Ȓ0212
ȓ0213
Ȗ0216
ȗ0217
Ȟ021E
ȟ021F
Ȧ0226
ȧ0227
Ȩ0228
ȩ0229
Ȫ022A
ȫ022B
Ȭ022C
ȭ022D
Ȯ022E
ȯ022F
Ȱ0230
ȱ0231
Ȳ0232
ȳ0233
Ȼ023B
ȼ023C
ȿ023F
ɀ0240
Ƀ0243
Ʉ0244
Ʌ0245
Ɍ024C
ɍ024D
ɐ0250
ɑ0251When this character is used in an orthography then the italic face of a font must design the ""a"" italic characters to contrast with this character
ɒ0252
ɓ0253
ɔ0254African languages are most likely to want the serif at the top (see [Glyph Variant for open o)
ɖ0256
ɗ0257
ə0259
ɛ025B
ɠ0260
ɣ0263
ɥ0265
ɦ0266
ɨ0268
ɩ0269When this character is used in an orthography then the italic face of a font must design the ""i"" italic characters to contrast with this character
ɯ026F
ɲ0272
ɵ0275
ɽ027D
ʃ0283
ʈ0288
ʉ0289
ʊ028A
ʋ028BOne or two African languages use a glyph with a distinct ""v"" appearance (see Glyph Variant for v with hook)
ʌ028C
ʒ0292
ʔ0294
ʘ0298
ʼ02BC
ˈ02C8
◌̀0300
◌́0301
◌̂0302
◌̃0303
◌̄0304
◌̆0306
◌̇0307
◌̈0308
◌̊030A
◌̌030C
◌̍030D
◌̑0311
◌̣0323
◌̤0324
◌̥0325
◌̧0327
◌̩0329
◌̭032D
◌̮032E
◌̯032F
◌̰0330
◌̱0331
◌͏034F
ᵽ1D7D
◌᷄1DC4
◌᷅1DC5
◌᷆1DC6
◌᷇1DC7
◌᷈1DC8
◌᷉1DC9
Ḁ1E00
ḁ1E01
Ḃ1E02
ḃ1E03
Ḅ1E04
ḅ1E05
Ḇ1E06
ḇ1E07
Ḉ1E08
ḉ1E09
Ḋ1E0A
ḋ1E0B
Ḍ1E0C
ḍ1E0D
Ḏ1E0E
ḏ1E0F
Ḑ1E10
ḑ1E11
Ḓ1E12
ḓ1E13
Ḕ1E14
ḕ1E15
Ḗ1E16
ḗ1E17
Ḙ1E18
ḙ1E19
Ḛ1E1A
ḛ1E1B
Ḝ1E1C
ḝ1E1D
Ḟ1E1E
ḟ1E1F
Ḡ1E20
ḡ1E21
Ḣ1E22
ḣ1E23
Ḥ1E24
ḥ1E25
Ḧ1E26
ḧ1E27
Ḩ1E28
ḩ1E29
Ḫ1E2A
ḫ1E2B
Ḭ1E2C
ḭ1E2D
Ḯ1E2E
ḯ1E2F
Ḱ1E30
ḱ1E31
Ḳ1E32
ḳ1E33
Ḵ1E34
ḵ1E35
Ḷ1E36
ḷ1E37
Ḹ1E38
ḹ1E39
Ḻ1E3A
ḻ1E3B
Ḽ1E3C
ḽ1E3D
Ḿ1E3E
ḿ1E3F
Ṁ1E40
ṁ1E41
Ṃ1E42
ṃ1E43
Ṅ1E44
ṅ1E45
Ṇ1E46
ṇ1E47
Ṉ1E48
ṉ1E49
Ṋ1E4A
ṋ1E4B
Ṍ1E4C
ṍ1E4D
Ṏ1E4E
ṏ1E4F
Ṑ1E50
ṑ1E51
Ṓ1E52
ṓ1E53
Ṕ1E54
ṕ1E55
Ṗ1E56
ṗ1E57
Ṙ1E58
ṙ1E59
Ṛ1E5A
ṛ1E5B
Ṝ1E5C
ṝ1E5D
Ṟ1E5E
ṟ1E5F
Ṡ1E60
ṡ1E61
Ṣ1E62
ṣ1E63
Ṥ1E64
ṥ1E65
Ṧ1E66
ṧ1E67
Ṩ1E68
ṩ1E69
Ṫ1E6A
ṫ1E6B
Ṭ1E6C
ṭ1E6D
Ṯ1E6E
ṯ1E6F
Ṱ1E70
ṱ1E71
Ṳ1E72
ṳ1E73
Ṵ1E74
ṵ1E75
Ṷ1E76
ṷ1E77
Ṹ1E78
ṹ1E79
Ṻ1E7A
ṻ1E7B
Ṽ1E7C
ṽ1E7D
Ṿ1E7E
ṿ1E7F
Ẁ1E80
ẁ1E81
Ẃ1E82
ẃ1E83
Ẅ1E84
ẅ1E85
Ẇ1E86
ẇ1E87
Ẉ1E88
ẉ1E89
Ẋ1E8A
ẋ1E8B
Ẍ1E8C
ẍ1E8D
Ẏ1E8E
ẏ1E8F
Ẑ1E90
ẑ1E91
Ẓ1E92
ẓ1E93
Ẕ1E94
ẕ1E95
ẖ1E96
ẗ1E97
ẘ1E98
ẙ1E99
Ạ1EA0
ạ1EA1
Ấ1EA4A font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
ấ1EA5A font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
Ầ1EA6A font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
ầ1EA7A font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
Ẫ1EAA
ẫ1EAB
Ậ1EAC
ậ1EAD
Ắ1EAE
ắ1EAF
Ằ1EB0
ằ1EB1
Ẵ1EB4
ẵ1EB5
Ặ1EB6
ặ1EB7
Ẹ1EB8
ẹ1EB9
Ẽ1EBC
ẽ1EBD
Ế1EBEA font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
ế1EBFA font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
Ề1EC0A font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
ề1EC1A font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
Ễ1EC4
ễ1EC5
Ệ1EC6
ệ1EC7
Ị1ECA
ị1ECB
Ọ1ECC
ọ1ECD
Ố1ED0A font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
ố1ED1A font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
Ồ1ED2A font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
ồ1ED3A font for Africa should not have this character designed for Vietnamese (see Glyph Variants for Vietnamese Characters)
Ỗ1ED6
ỗ1ED7
Ộ1ED8
ộ1ED9
Ụ1EE4
ụ1EE5
Ỳ1EF2
ỳ1EF3
Ỵ1EF4
ỵ1EF5
Ỹ1EF8
ỹ1EF9
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008
 2009
 200A
​200B
‌200C
‍200D
‎200E
‏200F
‐2010
‑2011
‒2012
–2013
—2014
―2015
‘2018
’2019
‚201A
‛201B
“201C
”201D
‟201F
†2020
‡2021
•2022
․2024
‥2025
…2026
‧2027

2028

2029
‪202A
‫202B
‬202C
‭202D
‮202E
 202F
‹2039
›203A
⁠2060
₦20A6
€20AC
₵20B5
™2122
◌25CC
Ᵽ2C63
Ɽ2C64There is a glyph variant for this character, however, it is the capital ""R"" form that is preferred (see Glyph Variant for U+2C64).
Ɑ2C6D
Ɐ2C6F
Ɒ2C70
Ⱳ2C72
ⱳ2C73
Ȿ2C7E
Ɀ2C7F
꞉A789
꞊A78A
ꞋA78B
ꞌA78C
ꞍA78D
ꞪA7AA
ffFB00
fiFB01
flFB02
ffiFB03
fflFB04
�FFFD

This article formerly appeared on ScriptSource.