From Qalam to keyboard: Mapping Arabic Unicode and proposing a new input method for Arabic script
The languages that use the Arabic script are diverse. Each has modified the Arabic alphabet slightly to suit its own phonology, often by altering the number or placement of dots above or below letters. For example, Persian includes four additional letters with three dots to represent sounds absent in the Arabic alphabet. Consequently, each language has a distinct keyboard layout on digital devices. Originally, the Arabic script lacked diacritical marks. These were introduced systematically in the 6th century to differentiate letters with the same base form. This history explains their flexibility in size and placement. Adjusting the length and position of diacritics can shape the balance between positive and negative space in text. With the emergence of movable type, dots were considered as part of the letterforms. This greatly increased the number of glyphs required, and to reduce production costs, letterforms were simplified and alternative combinations omitted. With computers, this same logic was carried into digital fonts: in Unicode, dots are considered as integral parts of letters rather than as separate diacritical marks. This complicates keyboard layouts for users and forces type designers to generate multiple variations of the same base form with different dot positions to complete a glyph set. Fixing dots to letters has deprived the Arabic script of much of its inherent flexibility. I have been developing an interactive digital platform, accessible to everyone, that classifies all Arabic characters in Unicode by language and phonetic value, and provides guidance on their correct design. Building on this project, I have created a new input method for the Arabic script called Rasm, which separates base forms from dots. In this presentation, I will demonstrate this keyboard and show how rethinking Arabic type in the digital era can simplify typing for users and streamline font creation for designers.