Diné/Eng Keyboard


Diné/Eng Keyboard link
Android
Click the image above to get your copy!

Welcome to the home of Diné/Eng Keyboard on the web. Here you will find answers to some of your questions, features list, as well as instructions on usage.

NEW: Information on the new Premium features can be found in the Usage and Features sections below! 😲

Information on the Study feature can also be found in the Usage and Features sections below.

*Note: Install instructions can be found in the videos section

We want to thank our supporters. We appreciate the support, and will continue to strive to improve and make the keyboard better. 👍🏽

Ahéhee' 🙏🏽

Videos


Diné/Eng Keyboard (installing and usage)

Android 14 (U): Settings -> System -> Keyboard -> On-screen keyboard -> toggle Diné/Eng Keyboard

Android 13 (T): Settings -> System -> Languages & Input -> On-screen keyboard -> toggle Diné/Eng Keyboard

Android 11/12 (R/S): Settings -> System -> Languages & input -> On-screen keyboard -> Manage on-screen keyboards -> toggle Diné/Eng Keyboard

Android 8/9/10 (Oreo/Pie/Q): Settings -> System -> Languages & input -> Virtual keyboard -> Manage keyboards -> toggle Diné/Eng Keyboard

Android 7 (Nougat): Settings -> Languages & input -> Virtual keyboard -> Manage keyboards -> toggle Diné/Eng Keyboard

*Possible alternate: Settings-> General management-> Language and input-> Default keyboard-> Diné/Eng Keyboard

*New: 'Allow display over other apps' permission is required. The keyboard should automatically ask for the permission. If it does not, you can manually give permission: *

12/13/14 (S/T/U): Apps -> All apps -> Diné/Eng Keyboard -> Display over other apps -> toggle 'Allow display over other apps'

10/11 (Q/R): Settings -> Apps & notifications -> 'See all xx apps' or 'App info' -> Diné/Eng Keyboard -> Advanced -> Display over other apps -> toggle 'Allow display over other apps'

*Note: your mileage may vary according to the kind of overlay software your phone may be running. These guides are based on standard (vanilla) Android, and may be different for you. They serve as general guidance to help you through the process. Unfortunately, this may also affect the keyboard working correctly, and for some people, the keyboard may not operate correctly because of the overlay software their phone came with. Fixing these particular issues are difficult and an ongoing process.

Diné/Eng Keyboard (frequently used words system)

Diné/Eng Keyboard usage examples for the frequently used words system. *Hoozdoh is not currently part of the word list, but it can still be a part of the frequently used words system, just like any word that is found as a suggestion.

*Hoozdoh has been added, but the process remains true for any word not found in the system

Q&A


What is the purpose of the Diné/Eng Keyboard?

To be a replacement keyboard for native Diné Bizaad speakers, enabling users to communicate completely in their native language.

Why is English part of the Diné/Eng Keyboard?

The keyboard offers English as well, allowing for usage across the entire spectrum of speakers. Initially, our main goal was to fill the gap of an underserved language, in this case Diné Bizaad. However, there is a large group of people who would be interesed in using the keyboard for things like practicing to spell, to read, and to learn the language. For this reason, we offer both, so that a user can go between languages without having to switch keyboards constantly.

I want to help, how can I be involved?

We would like to offer the keyboard information in either language, for example, the Settings of the keyboard. If you want to take a stab at doing some translations, and send them to us, we welcome the help.

I heard about this app, but I'm not Diné, what about my language?

This app/keyboard can easily support any written language, though our main focus would be on our fellow Native languages that do not have their own keyboards. Are you a person of authority amongst your people and are interested in a keyboard for your language?, contact us.

Hey, I typed in a word, and the keyboard suggestions didn't find it. How come?

We plan on adding thousands more words to the keyboard, but the amount of support received will likely determine how much resources we can continue to put into the app. Initially, the word list will not be large, but over time, we hope to cover the entirety of the language.

Why did the Diné/Eng Keyboard crash while I was using it?

Keyboard software is more complicated than it seems. We are continually trying to improve, especially crashes.

Why was the Diné/Eng Keyboard so slow when I was using it?

This is something we are aware of. We are continually striving to find ways to improve performance.

How come the Diné/Eng Keyboard isn't what I wanted, and it doesn't live up to my lofty expectations?

We hate to disappoint. We hope our users understand we do the best we can with what little resources we have currently at our disposal. We will try to do better. :\

How come the Diné/Eng Keyboard isn't as good as my normal keyboard?

We are doing the best we can. :)

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Features


The Diné/Eng Keyboard is very versatile, and allows for lots of customization
Settings can now be found directly from the keyboard by long-pressing the comma or period key

User can choose haptic feedback (vibration) or not

User can choose key press sound or not

User can choose to have default suggestions or not to help speed up typing

User can pick from 9 different colors to display keyboard

User can choose to show or not show key borders for all available colors

User can choose to display key preview or not

User can turn on/off Diné Bizaad suggestions

User can turn on/off English suggestions

User can turn on/off 'smart space' feature (add a space after picking a word suggestion. The keyboard removes the space if unnecessary)

User can choose to show or not show recently used words in the suggestions list

User can choose to allow multi-word search or not

User can choose to allow potentially offensive words

User can choose to clear frequently used Diné Bizaad words (empty memory)

User can choose to clear frequently used English words (emtpy memory)

User can choose to clear frequently used Custom words (empty memory)

User can view simple Diné Bizaad and English pronunciation guides (pinch-to-zoom allowed)

User can choose to have keyboard handle glottals when picking from keyboard suggestions

Study Feature

User can switch which language is currently being studied

User can study the Numbers list in random or ascending order

User can choose to study in a flash card, multiple choice, or spelling style

Current study lists are Numbers (1-10), Colors, Body Parts, Animals, Family, Fruits, Vegetables, Food, Clothes, Insects, Ordinals, Months, Days, Numbers (11-20), Peoples, Money, Places, Custom, and All

Usage


Let's go over correct usage of some features

What are the Premium features? We are excited to release the new Premium features. Premium allows usage of the Number Generator and study lists 'All' and 'Custom'.

The Number Generator will aid you in your study of Numbers. You can type a number in Navajo, English, or the actual number, and the Number Generator will give you the other two.

The 'All' study list allows you to study every study list together as one.

The 'Custom' study list allows you to pick and choose any combination of the previously released study lists together as one. From Study settings, you pick which topics to study from the 'Custom' section. Then, make sure you have chosen 'Custom' from the 'Topic' section.

What is the Study feature? We are excited to finally release our long-planned Study feature. This feature will aid you in learning either language. Currently, you can study Numbers (1-10), Colors, Body Parts, Animals, Family, Fruits, Vegetables, Food, Clothes, Insects, Ordinals, Months, Days, Numbers (11-20), Peoples, Money, or Places in a flash card, multiple choice, or spelling style. In the coming months new study lists/topics will be added. The Study feature can be found on the key with the open book icon (📖<-similar to this).

Find the Study feature by pressing the top right key on the keyboard, or the following keys: ?123 -> ~\^ -> 📖(directly to right of space key)

What is Key Preview? This setting will show the user which key is currently being touched by enlarging the key, making it easy for the user to see. By default, this feature is turned on.

What are Suggestions? The keyboard attempts to guess what word you are typing by showing some suggestions at the top of the keyboard as you type. This is the unique feature of this keyboard, since no other keyboard does this, or does this as well as the Diné/Eng Keyboard for Diné Bizaad.

The keyboard allows to turn off just English suggestions, or just Diné Bizaad suggestions, or have both of them on, or to not have any suggestions at all. By default, this feature is turned on for both languages.

Why is there a setting to add a space after picking a suggestion? This is merely a user's preference. Some people prefer to have a space, others do not. Adding a space after picking a suggestion can be thought of as helping speed up typing. This setting also will remove the space if the next key press determines the space key unnecessary. By default, this feature is turned on.

What is the recently used suggestions setting? The keyboard remembers the words you pick from the suggestions list, and puts those at the beginning of subsequent searches, thus attempting to speed up the process of finding the word you want. The keyboard does this for both Diné Bizaad and English, or just one or the other, providing your most used words first. By default, this feature is turned on for both languages.

What is Multi-word search? The keyboard will allow and search for Diné Bizaad words that are comprised of more than one word as typing occurs, as opposed to searching for a single word each time you type something. Multi-word search can be completed by picking one of the suggestions, or pressing the space key twice, and the delete key once. Once completed, resume typing new word. By default this setting is turned off.

The keyboard is also very flexible in allowing the user to clear any of the frequently used word lists (Diné Bizaad, English, Custom).

What is the custom word list, or custom list of frequently used words? There will be times when the user will come across words that don't exist in the possible words for the keyboard to suggest, Diné Bizaad and English. The keyboard allows the user to type a missing word, and it will show as the only suggestion. The user can then pick this suggestion, and it will show up as a frequently used word in suggestions.

How does the keyboard 'memory' work? There are 20 slots for Diné Bizaad words, 20 for English words, and 10 slots for custom word entries. As you use the keyboard and its memory, entries will be entered in a FIFO (First In, First Out) fashion. You can think of each list as a conveyor belt, that moves in a single direction, one slot per suggestion picked. So, each time a suggestion is picked, the word goes on the conveyor belt, and it is moved one unit. This means if frequently used words happen 1 in 20 times, that word would never leave the frequently used words list.

Why is this so complicated? We strive to provide a comprehensive, flexible, and best solution possible. Luckily, the keyboard is ready to go upon installation without any knowledge whatsoever of the information contained on this website. :)

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