Downloading and Installing IPA Fonts

As you probably know, all computer information is composed of bits:

• Bits are grouped in sevens to comprise the ASCII code which represents standard keyboard characters.
• How those characters look on your screen is determined by two factors:
  • A tag in the document that specifies the FONT in which the characters should be rendered.
  • A file in your computer with instructions on how to draw or RENDER the characters in that FONT.

It is this last file that you need to download and install on your computer in order to view your texts correctly. In order to download the IPA fonts, please go to the following website:

Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Fonts.

• Click on "Download the SIL IPA Fonts Now."
• Click on the Windows or Macintosh "SIL Encore IPA93 Fonts" link.
• Download and install the fonts as per the instructions on the website.
• You may wish to create a folder for "Downloads" and another for "SIL IPA" to hold the executables.