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I want to be able to type efficiently in Ukrainian on my MacBook Pro computer.

If possible, I want to just print out a piece of paper that's at the same scale as my actual keyboard, and lay it over my keyboard when I need to use it.

Do such resources exist, and if so, how do I search for them? What keywords should I use?

I can find a diagram of what a Ukrainian keyboard more or less looks like at http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/russian-ukrainian-layout-mac/ , but it doesn't look like an exact match.

Update: Turns out what I want, if purchased, is called a "keyboard cover".

Golden Cuy
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  • Hmm, that's not really a language learning question, is it? I know it is useful when you learn Ukrainian, but it is essentially a computer question. – Tsundoku Jan 18 '17 at 11:17
  • I'm voting to close this question as off-topic. See Christophe Strobbe's comment. – Tom Au Mar 24 '17 at 00:30

1 Answers1

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A bit cynical answer

Once you've installed a keyboard layout on Mac, you can print it out via the toolbar button on the view layout window.

Ukrainian layout on Mac

A more constructive :-) answer

The standard Mac layout for Ukrainian is awful:

  • it has і and и swapped;
  • it has comma and period in unusual places Shift+6 and Shift+7;
  • apostrophe is misplaced;

The solution is Ukrainian Typographic Layout (Windows/Mac) based on Ilya Birman's typographic layout (the latter is a huge topic, see below).

I actually use it myself (a derivative of). It is a combined Ukrainian/Byelorussian/Russian layout. For example, I have Ukrainian і placed on S, while Russian ы under AltGr+S.
At the same time, UA/BY/RU в is under D, while AltGr+D gives me a Byelorussian ў.

Note. There are different layouts available, they differ on what is "default" and what us under AltGr — either it is Ukrainian or Russian, depending on what language you type more.

Offtopic, in addition, this layout quickly makes you familiar with “extended” punctuation marks like «double quotes», ½ fractions, and so on…

Once you've got it installed, just print it as specified in the above chapter.

Further reading on Ilya Birman's layout:

Caveat: most sites on the topic are in Russian, so you need some online translator to employ.

Be Brave Be Like Ukraine
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  • The Russian browser "Yandex" [www.yandex.ru] includes an outstanding multi-language Translator function ("Пепеводцик") that can accessed from the browser's main/home page. The dictionary-like definitions in the translations (e.g., Russian<->Ukrainian) include grammar, usage, synonyms, and antonyms. – К. Келлогг Смиф Apr 10 '17 at 16:26
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    @К.КеллоггСмиф, I would not recommend Yandex browser if you care about the malware, and especially if it detects a Ukrainian keyboard layout (or just an IP address) on your computer, considering the events that occur since February, 2014. It could be an option before that, perhaps. – Be Brave Be Like Ukraine Apr 10 '17 at 20:44
  • I do appreciate your comment with your concerns about matters that worry you but regretfully, I'm not qualified to help you overcome your fears. – К. Келлогг Смиф Apr 11 '17 at 02:29
  • can you link your combined Ua-By-Ru keyboard? – Dima Lituiev Jul 16 '17 at 01:29
  • @DimaLituiev, I'm afraid that no. Downloading binaries from unidentified strangers on the Internet is way too unsafe. However, you may download the standard Birman's version and then modify it for yourself. I think that both Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator (Windows) and Ukelele (MacOS) are free software. – Be Brave Be Like Ukraine Jul 16 '17 at 09:23