For generations, the Tiprasa people have carried their language in songs, stories, and spoken wisdom. Today, with Yapiri, we can finally write it with the same grace and belonging it deserves. But how do you bring these elegant glyphs from screen to fingertips?
The answer is the Yapiri Keyman Keyboard — a beautifully designed, phoneme-organized layout that makes typing in Yapiri feel natural and intuitive.
Why Keyman?
Keyman, developed by SIL International, is the world’s leading tool for typing in minority and indigenous languages. The Yapiri keyboard uses a logical layout where consonants and vowels are grouped by sound family, with the actual Yapiri glyphs visible on every key. No more hunting for characters — just type as you speak.
Step-by-Step Installation Guide
Install Keyman Software
Visit the official Keyman website and download the version for your platform:
- Windows / macOS / Linux — Keyman Desktop
- Android — Keyman for Android (available on the Google Play Store)
Download the Yapiri Keyboard Package
Go to the Yapiri Downloads page and click Download .kmp.
Save the file yapiri.kmp to an easily accessible location on your device.
Install the Keyboard
On Desktop: Simply double-click the yapiri.kmp file. Keyman will launch and guide you through installation automatically.
On Android: Open the downloaded file with Keyman, or go to Keyman Settings → Install Keyboard → From File.
Start Typing in Yapiri
Desktop: Click the Keyman icon in your system tray and select Yapiri Script. Open any text editor and begin typing.
Android: Enable Keyman as your input method in system settings, then tap the keyboard switch icon in any text field to select Yapiri.
Typing Tips for Beautiful Yapiri
- Phoneme-first: The keyboard is organized by sound groups. Vowels, consonants, and tone marks each have their dedicated zone — learn the zones once and typing becomes second nature.
- Aspirated consonants: Sounds like kh, th, ph, and ch are each a single Yapiri glyph. On the keyboard they each have their own key — you do not need to type two letters.
- Reduplication mark: Use the dedicated key for the reduplication diacritic (U+030B) when writing repeated syllables or words — a distinctive feature of Kokborok grammar.
- High tone mark: Apply the combining acute (U+0301) above the vowel of a high-toned syllable where meaning depends on it.
- Schwa mid-word: The schwa vowel (U+E005) is used for the /ə/ sound that appears in many Kokborok words mid-position — never word-initial.
Alternative — The Web Keyboard
Don’t have Keyman yet? Try the Web Keyboard on yapiriscript.com — a fully functional on-screen keyboard that works instantly in your browser, with no installation required. Perfect for quick notes, learning the layout before committing to a system install, or typing from a device where you cannot install software.
The Joy of Writing Your Own Language
Every keystroke in Yapiri is an act of cultural affirmation. You are not just typing letters — you are leaving yapiri (footprints) for future generations to follow.
Whether you are writing poetry, documenting family stories, creating educational materials, or simply sending a message to a friend — the Yapiri Keyman keyboard makes it possible with elegance and ease.
Begin your journey today. The script is ready. The language is waiting. Your words deserve to be written in their true form.
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