Nuosu SIL - About
About this project
This project provides a free and open font for the Yi script. Nuosu SIL (originally SIL Yi) was developed in 2000 as a single Unicode font for the standardized Yi script used by a large ethnic group in southwestern China.
The traditional Yi scripts have been in use for centuries, and have a tremendous number of local variants. The script was standardized in the 1970's by the Chinese government. In the process of standardization, 820 symbols from the traditional scripts of the Liangshan region were chosen to form a syllabary.
The syllable inventory of a speech variety from Xide County, Sichuan was used as the phonological basis for standardization. For the most part there is one symbol per phonologically-distinct syllable and vice-versa. The direction of writing and reading was standardized as left-to-right. Punctuation symbols were borrowed from Chinese, and a diacritic was incorporated into the system to mark one of the tones.
For more information on the visual characteristics of the font family see Design.
Future plans
Please send us your requests using the form on the font website. If you are interested in helping us make the fonts better see the Developer page.
Announcement list
If you wish to receive announcements about updates to any of our SIL fonts, please subscribe to our SIL Font News Announcement List. This is an announcement-only list with messages approximately once a month. It does not allow any discussion.
You can subscribe using either of the two following options.
If you use a Google profile and join the group, you will be able to access the group and control your subscription and notification options with a web browser. Make sure you are logged in to your Google profile and go to the SIL Font News Google Group. Click on Join group.
If you would rather not use a Google profile, you can subscribe any email address by sending a message to sil-font-news+subscribe@groups.sil.org and following the instructions you get in the confirmation message.
Our font announcements are also available through Twitter [@silfonts](http://twitter.com/silfonts).
Supporting the project
These fonts are provided at no cost, however they are expensive to produce and maintain. Please consider donating to SIL’s font development efforts to support future development. Go to SIL’s Give Direct page and designate your gift for Scripts & Fonts. Thank you!
About SIL International
SIL International is a global, faith-based nonprofit that works with local communities around the world to develop language solutions that expand possibilities for a better life.
We are involved in approximately 1,350 active language projects in 104 countries. These projects impact more than 1.1 billion people within 1,600 local communities. SIL’s work brings together more than 4,300 staff from 89 countries who work alongside thousands more local partners and community volunteers worldwide. Our services are available without regard to religious belief, political ideology, gender, race or ethnic background.
Our Vision: We long to see people flourishing in community using the languages they value most.
Our Mission: Inspired by God’s love, we advocate, build capacity, and work with local communities to apply language expertise that advances meaningful development, education, and engagement with Scripture.
SIL Language Technology supports these activities by developing software, fonts, and keyboard technologies.