A JavaScript package for creating custom transliterations of Greek.

npm i greek-transliteration

Download or clone this repository.

cd greek-transliteration
npm install
npm run build

const grc = require("greek-transliteration");
grc.transliterate("θεός");
// "theos"

Takes string and optionally a Schema or Partial<Schema>.

grc.transliterate("υἱοῦ θεοῦ");
// "huiou theou"

If no Schema is passed, then the package defaults to SBL's academic style.

You can pass in a Partial<Schema> that will modify SBL's academic style:

grc.transliterate("θεος", { SMALL_THETA: "þ" });
// "þeous"

If you need a fully customized transliteration, it is best to use the Schema constructor:

const schema = new grc.Schema({
  SMALL_EPSILON: "3",
  SMALL_THETA: "þ",
  SMALL_OMICRON: "ø",
  SMALL_FINAL_SIGMA: "ß",
  ...
}) // truncated for brevity

grc.transliterate("θεος", schema);
// "þ3øß"

A Schema is used to define a schema for transliteration. See the Schema source for all available properties.

The Schema can be divided into a few categories.

Small characters are required and represent the basic Greek lowercase characters — αβγδεζηθικλμνξοπρστυφχψω.

They are all prefixed with SMALL_.

grc.transliterate("α", { SMALL_ALPHA: "a" });
// "a"

Uppercase characters are not required and represent the basic Greek uppercase characters — ΑΒΓΔΕΖΗΘΙΚΛΜΝΞΟΠΡΣΤΥΦΧΨΩ.

They are all prefixed with CAPITAL_.

If no transliteration is provided, the schema defaults to calling .toUpperCase() on the small form. This is true of any property with CAPITAL_.

const schema = new grc.Schema({
  SMALL_ALPHA: "a",
  CAPITAL_DELTA: "D"
  ...
}) // truncated for brevity
grc.transliterate("AΔ", schema);
// "AD"

The SMALL_GAMMA_NASAL and CAPITAL_GAMMA_NASAL represent a gamma any time it is followed by a gamma, kappa, xi, or chi (e.g. γγ, γκ, γξ, γχ).

grc.transliterate("ἄγγελος", { SMALL_GAMMA_NASAL: "n" });
// "angelos"

The SMALL_DOUBLE_RHO and CAPITAL_DOUBLE_RHO represent any two rhos together (e.g. ρρ).

grc.transliterate("Πύρρος", { SMALL_DOUBLE_RHO: "rrh" });
// "Pyrrhos"

The SMALL_UPSILON_DIPTHONG and CAPITAL_UPSILON_DIPTHONG represent anytime when a upsilon is used in a diphthong (e.g. αυ, ευ, ηυ, ου, υι)

grc.transliterate("αυτου", { SMALL_UPSILON_DIPTHONG: "u" });
// "autou"

// BUT, if a DIAERESIS is separating the diphthong
transliterate("πραϋσμός", { SMALL_UPSILON_DIPTHONG: "u" });
// "praysmos"

The ROUGH_BREATHING_MARK represents the DASIA character, used over vowels and rho.

grc.transliterate("ὕμνος", { ROUGH_BREATHING_MARK: "h" });
// "hymnos"

There is one property for functionality called preserveCapitals.

If preserveCapitals is false, then all capital Greek characters are converted to their small (i.e. lowercase) forms.

grc.transliterate("Αα", { preserveCapitals: false });
// "aa"

MIT

Use it live at charlesLoder.github.io/greekTransliteration

Please feel free to Fork, create Pull Requests, or submit issues.