WD2000: General Information About International and Multilingual Features

ID: Q212400

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word 2000

SUMMARY

This article answers the more frequently asked questions about international and multilingual features in Microsoft Word 2000.


MORE INFORMATION

  1. What are multilingual features?

    Microsoft Word 2000 supports editing and viewing of documents in more than 80 languages by taking advantage of the Unicode text encoding standard. If you work with documents that contain text in more than one language, if you work in a multinational organization, or if you share documents with people who use Office on systems that run in other languages, you or your system administrator can customize Word 2000 to handle conventions and requirements unique to each language. You can also make language-specific commands and features available within Word

    Here are a few examples of ways you can use multilingual features:


    • Automatic language detection

      The English (U.S.) version of Word 2000 comes with proofing tools for English, Spanish, and French. When you open a document or enter text, Microsoft Word can automatically detect the language of the text and use the appropriate spelling and grammar dictionaries, punctuation rules, and sorting conventions for that language. Also, when you copy text in one of these languages into your document, or check spelling in a document that contains text in more than one of these languages, Word can use the spelling dictionaries installed for each language. If you have the Microsoft Proofing Tools Kit, you can perform these tasks in many more languages.


    • Correct date, time, number style

      When you enter dates and times, Word can format them in the correct style for different languages.


    • Asian characters
      With a special program called a Global Input Method Editor (Global IME), you can type characters for Asian languages into a Word document on an English-language system. You can then use word-breaking and text formatting conventions specific to Asian text.


    • Text editing in right-to-left languages

      On a system that supports right-to-left languages (such as Arabic), you can edit text in those languages; Word will display and format them correctly.


    • Web pages

      You can create multilingual Web pages and intranet content in Word.


  2. How can I set up my computer to work in more than one language?

    Some languages require additional system support for entering characters. For example, to enter ideographic characters for Asian languages, you must install a Global IME; run an Asian version of Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0; or run Windows 2000. For some non-Asian languages, you might also need to install the correct keyboard layout so that you can enter characters particular to that language.

    For example, install the Greek keyboard so that you can enter characters such as Sigma and Zeta. After you change your keyboard layout, the characters that appear on your screen might no longer correspond to the characters printed on your keyboard.

    A keyboard layout program that comes with the Microsoft Office 2000 Proofing Tools and the Microsoft Office 2000 MultiLanguage Pack shows you the keyboard layouts for different languages. You can also download the keyboard layout program from the Microsoft Office Update Web site at the following Web address:
    http://officeupdate.microsoft.com
    Although Word 2000 installs many of the files you need, especially on Windows 2000, in some versions of Windows you might need to install system support for multiple languages.

    Do the following to set up your computer to work in more than one language:


    • Install the correct keyboard layout.


      1. On the Windows Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.


      2. Double-click the Keyboard icon.


      3. Do one of the following:


        • If you are running Microsoft Windows 95 or later, click the Language tab.

          -or-


        • If you are running Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0 or Windows 2000, click the Input Locales tab.


      4. Click Add.


      5. Do one of the following:


        • If you are running Windows 95 or later, click the language you want in the Language list, and then click OK.

          -or-


        • If you are running Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000, click the language you want in the Input locale list, and then click OK.


      6. If you want to be able to switch keyboard layouts by using the Windows taskbar, make sure the Enable indicator on taskbar check box is selected.


    • Install one of the following:


      • Microsoft Office 2000 Proofing Tools

        The English version of Microsoft Word 2000 comes with proofing tools for English, Spanish, and French. To check spelling in other languages, use the Microsoft Office 2000 Proofing Tools. These proofing tools provide the fonts, localized templates, and spelling and grammar checkers you need to create and edit documents in different languages when using Word. Other items you will find in the proofing tools are AutoCorrect lists, AutoSummarize rules, and, for Asian languages, Input Method Editors (IMEs).

        For answers to the more frequently asked questions about the Microsoft Office 2000 Proofing Tools, please visit the following Microsoft Web address:
        http://www.microsoft.com/office/multilingual/proofing.htm
        In the 50 United States and Washington, D.C., the Office 2000 Proofing Tools CD is available through online order only. It is not available in retail stores. Throughout the rest of the world, the CD is available in stores.

        To order the Microsoft Office 2000 Proofing Tools, follow these steps:

        1. Go to the following Microsoft Web address:


          2. http://shop.microsoft.com/
        2. On the menu bar, click Software and then click Business Software.


        3. Under Choose A Category, click Word Processing.


        4. In the Word Processing list that is returned, click Microsoft® Proofing Tools.


        Corporations and other organizations can obtain the proofing tools through an appropriate volume licensing arrangement. Open License customers can obtain the proofing tools through a local or mail-order reseller or a retailer. Select and Enterprise Agreement customers can obtain Office 2000 Proofing Tools through their normal distribution processes.

        Multinational organizations may consider licensing Office 2000 with the MultiLanguage Pack, which includes the Office 2000 Proofing Tools. To find out more, visit the Options for Multinational Organizations page:
        http://www.microsoft.com/Office/enterprise/prodinfo/multinat/default.htm
        -or-


      • Microsoft Office 2000 MultiLanguage Pack

        The MultiLanguage Pack provides the translated text for the user interface and Help for Word. (The Microsoft Office 2000 MultiLanguage Pack also includes the Microsoft Office 2000 Proofing Tools.)

        The MultiLanguage Pack works with Word 2000 running on Windows 95 or later or Windows NT version 4.0. Windows 2000 provides the most support for the most languages, and it is recommended for extensive multilingual use.

        For more information about how Microsoft Office 2000 enables multilingual creation of documents, please see the Office 2000 in a Multinational Organization white paper at the following Microsoft Web address:


        • http://www.microsoft.com/office/enterprise/evaluation/wwapp.htm
        For more information about the availability of the Microsoft Office 2000 MultiLanguage Pack, please see the following Microsoft Web address:
        http://www.microsoft.com/office/enterprise/evaluation/MultiLang.htm
    • Install system support for multiple languages

      Do one of the following appropriate for your system:


      • Windows NT 4.0

        System support for multiple languages in Windows NT 4.0 is automatically installed.

        -or-


      • Windows 2000

        This procedure applies only if you are running a language version of Windows 2000 that doesn't match the language you want to type. Use this procedure when you want to enter characters for Baltic, Central European, Cyrillic, Greek, Turkish, and Asian languages, or right-to-left languages (Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi, and Urdu) in Microsoft Office 2000 programs.


        1. On the Windows Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.


        2. Double-click the Regional Settings icon.


        3. On the General tab, click the language you want in the Available list, and then click Add.


        4. Repeat step 3 for each language you want.



        -or-

      • Windows 95 or Windows 98

        This procedure applies only if you are running a language version of Windows 95 or Windows 98 that doesn't match the language you want to type. Use this procedure when you want to be able to enter characters for Baltic, Central European, Cyrillic, Greek, and Turkish languages in Microsoft Office 2000 programs.


        1. On the Windows Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.


        2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.


        3. Click the Windows Setup tab.


        4. In the Components list, click Multilanguage Support, and then click Details.


        5. Select the check boxes next to the languages you want to use.


          6. NOTE: Installing multilanguage support in Windows 95 disables the euro currency patch if it has been installed. Install the patch again to restore euro currency support.

          For additional information, please click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
          Q232176 Adding Multilingual Support Removes the Euro Fonts

  3. How can I enable Word to work in more than one language?

    To set up Word to work in more than one language, you can do the following:


    • Enable languages for editing

      After your system is set up to support the languages you use, you must make those languages available for editing Word documents. (Different languages aren't made available automatically in order to avoid adding menu commands that you won't use, and to optimize Word to use only the languages you need.) When you enable editing for certain languages, special features for working in those languages are available in Word. For example, if you install the English (U.S.) version of Word and you enable editing for Japanese, commands for formatting Japanese text appear on the Format menu in Word.

      To enable editing of multiple languages in Word, do the following steps:


      1. On the Windows Start menu, point to Programs, point to Office Tools, and then click Microsoft Office Language Settings.


      2. On the Enabled Languages tab, select the check boxes next to the languages you want.


      NOTE: In Microsoft Word, when you have enabled editing for a specific language and installed the Microsoft Office 2000 Proofing Tools, Word can automatically detect that language in documents and apply the correct proofing tools.

      NOTE: Some languages—for example, Asian, right-to-left, and Central European languages—have system requirements that must be met before you can type characters for those languages in Office programs. For most other languages, you can install the correct keyboard layout to type characters for that language.

    • Change language settings for text in a document

      As you work in Word, you can set the language of the text so that the correct proofing tools are used, and you can add language-specific words to a custom dictionary. You can fine-tune the ways the program handles text in different languages. For example, you can turn automatic language detection on or off, sort lists and tables according to the rules of the language you choose, and summarize documents in the language you choose.


    • Change the user interface and Help languages

      You can use the Microsoft Office 2000 MultiLanguage Pack, which allows you to change the language of the user interface and Help.


  4. What are the system requirements for Asian, right-to-left, and other types of languages?


    5. Asian languages (Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Korean)

    To enter ideographic characters for these languages, use one of the following operating systems:

    • Any language version of Microsoft Windows 2000

      If you are running a language version of Windows 2000 that doesn't match the language that you want to type, you must first install support for the language and then install the Input Method Editor (IME) for the language.


    • Any language version of Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT version 4.0

      If the language version of your operating system is the same as the language you want to type, IMEs are included with these systems. The Microsoft Office 2000 Proofing Tools includes updated IMEs for these systems.

      If the language version of your operating system doesn't match the language you want to type, install a Global Input Method Editor (Global IME). Global IMEs allow you to enter Asian text in Microsoft Word, in Microsoft Outlook e-mail messages, and in Microsoft Internet Explorer. Other Office programs require an Asian operating system or Windows 2000 to allow you to enter Asian text.


    Baltic, Central European, Cyrillic, Greek, and Turkish languages

    To enter characters for these languages, use one of the following operating systems:

    • The corresponding language version of Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000

      If you are running a language version of an operating system that doesn't match the language you want to type, install system support for that language.


    Right-to-left languages (Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi, and Urdu)

    To enter characters for these languages, use one of the following operating systems:

    • The corresponding language version of Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0


    • Any language version of Windows 2000

      If you are running a language version of Windows 2000 that doesn't match the language you want to type, install system support for that language.


  5. What is Unicode support in Microsoft Word?

    Microsoft Word is based on the Unicode text encoding standard, which allows Office programs to display documents correctly, no matter what language they are written in, provided the operating system supports the characters specific to that language.

    Unicode is a standard, developed by the Unicode Consortium, that governs character encoding and provides a 16-bit extensible international character coding system for information processing that covers the world's major languages. The Unicode standard defines character encoding, and the properties and algorithms that are used in its implementation. The Unicode 2.1 standard defines encodings for approximately 40,000 characters, and work is ongoing to define encodings for additional characters.

    Many of the TrueType fonts provided with Office support a wide variety of languages that use different writing systems, such as Greek or Russian, rather than just the languages of Western Europe; a few fonts for Asian languages are provided as well.

    The font Arial Unicode MS provided with Office is a full Unicode font, containing all of the approximately 40,000 alphabetical characters, ideographic characters, and symbols defined in the Unicode 2.1 standard. Because of its considerable size and the typographic compromises required to make such a font, Arial Unicode MS should be used only when you can't use multiple fonts tuned for different writing systems.

    If you didn't install the Arial Unicode MS font when you installed Office 2000 or your Office program, just reinstall Office and choose Add or Remove Features. Click the plus sign (+) next to Office Tools, click the plus sign next to International Support, click the icon next to Universal Font, and then choose the installation option you want.



REFERENCES

For more information about multilingual and international support in Word, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type multiple languages in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Additional query words: foreign language

Keywords : kbusage kbdta wd2000
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo


Last Reviewed: January 6, 2000
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