Stojan Trajanovski

Macedonian cyrillic support for LaTeX Babel

I have contributed to the Comprehensive TeX Archive Network (CTAN) with Macedonian cyrillic support for LaTeX babel.

Download

It can be downloaded from [CTAN].

A bigger size version (containing a working .tex example file) is given in the .zip file: [macedonian.zip] (3.1MB).

This bigger size version is also available on [Github].

Installation

Just copy the file macedonian.ldf, where (a) your .tex document is stored; or (b) in your LaTeX distribution babel folder.

If you want to modify something:

  1. First, compile the modified file: macedonian.dtx using pdfLatex.
    The output will be a documentation and implementation file: [macedonian.pdf].
  2. Then, compile the file: macedonian.ins using pdfLatex. A file named macedonian.ldf will be created.
  3. Copy the file macedonian.ldf, where your .tex document is stored or in your LaTeX distribution babel folder.

Usage

You have to use unicode-compliant text editor. You also have to save your file in utf-8x encoding.

Add the following two lines somewhere at the beginning of your .tex document:

\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}

\usepackage[macedonian]{babel}

Set the keyboard layout to Macedonian cyrillic, after you type: \selectlanguage{macedonian}. Happy TeXing in Macedonian!

A .pdf of the working example is given here [usage-example.pdf], while the .tex source is given in [macedonian.zip folder: /usage-example].

Specifics and differences from similar packages

Macedonian has similarities to both Bulgarian and Serbian Cyrillic. These implementations were used as starting points. However, there are some differences. These are the most important specifics (i.e. similarities and differences) implemented in this class:

  1. The alphabet is complete and is in a correct order, so the numbering (enumerate option) will be in a correct way in Macedonian.
  2. Some italic letters in Macedonian, like: b (б),d (д), g (г), t (т), p (п) differ from Bulgarian (and Russian). These characters in italic are perhaps similar to Serbian Cyrillic. Moreover, the character gje (ѓ) "g with accent" is unique and does not appear in both Bulgarian and Serbian.
  3. The first paragraph of each section is indented.
  4. The date format is according to the Macedonian practice. (e.g., [dd] [month in Macedonian] [yyyy] год.)
  5. All the terms like chapter, bibliography, index, figure, table, theorem, months names, math functions (e.g., trigonometric) are all adjusted according to the Macedonian practice in books and other materials.

History, versions and fixes

[v1.0: 05.11.2015]: Initial working version. ba­bel-mace­do­nian is on CTAN.

[v1.1: 04.02.2016] - current: The month names are now in accordance with the Macedonian orthography i.e. a month starts with a non-capital letter (thanks to Dario Gjorgjevski).