Help with backwards Spanish accent marks.

Question

I've just switched laptops and I am trying to get my work laptop Spanish-ready. I added the Spanish accent setting for: Spain, International sort (Windows 7). Now my accents are backwards and when I do the flashcards it marks them wrong because they are inverted. Even the' ñ' is included in getting it wrong.

Any help?

If you try the English - United States - International setting, you should get all the accents except the 'n' one. You could use this until someone else reveals the best setting for us. - shuaib, Feb 4, 2012

I used that one and it made my keyboard hesitate on the quotations when I typed in English. - katydew, Feb 4, 2012

Katydew You did know that you have to hit the quote key twice to make a quote or appostrophe, didn't you? - 0074b507, Feb 4, 2012

Shuaib Why don't you get the ñ using the US Intl? it can be done several ways. I use Rt. Alt+n - 0074b507, Feb 4, 2012

Katy, I had to use the Mexican keyboard. It works fine except for the u in pingüino, it won't do that. Try the Mexican keyboard. - sanlee, Feb 4, 2012

With the U S International keyboard you get the ü by pressing shift+" (double quote) then the u. - KevinB, Feb 4, 2012

qfreed, coz I thought the accent on n could only come with the apostrophe key, but now I thank you for telling me how it works. - shuaib, Feb 5, 2012

Thanks for all the helpful comments. I'm back in business. Qfreed, which settting are you talking about on the double apostrophe comment, English or a Spanish one? - katydew, Feb 5, 2012

Answer 1

On Windows, I use an external Spanish keyboard and select the language from regional options in Control Panel which produces a drop down list on the menu bar to switch easily. An English keyboard will work the same but you need to remember where the accents are. For example the acute or forward accent is lower case, second row, second from the right. The ñ is next to it on the left. On Mac, look at the top bar where there is a Union Flag (British), select keyboard preferences and then choose Spanish ISO as an option. The Windows Spanish or English keyboard will work equally as well on Mac.
An external keyboard will work on a laptop as well as the standard in built keyboard. Alternatively, without needing to do anything else, accents and other punctuation can be simply selected from the options under Alt or Alt Gr.

I never thought about an external keyboard. May be bulky to travel with but could work when I'm home. - katydew, Feb 5, 2012

Once your used to where accents are, using the English keyboard in Spanish setting comes naturally. - juanito11, Feb 5, 2012

Answer 2

I use the US keyboard when I want accents, I just need to hold down Ctrl and type the letter and voilà an accent.

Do you get that French accent mark or the Spanish acute accent mark á; no à ?? - 0074b507, Feb 5, 2012

I tried this on mine on English and go emphasized text, and some other shortcuts but no accent. On your voila.. that is what mine was doing with the backwards mark... is that French as qfreed said? - katydew, Feb 5, 2012

go is 'got' - katydew, Feb 5, 2012

Answer 3

á áÁ, íéóú, Ä ñÑ, ÄÄä,
áéíóúÄñÑ

'ok' "ok"

I'm back in business. Thanks everyone for the help on the comments. Leave it to my SD friends to get me going again. I switched it to Chile Spanish, then US Spanish and both of those worked ok, so I'll just stay away from Spain! Sorry Heidita. ;o)

On the Spanish US and Spanish Chile, the ñ is always just the semicolon key and I liked that.

I have learned a lot of new tricks today. Thanks everyone.