Preserving cham font through online conversion application

Abstract

The Cham people who are now the minority ethnic in Vietnam speaks with the language familiar used as others Malay groups but differ in their written language. Cham Script inscriptions appear on Dong Yen Chau stone stele (Tra Kieu) in 4th century and the Cham are using this script system until today. Ensuring the preservation of Cham language, this study intended to design a tool to convert the EFEO Cham Latin in Malay system to Cham Akhar Thrah. The method used is by converting Latin EFEO into intermediate characters code followed by assigning it to Akhar Thrah backwards. Cham font conversion application has been created, which has carried out a number of technical requirements, and content conversion ensures correct in vocabulary, semantics and grammar. In this experiment we have checked the accuracy percentage of three Cham poems and results Ariya Cam Bini 100% (n=1823); Ariya Gleng Anak 99.88% (n=2459); Nai Mai Mang Makah 100% (n=2523). Cham font conversion is necessary and meaningful in conservation of Cham script. It will be used in schools, institutions in the country and overseas as well as assist in teaching and learning Cham language.