Questions tagged [typography]
The style and appearance of printed matter. The art or procedure of arranging type.
163
questions
0
votes
1answer
36 views
What is the numerals style that goes above/below the standard height called, and is there a historic reason behind it?
It's often found on Wikipedia in the titles of articles, and here on this site:
1916
In the example above (if it doesn't render correctly, say you're on mobile, see image below), the 9's tail goes ...
5
votes
1answer
141 views
Which part is the tail of the letter “r”?
I'd like to ask about the sentence from A Case of Identity by Conan Doyle.
"a slight defect in the tail of the ‘r.’ "
Which part is the tail of "r"?
A: The lower part of the straight line of "r".
...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Comma before 'if' in maths definition
I wonder if there is clear guidance about the following construction:
We say that a foo admits a bar, if baz is quz.
I feel that the comma before if breaks the structure of the sentence, and ...
1
vote
1answer
87 views
Pilcrow question
Is there a difference between a shaded and an unshaded pilcrow? I am trying to format a block letter and in the unarranged copy, I am supposed to correct- there are both unshaded and shaded pilcrows.
3
votes
2answers
130 views
What is the equivalent of “euphony” when applied to writing?
In the details below, I use something to stand in for the word I am looking for. Speech may have euphony; writing may have something.
For example, when writing about the relative sizes of items, I ...
1
vote
2answers
88 views
Word for using extra line breaks to improve readability
I just got a copy of Royal Skousen's The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text (Yale, 2009),
and was immediately struck by his implementation of what he calls "sense-lines":
that is,
the editor adds extra ...
1
vote
2answers
57 views
When should terms be italicized versus put in quotes?
When a new term is introduced in a book I am writing or an unusual word or phrase is described I either italicize it, or put it in quotes. However, this has led to an inconsistency in which some terms ...
2
votes
1answer
228 views
Ligatured glyphs vs. Words
When two letters are joined as a ligature, I understand they are considered
to be one individual glyph. I also understand that letters on their own like D
or S are considered nouns or ...
1
vote
0answers
19 views
A word for the circular guides that determine the curve of font serifs?
Serif fonts are usually constructed using circular guides to establish the curves of the serifs.
Example:
Is there a word for these circles?
2
votes
1answer
49 views
If a speaker clearly emphasizes a word or a term, should it be written down in quotation marks?
If a speaker clearly emphasizes a word or a term, should it be written down in quotation marks?
e.g. Everyone's so intimidated by "big data."
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Does it need quotation marks on abstract nouns
I know for sure it needs quotation marks on verbs do, love and etc, in following sentence:
Human related actions like "do", "love", "hate", "sacrifice", and so on.
Because it would not be right ...
2
votes
1answer
132 views
Opening and closing a letter - is there a name for this style?
Sorry if this isn’t the right place for this question, but I’ve Googled high and low and found nothing.
I’ve noticed that some letters start and close with handwriting, e.g. “Dear Mrs Smith” and “...
0
votes
1answer
211 views
Is “well” an adjective?
I read a Cambridge advanced grammar in use and there's one line says We can use sufficiently before adjectives to express a similar meaning to enough. Sufficiently is often preferred in more formal ...
41
votes
3answers
8k views
Is there a name for text that reads the same upside-down? [duplicate]
This is similar to a palindrome but, instead of a word/sentence that reads the same forwards and backward, is there a word for words/sentences that read the same right side up and upside-down?
See ...
9
votes
3answers
766 views
Is there a word for when a logo uses an image for one of the letters?
There's a million examples of this, but the one that comes to mind is "smoke shop" with images of pipes in place of the "S"s, like this:
Is there a word for this?
Edit, September 26, 2018
Thanks, @...
3
votes
1answer
336 views
A word for decorations added to letters
Is there a word for the artistic decorations that are often added to letters in some type-faces / fonts (e.g. caligraphy, etc.)
I'm thinking like a serif, but as far as I know, (I'm open to ...
0
votes
1answer
130 views
use '/\' to denote that one missed something while writing
I have seen many people use '/\' to denote that they missed something while writing the sentence. Then, above that symbol they write what they missed. Are you aware of this practice?
Let's say, I am ...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
Is “to battle (something) off” correct?
In the passage Lesson 13 from "400 Must-have words for the TOELF" by McGraw-Hill, there is a sentence that I don't understand.
"According to legend, his arrogance invoked the wrath of God, who ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
Quotation marks around a new word when I keep using the word?
I'm writing a technical thesis and I need to explain the meaning of a lot of words. However I'm not a native English speaker.
The so-called "blah" is a thing that does this and that.
Blah was an ...
3
votes
2answers
112 views
What is the category/group for the typographical terms serif and sans-serif
I teach introductory typography to students studying graphic design.
While constructing a list of design factors that affect the appearance, readability, and legibility of a typographic letterform, ...
1
vote
2answers
342 views
Why Was Title Case Invented?
I've seen questions and answers about the "when", but I don't really understand the reason to use this Horrible Way to Type Sentences Which Obviously Hinders Readability. It's really bad when in a ...
3
votes
2answers
3k views
How should the name of a series of books be formatted?
I know that you underline – or if you're typing, you put the words in italics – the titles of books, and that you put chapters or quotations from a book in "quotes," but do you do anything to the font ...
1
vote
1answer
214 views
Is it proper to use all caps for an organization name that is not an acronym?
I'm editing copy for a nine-part educational series about a non-profit organization that I will call Foo Society here. They do admirable work and I'm happy to help more people learn about them. ...
0
votes
0answers
47 views
Capitalization in 18th Century English [duplicate]
I have often wondered about the (seemingly) arbitrary capitalization of words in 17th & 18th century English, and again today, came across this quote by Edmund Burke in Sylvia Nasar's Grand ...
2
votes
2answers
182 views
Is there a name for this paragraph indentation style?
In longer form poems you sometimes see a verse where the first line is indented to the level of the end of the previous verse’s last line. For example, this Keats poem:
or this poem from Wordsworth:
...
11
votes
2answers
752 views
Name for making the first few words in a chapter small caps?
What do you call the style of making the first few words of a chapter (or book, article, etc.) uppercase?
Here is an example from J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye:
To clarify, I'm not talking ...
-1
votes
1answer
315 views
typesetting: small caps on possessive apostrophe after name? [closed]
Some typesetting styles use small caps on surnames, e.g.,
"Mᴀᴏ Zedong's Little Red Book". If the surname comes last, however, I'm not sure whether or not the possessive apostrophe-ess should be ...
1
vote
0answers
40 views
Using dashes for showing a dichotomy spelling
I have trouble with deciding how to use dashes in the following case:
Before moving on, it is worth noting that the complex -- (non-complex)
simple dichotomy is not the same as the complicated --
...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
Shoud spaces be used between “<” or “>” and numbers or letters?
Should spaces be used between "<" or ">" and numbers or letters?
For symbols, what is right? P<10, P <10, P < 10 or P< 10?
For numbers, what is right? 4>2, 4> 2, 4 > 2 or 4 >2?
Is ...
3
votes
1answer
129 views
Pagination styles in novels
While reading novels, I like to put a bookmark on a page where a sentence or a paragraph ends, preferably at the bottom right, which will enable me to just turn the page and put the marker. I can ...
31
votes
7answers
2k views
Usage of diacritics in loanwords
I was told here that not using diacritics (specifically the cedilla) is bad usage for those who know — I assume — their diacritics.
Is that correct?
Is garcon a correct spelling, in English, of the ...
3
votes
1answer
319 views
Esh (ʃ ) as S in English language? [duplicate]
I was reading a book, "Ancient accounts of India and China" which, I think, was published in the middle of 1856, and I see "S" was replaced by the "ʃ" symbol (in small letter s, it looks more like "f')...
0
votes
1answer
828 views
Using a space between name initials [duplicate]
Does one need to put a space between initials of the first and the second names. Which one is correct: "Sincerely, J. D." (where J. D. means John Doe) or "Sincerely, J.D."?
1
vote
1answer
379 views
Is reading uppercase sentences hard? [closed]
When there's an uppercase sentence, I've found it's hard to read easily. Is it just me or do others also experience this?
6
votes
2answers
818 views
Connection between the thou/you thee/ye forms of you and the confusion between the thorn (þ) and the letter 'y'?
There's a lot of good information in the answer to an existing question about thou/you and thee/ye, and many are familiar with how shops with the affectation of "Ye Olde Shoppe" get that "Y" from a ...
0
votes
1answer
876 views
Correct spelling for the abbreviation “FPS” (frames per second) [duplicate]
Well-known game journalists TotalBiscuit and Jim Sterling use [the number of frames per second] fps instead of 30FPS or 30 FPS, without an intervening space between the units and the following units (...
7
votes
1answer
354 views
How do I show that a singular word is louder than any other in a sentence when writing it?
I know that when a word is capitalized it expresses yelling.
What about text showing someone is talking and emphasizing a particular word, but he clearly isn't yelling the word out?
How is a "non-...
4
votes
1answer
229 views
Where does the [sic] go in this sentence?
I'm quoting a sentence that has an error in it.
...visitors need to need to apply for a temporary residence permit...
I don't want to correct the error, I want to quote it as it's written. But I ...
asked Jun 8 '16 at 19:13
Revetahw says Reinstate Monica
3,0521 gold badge15 silver badges38 bronze badges
6
votes
2answers
191 views
Any idea about this 'ul' glyph from 1580's book on orthography?
Second row, all the way to the right. Does this glyph have a name? I am unfamiliar with it and had never come across it before.
Page 21 in Bullokars Booke at large, for the amendment of orthographie ...
0
votes
1answer
490 views
Scientific Nomenclature: italics or roman in an italic environment
Scientific Nomenclature says that:
Italics are used for bacterial and viral taxa at the level of family
and below. All bacterial and many viral genes are italicized. Serovars
of Salmonella ...
1
vote
1answer
729 views
Using a short quote at the beginning of a chapter
I want to use a short quote as an opener to a chapter in a university homework.
Is there a literary term for this?
How would I typeset the proverb shown most correctly for American English?
Quotes:...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
What does title “Cost Effective Web Design” signify in English? [closed]
When addressing on search engines or even writing an email about a business query for a cheap web designer does the statement pass on the message clearly "Cost Effective Web Design" or Should I use a ...
9
votes
2answers
577 views
Curious New Yorker typography [duplicate]
Reading this article in the New Yorker I notice this word 'reëxamined'. It's not the only one written like this, any other word with double vowels will be written similarly.
What is the point behind ...
1
vote
1answer
4k views
Bold, Italics or Underline? [duplicate]
When writing a letter, or other form of written work, what is the appropriate way to put emphasis on a word or phrase?
When would one use bold?
When would one use italics?
When would one use an ...
1
vote
3answers
626 views
Opposite of the term “keming” (KEMING)
Is there an opposite of "keming", where there's a kerning problem involving too much space between certain letters? For example:
The page looks pretty good, but the spacing between the "_" and "1" ...
2
votes
1answer
166 views
Manuals of Style and Typography for British and American English [closed]
I would like to know which manuals of style and typography are the most common ones for British and American English. I am interested in the basic manuals and the manuals for technical scientists (...
0
votes
2answers
92 views
Word for letters that aren't typographically similar
For example I, 1, or l (lowercase L) can be indistinguishable from one another depending on the persons writing style. The same for the number 0 and the letter O.
Is there a word for letters that are ...
9
votes
0answers
132 views
Is there a broadly-accepted term for the stylized scene separators in novels, like ⁂? [duplicate]
Often in novels (and other written works, though I'm personally most familiar with them from novels), within a chapter you'll find a little glyph that marks a transition to a different scene.
...
0
votes
0answers
164 views
Alphabetic analogue of Numero sign (№)?
I'm typing up a spreadsheet that organises a television series's storyline, and the columns are supposed to be in the following format:
.
Is there an ordinal indicator I can put there where it says [...
4
votes
4answers
641 views
“Accentuation signals” in English
Unlike in English speaking countries, here in Brazil it is very common to have names with accents. My own name is an example of it: Túlio.
In my case, in letter u we have an accentuation signal ...
