Typography Terms

Contains all vocab from the powerpoints (Type terms and classifications) Along with most of the vocab from the A Type Primer readings except for 138- 169. Don't just use this, also use the readings to back it up and provide the information that doesn't work so well in this format

Old Style (Serif)

Old Style (Serif)

Styled after classic Roman inscriptions. The weight stress of rounded forms is at an angle. Serifs are unified with the stroke by a tapered, curved line. The tops of serifs on lowercase letters are at an angle.

Transitional (Serif)

Greater contrast between thick and thin strokes than Old Style. Serifs tend to be sharper. Lowercase serifs are more horizontal than in Old Style and the typefaces are traditionally a little wider as well.

Modern (Serif)

Extreme contrast between thick and thin strokes. Serifs are very sharp, thin, nearly straight and completely flat. The weight stress on rounded characters is vertical, and the serifs are made up of long/thin hairlines that join the stem of the letter at right angles.

Humanist (Sans-Serif)

Sans-serif typefaces became common in the twentieth century. Note the small tilting counter in the letter a, and the calligraphic variations in line weight.

Transitional (Sans-Serif)

Little, if any, changes in line weight in the glyphs, and they also feature a more of a vertical axis compared to humanist characters.

Geometric (Sans-Serif)

Some sans-serif types are built around geometric forms. In Futura the Os are perfect circles, and the peaks of the A and M are sharp triangles.

Slab Serif/Egyptian/Square Serif

Numerous bold and decorative typefaces were introduced in the nineteenth century for use in advertising. Egyptian fonts have heavy, slab like serifs.

Script

Designed to create a hand-writing or hand lettering effect. Popular for formal announcements and invitations.

Blackletter/Gothic/Text

The original letterform used by Gutenberg. Derived from hand drawn letters of early scribes.

Decorative/Display/Special

Typefaces used to command attention or create special effects, often at expense of readability

Baseline

An imaginary line upon which the base of each capital rests.

Beardline

An imaginary line that runs along the bottoms of descenders

Capline

An imaginary line that runs along the tops of the capital letters.

Meanline

An imaginary line that establishes the height of the body of lowercase letters.

X-height

The distance from the baseline to the meanline. Typically, this is the height of lowercase letters and is most easily measured on the lowercase x.

Apex

The peak of the triangle of an uppercase A.

Arm

A projecting horizontal stroke that is unattached on one or both ends, as in the letters T and E.

Ascender

A stroke on a lowercase letter that rises above the meanline.

Bowl

A curved stroke enclosing the counterform of a letter. An exception is the bottom form of the lowercase roman g, which is called a loop.

Counter

The negative space that is fully or partially enclosed by a letterform.

Descender

A stroke on a lowercase letterform that falls below the baseline

Ear

A small stroke that projects from the upper right side of the bowl of the lowercase roman g

Eye

The enclosed part of the lowercase e.

Fillet

The contoured edge that connects the serif and stem in bracketed serifs. (Bracketed serifs are connected to the main stroke by this curved edge; unbracketed serifs connect to the main stroke with an abrupt angle without this contoured transition.)

Hairline

The thinnest stroke within a typeface that has strokes of varying weights.

Leg

The lower diagonal stroke of the letter k

Loop

A loop is alternative term used for the word Bowl.

Serifs

Short strokes that extend from and at an angle to the upper and lower ends of the major strokes of a letterform.

Shoulder

A curved stroke projecting from a stem. (ex. R and P)

Spine

The central curved stroke of the letter S.

Spur

A projection—smaller than a serif—that reinforces the point at the end of a curved stroke, as in the letter G.

Stem

A major vertical or diagonal stroke in the letterform.

Stroke

Any of the linear elements within a letterform; originally, any mark or dash made by the movement of a pen or brush in writing.

Tail

A diagonal stroke or loop at the end of a letter, as in R or j.

Terminal

The end of any stroke that does not terminate with a serif, as in the end of a san serif T

Uppercase

A set of large letters used in the initial position. Uppercase got its name from the days when type was still set by hand, and the capital letters were often stored in the upper case.

Lowercase

The smaller set of letters, got its name because of the way it was stored as well

Small caps

A complete set of capital letters that are the same height as the x-height of the lowercase letters.

Lining Figures

Numbers that are the same height as the capital letters and sit on the baseline

Old Style/Non-lining figures

A set of numbers that are compatible with lowercase letters; 1, 2, and 0 align with the x-height; 6 and 8 have ascenders; and 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 have descenders.

Superior and Inferior figures

Small numbers, usually slightly smaller than the x-height, used for footnotes and fractions. Superior figures hang from the capline, and inferior figures sit on the baseline.

Ligatures

Two or more characters linked together as one unit, such as ff. The ampersand is a ligature originating as a letter combination for the French word et (“and”) in medieval manuscripts.

Leading (Line Spacing)

The term “leading” is derived from the old metal typesetting days when lead spacers of various thicknesses were inserted between lines of type to fill columns. Today, the term Line Spacing is being more commonly used in relation to typesetting. The spacing of lines is measured from baseline to baseline. Since this type of measurement accommodates the various x-heights of different typefaces, it is a more realistic measurement. Line spacing/Leading can have either positive or negative value. Thus the designation of “8 point on 10 point” (8/10) calls for 8 point type set with 10 point spacing between baselines (or, 2 points leading).

Word Spacing

The between words can effect the readability, the overall “color”, and the amount of space the typeset copy will occupy. Too much space between words will slow down and inhibit the reading process. In general, tighter word spacing is required with sans serif typefaces than with serif faces. Condensed typefaces also need tighter word spacing as do typefaces with smaller x-heights.

Letterspacing

Letterspacing is simply the space between individual type letters. Letterspacing affects the overall “color” of a block of typeset copy, the readability of the copy, and the amount of space the typeset copy will occupy. Adding space between letters almost always slows down the reading process. Removing too much space can also slow down reading.

Kerning

Selective negative letterspacing is called kerning and is used with certain character combinations to achieve optical spacing balance with other letters in a word or line.

Beak

The half-serif finish on some horizontal arms

Cross Bar

the horizontal stroke in a letterform that joins two stems together (A,H)

Bowl

The rounded form that describes a counter. The bowl may be either open or closed (b, d, p)

Cross stroke

The horizontal stroke in a letterform that intersects the stem (f,t)

Em

Originally referring to the width of an uppercase M, is now the distance equal to the size of the typeface (an em in 12 pt type is 12 pts)

En

half of an em

Bracket

the transition between the serif and the stem

Crotch

The interior space where two strokes meet (K,V)

Finial

the rounded non-serif terminal of a stroke (f,a)

Stress

the orientation of the letterform indicated by the thin stroke in round forms

Link

The stroke that connects the bowl and the loop of a lowercase g

Swash

the flourish that extends the stroke of a letterform

Serif

The right angled or oblique foot at the end of the stroke

Stem

the significant vertical or oblique stroke

35-65 characters

In general, a good length for line length

Golden ratio

aspect ratio described by 1:1.618

Fibonacci Sequence

a sequence of numbers in which each number is the sum of the two preceeding numbers (0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34…)

Traditional Page Sizes

16 x 20

19 x 24

Page sizes were referred to as folio (half sheet), quarto ( quarter sheet), and octavo (eighth sheet)

Standard American Paper Sizes

8.5 x 11

9 x 12

ISO System

More common in Europe. Aspect ratio of 1:1.414 (the square root of 2)

A0 (841 x 1189 mm)

B0 (1000 x 1414 mm)

C0 (917 x 1297 mm)

and so on. A4 is equivalent to 8.5 x 11

Recto

the right hand page in a two page layout

Verso

the left hand page in a two page layout

Text page

area of a page used for text

Folios

Page numbers

Running head

Header located at the top of the page

Running shoulder

Header located at the sides of the page

Running feet

Header located at the bottom of the page

Front matter

these pages in a book include everything that precedes the first page of chapter one, includes half title, frontispiece, title page, copyright page, dedication, table of contents, foreword

Half title (bastard title)

The first page, containing only the title of the book. no folio on this page

Frontispiece

the page opposite the title page. Although typically blank, it may contain artwork or other works by the author. no folio

Title Page

shows the title, subtitle, author’s name, publisher. no folio

Table of contents

treated as the first page in a chapter of text

Dedication/epigraph/acknowledgments

Author’s chance to thank those that helped them, or to provide a quote that sets the tone.

Foreword/ introduction/ preface

typically written by someone other than the author. states the goals of the book, the books origins, and may include the acknowledgments

Backmatter

These pages round out the text, include appendix/ addendum, glossary, bibliography, footnotes, index, colophon

Appendix/ Addendum

supplemental to and supports the main work

Glossary

alphabetized definitions of words and terms central to understanding the text

Bibliography

list, alphabetized by author, citing texts that inform or have been quoted in the book. Includes websites, listed separately

Footnotes

occur at the foot or shoulder of the page where cited, at the end of the chapter, or end of the book

Index

alphabetized list of key names/terms used in the text followed by the pages they appear

Colophon

Brief description located at the back of a book (usually), describes production notes relevant to the edition, may include a printer’s mark or logotype

Pilcrow

Used to indicate paragraphs, a hold over from medieval texts and rarely seen today