Space as Language: The Properties of Typographic Space

Will Hill

doi:10.1017/9781009265447

Series: Elements in Publishing and Book Culture

Space as Language

The Properties of Typographic Space

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 August 2023

Will Hill

Show author details

Will Hill: Affiliation:
Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge

Summary

This Element examines the function and significance of typographic space. It considers in turn the space within letters, the space between letters, the space between lines, and the margin space surrounding the text-block, to develop the hypothesis that viewed collectively these constitute a 'metalanguage' complementary to the text. Drawing upon critical perspectives from printing, typeface design, typography, avant-garde artistic practice and design history, the Element examines the connotative values and philosophies embodied in the form and disposition of space. These include the values attributed to symmetry and asymmetry, the role of 'active' space in the development of modernist typography, the debated relationship between type and writing, the divergent ideologies of the printing industry and the letter arts, and the impact of successive technologies upon both the organisation and the perception of typographic space.

Element contents

Summary
References

Get access

Keywords

typography layout printing fonts design

Information

Type: Element
Information: Series: Elements in Publishing and Book Culture

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009265447 [Opens in a new window]

Online ISBN: 9781009265447

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication: 24 August 2023

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Element purchase

Temporarily unavailable

Bibliography

Bachelard, G. (1994). The Poetics of Space. Translated by Jolas, M. Boston: Beacon Press.Google Scholar

Banks, C. (2003). Edward Johnston and Letter Spacing. In Berry, J., Randle, J. (eds.), Type and Typography. New York: Mark Batty, pp. 347–353.Google Scholar

Beier, S. (2012). Reading Letters: Designing for Legibility. Amsterdam: Bis.Google Scholar

Bierut, M. (2003). Graphic Design and the New Certainties. Retrieved 25 October 2022, from https://designobserver.com/feature/graphic-design-and-the-new-certainties/1617.Google Scholar

Blokland, F. (2016). On the Origin of Patterning in Movable Latin Type. Retrieved 25 October 2022, from https://hdl.handle.net/1887/43556.Google Scholar

Boag, A. (1996). Typographic Measurement: A Chronology. In Typography Papers, 1, Reading: Department of Typography and Graphic Communication, University of Reading.Google Scholar

Bollnow, O. F. (2011). Human Space. Translated by Shuttleworth, C. London: Hyphen.Google Scholar

Boulton, M. (2005). Semantic Typography: Bridging the XHTML Gap. Retrieved 24 October 2022, from https://markboulton.co.uk/journal/semantic-typography-bridging-the-xhtml-gap/.Google Scholar

Bringhurst, R. (1997). The Elements of Typographic Style. Vancouver: Hartley and Marks.Google Scholar

Burnhill, P. (2003). Type Spaces: In-house Norms in the Typography of Aldus Manutius. London: Hyphen.Google Scholar

Carter, R., Day, B., Meggs, P. (2006). Typographic Design: Form and Communication. Hoboken: Wiley.Google Scholar

Cinamon, G. (2000). Rudolf Koch: Letterer, Type Designer, Teacher. Delaware: Oak Knoll.Google Scholar

Cobbing, B. (1989). Square Poem. Retrieved 24 December 2022, from https://gammm.org/2022/06/18/square-poem-bob-cobbing–1989/.Google Scholar

Crystal, D. (1998). ‘Toward a Typographical Linguistics’. Type, 2. 1, pp. 7–23.Google Scholar

Dair, C. (1995). Design with Type. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.Google Scholar

Dowding, G. (1954). Finer Points in the Spacing and Arrangement of Type. London: Wace.Google Scholar

Drucker, J. (2006). Quantum Leap: Beyond Literal Materiality. In Bierut, M., Drenttel, W., Heller, S. (eds.), Looking Closer 5. New York: Allworth, pp. 26–32.Google Scholar

Drucker, J. (1984). Letterpress Language: Typography as a Medium for the Visual Representation of Language. Cambridge: MIT.Google Scholar

de Campos, A., Pignatari, D., de Campos, H. (1958). Pilot Plan for Concrete Poetry. Retrieved 25 October 2022, from https://ubu-mirror.ch/papers/noigandres01.html.Google Scholar

Fletcher, A. (2003). The Art of Looking Sideways. London: Phaidon.Google Scholar

Gayford, M., Sylvester, D. (1998). Patrick Heron. London: Tate.Google Scholar

Gill, E. (2013). An Essay on Typography. London: Penguin.Google Scholar

Hendel, R. (1998). On Book Design. Yale: Yale University Press.Google Scholar

Highsmith, C. (2020). Inside Paragraphs: Typographic Fundamentals. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.Google Scholar

Hochuli, J. (2015). Detail in Typography. Montreuil: Éditions B42.Google Scholar

Hoffman, A. (1988). A Graphic Design Manual. London: Academy Editions.Google Scholar

Hollis, R. (2006). Swiss Graphic Design. London: Laurence King.Google Scholar

Hunt, R. (2020). Advanced Typography. London: Bloomsbury.Google Scholar

Hutt, A. (1972). Fournier: The Compleat Typographer. London: Frederick Muller.Google Scholar

de Jong, C. W. (2008). Jan Tschichold: Master Typographer. London: Thames and Hudson.Google Scholar

Kindersley, D. (2001). LOGOS: Letterspacing with a Computer. In Jury, D. (ed.), Typographic Writing. Stroud: ISTD, pp. 174–178.Google Scholar

Kinross, R. (1994). Modern Typography. London: Hyphen.Google Scholar

Kinross, R. (2000). Anthony Froshaug Typography and Texts. London: Hyphen.Google Scholar

Kinross, R. (2002). Unjustified Texts. London: Hyphen.Google Scholar

Krauss, R. (1999). A Voyage on the North Sea: Art in the Age of the Post-modern Condition. London: Thames and Hudson.Google Scholar

Larson, K. (2022). The Science of Word Recognition. Retrieved 25 October 2022, from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/develop/word-recognition.Google Scholar

Li Er Lao, Tzu. (1997). Tao Te Ching. Translated by Waley, A. and Wilkinson, R. Ware: Wordsworth.Google Scholar

Lissitzky, L. (1999). Topography of Typography. In Beirut, M., Helfand, J., Heller, J. Poynor, R. (eds.), Looking Closer 3. New York: Allworth.Google Scholar

Lommen, M. (2012). The Book of Books. London: Thames and Hudson.Google Scholar

Lupton, E. (2004). Writing Lessons: Modern Design Theory. Retrieved 25 October 2022, from www.typotheque.com/articles/writing_lessons_modern_design_theory.Google Scholar

Lupton, E. (2004). Deconstruction and Graphic Design: History Meets Theory. Retrieved 26 October 2022, from www.typotheque.com/articles/deconstruction_and_graphic_design_history_meets_theory.Google Scholar

Lupton, E. (2000). Visual Syntax. In Swanson, G. (ed.), Graphic Design and Reading. New York: Allworth.Google Scholar

Lupton, E. and Miller, J. A. (1994). A Natural History of Typography. In Bierut, M., Drenttel, W., Heller, S. and Holland, D. K. (eds.), Looking Closer: Critical Writings on Graphic Design. New York: Allworth.Google Scholar

Maia, J. (2018). Toward a Typographical Linguistics: The Semantics-Pragmatics of Typographic Emphasis in Discourse. Retrieved 25 October 2022, from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/4922/.Google Scholar

Maier, S. (2015). Design Dissection. Retrieved 25 October 2022, from http://thesis2015.micadesign.org/sally/.Google Scholar

Martin, D. (1989). An Outline of Book Design. London: Blueprint.Google Scholar

McGann, J. (1993). Black Riders. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar

Meynell, F. and Simon, H. (1973). Fleuron Anthology. London: Ernest Benn.Google Scholar

Moholy-Nagy, L. (1999). The New Typography. In Beirut, M., Helfand, J., Heller, J., Poynor, R. (eds.), Looking Closer 3. New York: Allworth, pp. 21–22.Google Scholar

Morison, S. (1996). First Principles of Typography. Leiden: Academic Press Leiden.Google Scholar

Muller-Brockmann, J. (1981). Grid Systems in Graphic Design. Sulgen: Niggli.Google Scholar

Nash, P. (2016). Scaleboard: The Material of Interlinear Spacing before ‘Leading’. Journal of the Printing Historical Society. 25, pp. 71–83.Google Scholar

Nash, R., Williams, R. (1999) Revival of Calligraphy (19th and 20th Centuries). Retrieved 25 October 2022, from www.britannica.com/art/calligraphy/Revival-of-calligraphy-19th-and-20th-centuries.Google Scholar

Nin, A. (1971). The Diary of Anaïs Nin 1939–1944. Vol. 3. Boston: Mariner.Google Scholar

Noordzij, G. (2005). The Stroke: Theory of Writing. Translated by Enneson, P. London: Hyphen.Google Scholar

Nordquist, R. (2020). Retrieved 25 October 2022, from www.thoughtco.com/syntax-grammar.Google Scholar

Papazian, H. (2000). Improving the Tool. In Swanson, G. (ed.), Graphic Design and Reading. New York: Allworth.Google Scholar

Phillips, T. (2005). A Humument. 4th ed. London: Thames and Hudson.Google Scholar

Ritscher, P. (2014). Hand Setting. Retrieved October 25, 2022, from www.briarpress.org/37356.Google Scholar

Ronell, A. and Eckersley, R. (1991). The Telephone Book : Technology, Schizophrenia, Electric speech. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.Google Scholar

Rosner, C. (1953). Type: Principles and Application. Wisbech: Balding and Mansell.Google Scholar

Saenger, P. (2000). Space between Words: The Origins of Silent Reading. Redwood City: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar

Schwitters, K. (1932). Ursonate. Retrieved 24 December 2022, from https://web.archive.org/web/20060216143920/http://ubu.clc.wvu.edu/historical/schwitters/ursonate.html.Google Scholar

Shaw, P. (2006). W. A. Dwiggins: Jack of all Trades, Master of More Than One. Linotype Matrix. 4.2, pp. 37–47.Google Scholar

Simon, O. (1954). Introduction to Typography. London: Pelican.Google Scholar

Simpson, N. (ed.). (2012) Notes from the Cosmic Typewriter. London: Occasional papers.Google Scholar

Smeijers, F. (2011). Counterpunch. London: Hyphen.Google Scholar

Spencer, H. (1968). The Visible Word. London: Royal College of Art.Google Scholar

Symons, A. J. A. (1973). An Unacknowledged Movement in Fine Printing. In Meynell, F., Simon, H. (eds.), Fleuron Anthology. London: Ernest Benn, pp. 301–325.Google Scholar

Thomas, K. (2015). Rudolf von Larisch: Investigating and Analysing the Ideas and Theories of a Lettering Reformer, unpublished Master’s thesis, Monash University.Google Scholar

Tracy, W. (1986). Letters of Credit. Boston: Godine.Google Scholar

Tschichold, J. (1991). The Form of the Book. London: Lund Humphries.Google Scholar

Tschichold, J. (1998). The New Typography. Translated by McLean, R. London: University of California Press.Google Scholar

Tullett, B. (2014). Typewriter Art: A Modern Anthology. London: Laurence King.Google Scholar

Twyman, M. (1982). The Graphic Presentation of Language. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.Google Scholar

Walker, S. (2001). Typography and Language in Everyday Life. Harlow: Pearson.Google Scholar

Warde, B. (1999). The Crystal Goblet or Printing Should be Invisible. In Bierut, M., Helfand, J., Heller, J., Poynor, R. (eds.), Looking Closer 3. New York: Allworth, pp. 56–59.Google Scholar

Weingart, W. (1973). Elements in a New Context. Retrieved 25 October 2022.Google Scholar

Winterson, J. (2003) The Hole of Life. Retrieved 25 October 2022, from www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/dame-barbara-hepworth-1274/hole-life.Google Scholar

Accessibility standard: Unknown

Why this information is here

This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.

Accessibility Information

Accessibility compliance for the HTML of this element is currently unknown and may be updated in the future.