Sam Lewis wrote: > On Tue, 22 May 2007 14:24:35 GMT > Charles de Miramon wrote: > >> URL: http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.editors.lyx.general/38724 >> In traditional European typography (before the computer), there are >> no italic (or bold) small capitals. If you are a purist typographer, >> you should not used italic small caps. The fact is that with the >> wordprocessor, it became possible to slant any letter and slanted >> small caps and people are getting used of these slanted small caps >> but for typographers they are considered an heresy. In the common teX >> fonts there are no italic small caps so the only solution is to use >> the trick I've mentionned on the list to create slanted (fake italic) >> small caps. Another solution would be to buy a font with a small cap >> italic variant but I don't think they are many of them. Cheers, >> Charles > > Thanks for shedding light on this! Appreciated! > > I think, I'd like to be a "heretic" :). Although I agree that double > emphasis is not useful and should be avoided, I think my use of use > small caps italic differs significantly from traditional use. > > Imagine a scientific text in form of a narrative (as you find in > ethnographic writing). In this text there would be many sequences of > abbreviations. I.e.: >
In classical typography, small caps are derived from the Roman letters for epigraphical inscriptions. There are normally used only for titles and title page and are centered. If you look a well typed book from Oxford University Press, you will see that. In French typography, they are used more often. > `In inpatients treated by PTA a significant rise in ABPI was seen at ABC > levels...' > > As a way to improve the typographical appearance of such a sentence > (unless one would be prepared to spell out words > ankle/brachial-pressure-index), I have constantly throughout a book > used small caps for these kind of abbreviations. All fine -- remember > this is a "story" not a medical report! However, when it comes to the > point of citing my informants, I would place a paragraph in italic to > indicate the difference in text that someone is speaking. Common > practice. Yet, this is where the trouble starts, as speech may contain > abbreviations too. > > So would this mean, in a strict sense, if in italic such sentence > would then would not have the "benefit" of small caps abbreviations > anymore. In essence, I would say small caps italic are legitimate at > the point of de-emphasising which constraints of modern textuality may > require. > > Any thoughts. Thanks! Normally, in English typography, acronyms are set in upper case. But rules are made to be bent and the invention of computer typography gave new possibilities and wordprocessor gave bad habits to writers and readers (for example the use and abuse of bold). If you want to improve your typography : The Elements of Typographic Style of Robert Bringhurst is a nice book. Cheers, Charles -- http://www.kde-france.org
