smithda@cpsvax.cps.msu.edu (J. Daniel Smith) (04/05/89)
Does anyone have a set of rules about when something should be set in
"small-caps"? As I was reading through _Time_ this week, I noticed
small caps being used several times. However, I couldn't figure out
the method to their madness, because they didn't set every word that
was in all capital letters in small-caps. Any pointers? Good
references on the subject?
Thanks.
Dan
=========================================================================
J. Daniel Smith Internet: smithda@cpsvax.cps.msu.edu
Michigan State University BITNET: smithdan@msuegr
In language, clarity is everything.
- Confucius
=========================================================================weaver@spdcc.COM (Read Weaver) (04/07/89)
In article <2370@cps3xx.UUCP> smithda@cpsvax.cps.msu.edu (J. Daniel Smith) writes: >Does anyone have a set of rules about when something should be set in >"small-caps"? As I was reading through _Time_ this week, I noticed >small caps being used several times. However, I couldn't figure out >the method to their madness, because they didn't set every word that >was in all capital letters in small-caps. Any pointers? Good >references on the subject? Chicago Manual of Style uses small caps for almost nothing. (A.M., A.D., B.C.E.). The _New Yorker_ uses small caps for acronyms that are said as words (CORE) but full caps for acronyms that are said as letters (HHS). I dislike full caps in text because they jump out, and so pretty universally make things small caps. (I'm not alone in this, but can't give a reference.)
jimi@h-three.UUCP (jimi) (04/07/89)
In article <2370@cps3xx.UUCP>, smithda@cpsvax.cps.msu.edu (J. Daniel Smith) writes: > Does anyone have a set of rules about when something should be set in > "small-caps"? As I was reading through _Time_ this week, I noticed > small caps being used several times. However, I couldn't figure out > the method to their madness, because they didn't set every word that > was in all capital letters in small-caps. Any pointers? Good > references on the subject? Most publications have their own rules in their stylebooks that set forth the use of small caps. This isn't a rule, but I agree with the thoughts: Small caps often substitute for caps in abbreviations where regular caps used throughout the text would be overly assertive and therefore distracting ([e.g.,] in the abbreviations A.M., P.M., B.C., A.D., NASA, AFL/CIO, ILGWU). Because they are about the same height as the lowercase letters, small caps contribute to the uniformity of the page, making it quieter and easier to read. from _Phototypesetting: A Design Manual_, James Craig, 1978, Watson-Gupthill Publications, New York, NY. I looked at the _Chicago Manual of Style_, 13th ed., which prefers small caps for some, but not all, abbreviations. Specifically, A.M. and P.M. and A.D. and B.C. should be set in small caps, but not others. It rules the number N should be set in small caps when set roman, full cap in italics ("there are no italic small caps"). Column headings in tables are to be set in small caps or mixed case. Small caps are suggested in chapter titles after an initial full cap. One software house we worked with set all software names in small caps, e.g., UNIX, AWK, TROFF, MM, LEX, etc. Hardware identifiers, e.g., XYZ 2300, were set in full caps. In our publications, we usually set any string of capitals >=3 letters in small caps for the reasons set forth in the quote above, unless they are outside the body of text, e.g, table titles. In prose small caps are often used decoratively, for example to set the first few words of the first line of a paragraph that starts with a drop cap. People who aren't interested in ditroff may wish to press 'n' now. Debates about what small caps really are belong to another discussion, but, if true small caps are unavailable, in text type we use the quick and dirty \s-1STRING\s0 troff construct. In display type, we use various combinations of the \H and \s escapes to create the illusion of true small caps, which are the same weight as full caps in the same font. -- Jim Ingram uunet!h-three!jimi | jimi%h-three@uunet.uu.net h-three Systems Corporation P.O. Box 12557 RTP NC 27709 919 549 8334
jack@cs.glasgow.ac.uk (Jack Campin) (04/14/89)
jimi@h-three.UUCP (jimi) wrote: > smithda@cpsvax.cps.msu.edu (J. Daniel Smith) writes: >> Does anyone have a set of rules about when something should be set in >> "small-caps"? > Small caps often substitute for caps in abbreviations where regular caps > used throughout the text would be overly assertive and therefore distracting > ([e.g.,] in the abbreviations A.M., P.M., B.C., A.D., NASA, AFL/CIO, ILGWU). > In prose small caps are often used decoratively, for example to set the > first few words of the first line of a paragraph that starts with a drop cap. [ references: "Phototypesetting: A Design Manual" (James Craig) and the Chicago Manual of Style ] I think this may depend on where you live. I had a look round my office and couldn't find any European examples of the first sort of use (with abbreviations), while the second, "decorative" form (as in "THEOREM:") seems more common here than in the US. (I also discovered that Polish publishers are dead keen on e x p a n d e d text in the same sort of position, which looks horrible to me). Since some of Strunk and White's grammar would make most British people cringe, it's not surprising that typographic style isn't entirely portable either. -- Jack Campin * Computing Science Department, Glasgow University, 17 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8QQ, SCOTLAND. 041 339 8855 x6045 wk 041 556 1878 ho INTERNET: jack%cs.glasgow.ac.uk@nss.cs.ucl.ac.uk USENET: jack@glasgow.uucp JANET: jack@uk.ac.glasgow.cs PLINGnet: ...mcvax!ukc!cs.glasgow.ac.uk!jack