Glossary of formats
The vocabulary the trade used, defined where the entries use it. Each term links to the entry it belongs to.
- Berne Convention
1886 treaty establishing reciprocal international copyright between signatory nations Continental editions ↗
- Collection of British and American Authors
the Tauchnitz series title; ran to over 5,000 volumes Continental editions ↗
- compositor
the typesetter who assembles lines of type, whether by hand or by machine The Penguin Composition Rules ↗
- em
the square of the type size; the unit in which word spacing is expressed The Penguin Composition Rules ↗
- foot margin
the margin at the bottom of the page; traditionally the widest single margin Margins ↗
- fore-edge
the outer edge of the page, opposite the spine Margins ↗
- galley
the shallow metal tray in which cast slugs were assembled into columns Hot metal ↗
- gutter
the combined inner margins of a two-page spread Margins ↗
- hot metal
collective term for compositing systems (Linotype and similar) that cast type from molten lead alloy, as distinct from hand-setting or phototypesetting Hot metal ↗
- inner margin
the margin closest to the spine; the narrowest in a proportioned layout Margins ↗
- italic
a sloped, condensed typeface cut by Griffo for the Aldine Press; in the original octavos it served as the body text, not as emphasis The Aldine octavo ↗
- matrix
the brass mould for a single letter, circulated and re-used within the machine Hot metal ↗
- privilege
the early-modern instrument used by Aldus to restrict copying of his typeface designs; precursor to copyright The Aldine octavo ↗
- roman / italic
the upright and slanted cuts of a typeface, which interact in punctuation practice The Penguin Composition Rules ↗
- running head
a line at the top of a page giving the reader orientation; present in Aldine volumes The Aldine octavo ↗
- signature
a folded section of paper forming a unit of the book, sewn through the fold The Aldine octavo ↗
- slug
the single cast metal line produced by a Linotype machine; the unit that replaced individual types in the galley Hot metal ↗
- spaceband
the wedge-shaped spacer that expanded mechanically to justify a Linotype line Hot metal ↗
- Tauchnitz
Leipzig-based publisher; issued English-language Continental reprints from 1841 Continental editions ↗
- text block
the area of the page occupied by type, defined by all four margins Margins ↗