Below is a comparison of the numbers in two serif faces, Times New Roman ("TNR") and Constantia:
The full-height numbers are called lining numbers, and the variable-height numbers are called old oldstyle figures. In the years shown on
the coins below, the American penny used oldstyle figures and the Canadian
penny had lining numbers.
The advantage of oldstyle figures is that they don’t POP OUT
from the text like uppercase letters, but instead blend in with the words.
Strangely, the digits 6 and 8 are the same
height in both systems, so “6668886868” would pop out just as much in
TNR as in Constantia.
If you are using a face with oldstyle figures in text, you can have problem if you have a reference to a zero (o) which looks just like the letter “o.” Temporarily switch to another face with a full-height zero.
Some
“expert set” type packages for faces that normally use oldstyle numbers also
include lining numbers to provide extra design freedom.
Hey, man, since you're so picky about language, "you can have problem"?
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy your blog, though. Thanks!
Right you are! I'll leave the error there to keep my ego restrained.
ReplyDelete