Typographic alignment
Encyclopedia
In typesetting
and page layout
, alignment or range, is the setting of text
flow or image
placement relative to a page
, column
(measure), table cell
or tab
. The type alignment setting is sometimes referred to as text alignment, txt justification or type justification.
Note that alignment does not change the direction in which text is read; however text direction may determine the most commonly used alignment for that script
.
and most European languages where words are read left-to-right, text is often aligned ‘flush left’, meaning that the text of a paragraph is aligned on the left-hand side with the right-hand side ragged. This is the default
style of text alignment on the World Wide Web
for left-to-right text
and Hebrew
, text is commonly aligned ‘flush right’. Additionally, flush-right alignment is used to set off special text in English, such as attributions to authors of quotes printed in books and magazines, and is often used when formatting table
s of data
.
’, where the spaces between words, and, to a lesser extent, between glyph
s or letters
, are stretched or compressed to align both the left and right ends of each line of text. When using justification, it is customary to treat the last line of a paragraph
separately by simply left or right aligning it, depending on the language direction. Lines in which the spaces have been stretched beyond their normal width are called loose lines, while those whose spaces have been compressed are called tight lines.
Some modern typesetting programs offer four justification options: left justify, right justify, center justify and full justify. These variants specify whether the last line is flushed left, flushed right, centered or fully justified (spread over the whole column width). In programs that do not offer this extra functionality, justify is equal to left justify.
Typesetting
Typesetting is the composition of text by means of types.Typesetting requires the prior process of designing a font and storing it in some manner...
and page layout
Page layout
Page layout is the part of graphic design that deals in the arrangement and style treatment of elements on a page.- History and development :...
, alignment or range, is the setting of text
Typography
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading , adjusting the spaces between groups of letters and adjusting the space between pairs of letters...
flow or image
Image
An image is an artifact, for example a two-dimensional picture, that has a similar appearance to some subject—usually a physical object or a person.-Characteristics:...
placement relative to a page
Page
-Position or occupation:* Page , a traditionally young male servant* Page * Page of Honour, a ceremonial position in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom* A participant in any of the following programs:...
, column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
(measure), table cell
Table cell
A table cell is one grouping within a table. Cells are grouped horizontally and vertically . Usually information on the top header of a table and side header will "meet" in the middle at a particular cell with information regarding the two headers it is collinear with.-Kinds of cells in HTML:A...
or tab
Tab
Tab or tabs may refer to:* Tab, a British Army term for a loaded march* Tab , by Monster Magnet* Tab , a small protective covering for the fingers* Tab , the mechanism for opening a beverage can...
. The type alignment setting is sometimes referred to as text alignment, txt justification or type justification.
Basic variations
There are four basic typographic alignments:- flush left—the text is aligned along the left margin or gutter, also known as left-aligned or ragged right;
- flush right—the text is aligned along the right margin or gutter, also known as right-aligned or ragged left;
- justifiedJustification (typesetting)In typesetting, justification is the typographic alignment setting of text or images within a column or "measure" to align along both the left and right margin...
—text is aligned along the left margin, and letter- and word-spacing is adjusted so that the text falls flush with both margins, also known as fully justified or full justification; - centered—text is aligned to neither the left nor right margin; there is an even gap on each side of each line.
Note that alignment does not change the direction in which text is read; however text direction may determine the most commonly used alignment for that script
Script (typefaces)
Script typefaces are based upon the varied and often fluid stroke created by handwriting. They are organized into highly regular formal types similar to cursive writing and looser, more casual scripts.- Formal scripts :...
.
Flush left
In EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and most European languages where words are read left-to-right, text is often aligned ‘flush left’, meaning that the text of a paragraph is aligned on the left-hand side with the right-hand side ragged. This is the default
Default (computer science)
A default, in computer science, refers to a setting or value automatically assigned to a software application, computer program or device, outside of user intervention. Such settings are also called presets, especially for electronic devices...
style of text alignment on the World Wide Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
for left-to-right text
Quotations are often indentedIndentationAn indentation may refer to:* A notch, or deep recesses; for instance in a coastline, or a carving in rock* The placement of text farther to the right to separate it from surrounding text....
.
Flush right
In other languages that read text right-to-left, such as ArabicArabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
and Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, text is commonly aligned ‘flush right’. Additionally, flush-right alignment is used to set off special text in English, such as attributions to authors of quotes printed in books and magazines, and is often used when formatting table
Table (information)
A table is a means of arranging data in rows and columns.Production % of goalNorth 4087102%South 4093110% The use of tables is pervasive throughout all communication, research and data analysis. Tables appear in print media, handwritten notes, computer software, architectural...
s of data
Data
The term data refers to qualitative or quantitative attributes of a variable or set of variables. Data are typically the results of measurements and can be the basis of graphs, images, or observations of a set of variables. Data are often viewed as the lowest level of abstraction from which...
.
Justified
A common type of text alignment in print media is ‘justificationJustification (typesetting)
In typesetting, justification is the typographic alignment setting of text or images within a column or "measure" to align along both the left and right margin...
’, where the spaces between words, and, to a lesser extent, between glyph
Glyph
A glyph is an element of writing: an individual mark on a written medium that contributes to the meaning of what is written. A glyph is made up of one or more graphemes....
s or letters
Letter (alphabet)
A letter is a grapheme in an alphabetic system of writing, such as the Greek alphabet and its descendants. Letters compose phonemes and each phoneme represents a phone in the spoken form of the language....
, are stretched or compressed to align both the left and right ends of each line of text. When using justification, it is customary to treat the last line of a paragraph
Paragraph
A paragraph is a self-contained unit of a discourse in writing dealing with a particular point or idea. A paragraph consists of one or more sentences. The start of a paragraph is indicated by beginning on a new line. Sometimes the first line is indented...
separately by simply left or right aligning it, depending on the language direction. Lines in which the spaces have been stretched beyond their normal width are called loose lines, while those whose spaces have been compressed are called tight lines.
Some modern typesetting programs offer four justification options: left justify, right justify, center justify and full justify. These variants specify whether the last line is flushed left, flushed right, centered or fully justified (spread over the whole column width). In programs that do not offer this extra functionality, justify is equal to left justify.