Cursive

A cursive, cursive ( currere of Latin, running ') or scrolling text is a font utility that is characterized by a continuous or discontinuous little lines on a writing surface (usually paper). It has its origins in the liquid ( cursive ) writing by hand. It Pens are used with which a continuous line flow can be generated today, for example, brushes (mostly in East Asia ), pens, pencils, ballpoint pens fineliner.

Also in typography certain documents or fonts to be counted. Because even at the time of the lead sentence were prepared according to models of script fonts types for printing. These are the Group VIII in Scripture classification DIN 16518th The separation of the letters types in the sense of modular principle limits here however, the realization of expressive possibilities of living authentic movement strong one.

Characteristics of the Latin script

The script takes within the scriptures that are written by hand, a special place. It differs from other hand -written journals by the strong influence that the rapid and fluid movement execution has on the form. While statically built writings (eg book and representative inscriptions ) caused by the juxtaposition of assigning individual moldings or strokes, script fonts are mainly determined dynamically, because they are executed with higher writing speed. For them, the economization of the writing process and thus the reduction of the write path plays a dominant role. Characteristic features compared to other hand-written documents are

• Predominantly single-compartment representation of the characters,
• The preparation of compounds / ligatures,
• The transfer of direction contrast horizontal / vertical in the diagonal, among other things, by abrading the forms,
• The more or less pronounced inclination of the major axis of the characters which is referred to as italics.

A special form of handwriting constitutes individually embossed signature

Development of cursive writing

The Latin script has its origins in humanistic cursive. Italics have not always been common in the history of writing. During the Roman Ancient written extensively began in everyday life and for a liquid, associated font developed (older Roman cursive, younger Roman cursive ), the High Middle Ages knew no based on the principle of letter writing connection. Only since the 13th century, literacy was so widespread by universities, merchants, and centralized administration and again that a new italics, gothic cursive arose.

With printing even less fortunate, schools and public libraries, it was possible to purchase books. The writing hand was in the 15th century in direct, tough competition to the printing machine. The printer soon realized that they could bring books of the same kind and quality in large numbers quickly and cheaply to the people. The printer retained initially in the section of their types and the decorative adjuncts to the model of handwritten books.

The progress of the development and the rapid successes of the art of printing, however, forced the hitherto highly respected and well-earning bloggers to defend the continuation of their art from the ever- growing competition. They established writing schools, took students from the middle classes, and since then built the best writings continued. They influenced the development of writing, but also the book writings and thus promoted the proliferation of hand writing in general.

After the advent of printing, there were a large number of writers in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and other countries. From 1500 to 1800 about 800 printed writing templates originated in Germany alone.

As the most important Nuremberg write master applies Johann Neudörffer, a contemporary of Albrecht Dürer. He created with Jerome Andreä the Neudörffer -Andrea fracture. With this publication, he also laid the foundation for all further fracture writings that influenced the script used in the firms ( Kanzleikurrent, German cursive ). In his school, he went against the diversity and confusion of traffic writings used at that time.

In the offices and in everyday economic life in Germany were the forms of Gothic cursive starting point for the development of so-called German or German cursive font. In the 16th century sat down for Latin and not German texts developed by the humanist Niccolo Niccoli humanistic cursive handwriting than by, so that an educated inhabitants of Germany learned to read at least two fonts fluently and write until the 20th century. In letters to the normal text was not unusual written in German script, proper names, however, in humanistic italics.

Reform and abolition of the so-called German type

In 1830 the top steel spring of England was proceeding steadily spreading. It proved to be indeed difficult to handle than the quill, but was able to prevail until the end of the 19th century in Germany.

With the introduction of compulsory education and writing as a basic school subject soon master the various schools were unnecessary. By their elimination, and the further enforcement of English style, together with the English pointed nib new use fonts prevailed.

In 1907, R. Blankertz developed a new, steel broad nib on the model of broad -edged quill. With its development, he tried to put the old script in the public eye again. However, only S. Wagner achieved this in 1912 with a further development: He was like the three lines spaces at each other, making the font is harmonically balanced and is easy to read. The previously tilting to the right writings thus get an upright posture.

The graphic artist Ludwig Sütterlin went in his handwriting reform in 1914 other ways: He designed a new font with the ratio of 1:1:1 for the Lineaturräume, with steep forms of writing, and as a completely new device, he used the Gleichzug or Schnurzugfeder. This was prepared by Blankertz as " Redisfeder ". The spherical tip of the pen does not require large with respect to the management and leadership of the spring or of the fountain pen. For this reason it appeared Sütterlin as the perfect writing instrument for children to learn the letter. The Sütterlinschrift is an extensible output font. The spring track meet the trains round and Kringle many letters. Sütterlin but spoke very clearly for the use of the right oblique broad nib and pointed to the form of profit, this spring gives the scriptures. In Hesse, Rudolf Koch developed a wide expressive writing, which he introduced in 1927. With the introduction of Sütterlins font in Hessen 1930 " Offenbacher font " remained unused.

German normal type, from 1941

Latin font output, since 1953

Cursive template of the GDR from 1958

1941, the temporary end of the German cursive was sealed with a decree of the National Socialist government. The Latin script was set as " Normal font ".

A decree from 1954 schools received in the Federal Republic of Germany got the opportunity to teach the German cursive back alongside the Latin font declared to the main output font from 4th grade onwards. When this template is used Offenbacher font with the corresponding broad nib alphabet. This regulation was brought but rarely used.

Contradictions in the understanding of cursive

Since the 60s there are in the German curricula for writing learning efforts to take back the traditional Baroque flourishes especially the capital letters. The school output font (1968 ) These are mainly oriented to the sources of the Latin script, humanistic cursive. In contrast, the efforts of the representatives of the simplified output font (1972 ) were aimed at the script to develop a whole from the geradstehenden Antiqua, the so-called publication. Efforts are ongoing with the base font to revive the ideas of Fritz Kuhlmann (1916 ) again. Kuhlmann was an ardent supporter of the labor school principle. He argued that children develop the writing form from the printed letter forms of reading Scripture itself and thereby find both our own letters and letter groups. This concept had not been proven that time and was abandoned.

Simplified output font (Germany, 1972 )

Development of the Latin script according to Fritz Kuhlmann 1916

Base font as a starting font in Hamburg

Elementary education association committed to ensuring that the script fonts used so far is replaced by the so-called base font. This is based on the publication of, in which the letters are individually, but can also be connected. Also the design of loops in the upper and lower lengths omitted. The primary schools in Hamburg is free from autumn 2012 to use the base font or the font starting school. In some states, the basic font is currently being tested.