Right-to-left

The writing direction (also: Direction of writing ) determines in which direction are read and written characters of a written language. In the present text, for example, the writing direction is left to right primarily and secondarily from top to bottom.

General

When a word is written, it will begin with a character. The writing direction determines whether the next character to the left or right of the previous, above or set below. Almost always is also the next word in this direction. In the same direction must also be read. This property of texts called linearity. The Direction determines the makrotypographische basic unit line.

A distinction is made between primary and secondary writing direction. The primary writing direction is the one in which successive individual characters. The secondary writing direction is the one in which successive rows.

When the primary writing direction horizontally, as for example in the used for most Western languages ​​Latin script, then one speaks of a horizontal writing. Is written primarily vertically ( that is, from top to bottom or from bottom to top ), one speaks of a vertical font.

In the horizontal writings, a distinction based on the primary writing direction between Clockwise (from left to right), left-handed (written lines alternately from left to right and from right to left) ( right to left ) and bustrophedoner writing direction. Almost all horizontal fonts are secondarily written from top to bottom.

Are documents bound in book form, so the binding is primarily for right-handed writings left, in primary left-handed fonts right of the front page.

Direction in different writing systems

The Latin alphabet is a horizontal Clockwise writing, that is, it is primarily written from left to right.

Most Semitic writings, so as Arabic and Hebrew are horizontal left-handed writings, that is, they are primarily written from right to left.

The writings of the Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages ​​are traditionally written primarily from top to bottom and secondarily from right to left, for single-line text, the direction is consequently find from right to left (as there is a number of lines of length 1). Due to Western influence but today it is also a writing direction as the spread of texts with Latin script. The classical Mongolian script, which is still used in Inner Mongolia is running, primarily from top to bottom and secondarily from left to right.

Some Filipino writings such as the Tagbanuwa font are primarily written from bottom to top.

History

The writing direction is culturally and historically conditioned.

The early Greeks (ca. 800-600 BC ), the direction of writing did manage initially variable. There were left-handed ( sinistrograde ), Clockwise ( dextrograde ) and the boustrophedone ( " as the ox plows " ) notation. The latter has the advantage that at the end of the line no line jump must be made, which interrupts the flow of reading for writer and reader. The disadvantage is that for each letter as well as the mirror image has to be learned. As a result, therefore, have the shape and orientation of many characters - about M and A - designed so that they appear similar in both directions.

No later than the 4th century BC sat down in the Greek spelling of the Clockwise, as it is still used today in Europe.

Letters columns in newspapers

The columns in newspapers are relatively narrow, so that the reader keeps the text in his immediate field of vision. Reading it falls so easily. At the end of a column he has the look reorient to the top of a column, and then with eyes to capture the rows from left to right and slow to follow the text from top to bottom. The direction of writing is here in principle unchanged, only the individual text block is shorter and narrower.