[Dragaera] Typesetting punctuation - 2 spaces or one? (was: Re: A Paarfict Storm)

[Jerry Friedman]

--- Geri Sullivan <gfs at toad-hall.com> wrote:

> At 11:52 AM -0800 1/20/08, Rick Castello wrote:
> >On Sun, January 20, 2008 9:41 am, David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
> >
> >>>>>  Diana wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>  A very minor note, again regarding spacing: double spaces after
> >>>>>>  periods (or other forms of punctuation) are unnecessary unless
> one is
> >>>>>>  using a typewriter font (which I sincerely hope the final
> product will
> >>>>>>  not be).

Unnecessary, but helpful.

> >      I don't work in the business, and had made only note of a change
> in this
> >      regard in subtle passing - when did this happen, and why?
> >
> >      I'm curious.

[snip history]

> Another web page blames high school typing teachers for the use and 
> proliferation of the second space. That makes sense in terms of how 
> it carried into the age of desktop publishing, since most people 
> doing computer layout are not trained or experienced typographers.
> 
> There's also a good overview of the basic arguments for and against 
> in the "Spacing after Full Stop" section of the Wikipedia article on 
> full stops (periods):
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_stop

That article mentions what nobody here has mentioned (that I've
seen): the extra space doesn't go after all periods, just after
those that end sentences.  Thus it gives the reader information.
There aren't many situations where that information is necessary
[*], but it can be helpful, and the cost is minimal, so why not
do it?  I put it in the same category as serifs (on paper), ragged
right margins, periods after abbreviations, and lines of
reasonable length--none necessary, all criticized on esthetic
grounds, all helpful.

The Wikipedia article says several studies have shown that extra
space at the ends of sentences is helpful and none have
contradicted it.  Though that section is obviously written by
someone who like the extra space, I think the conclusion is
probably true.

As some people have pointed out, in typesetting with extra
space after sentences, the correct amount is less than two
spaces, such as 1.5 or, as in TeX, 4/3.

[*] "Ray and Cindy Valdez will talk to J. D. Gordon, who understands
what we need him to do, will talk to Megan."

(Of course you can solve this problem by writing "JD" with no
periods.  I once heard a speech by NdeB Katzenbach.)

Jerry Friedman


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