Marks, spaces and boundaries

Luna, P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1556-1217 (2011) Marks, spaces and boundaries. Visible Language, 45 (1-2). pp. 139-160. ISSN 0022-2224

Abstract/Summary

Dictionary compilers and designers use punctuation to structure and clarify entries and to encode information. Dictionaries with a relatively simple structure can have simple typography, and simple punctuation; as dictionaries grew more complex, and encountered the space constraints of the printed page, complex encoding systems were developed, using punctuation and symbols. Two recent trends have emerged in dictionary design: to eliminate punctuation, and sometimes to use a larger number of fonts, so that the boundaries between elements are indicated by font change, not punctuation.