[alreq] Terminology (#205)

TitusNemeth has just created a new issue for https://github.com/w3c/alreq:

== Terminology ==
Typographic terminology should be followed where established.

Section [2.7 Font and typographical considerations](https://w3c.github.io/alreq/#h_font_and_typographical_considerations)
A font is not a typeface and vice-versa. A font is an instantiation of a typeface in a particular technology encompassing all character descriptions (sorts, glyphs) of a particular style (historically also size), whereas a typeface is the image that is created by these configurations on a support, irrespective of technology. So there is a hot-metal Monotype Series 549 and a photocomposition font Monotype Series 549, but only one typeface. There is an Adobe Arabic typeface, but it contains four fonts (Regular, Bold, Italic, Bold Italic).

Section 2.6 is called [Diacritics](https://w3c.github.io/alreq/#h_diacritics). I am not sure if this is the best term. Diacritical signs are usually considered to be a part of the letter, as in the dot of an i or the dot below the rasm of a beh ب. What is discussed in 2.6 are tashkīl, in Western type terminology usually simplified as 'vocalisation'. I think we should distinguish between diacritics and vowels and other combining marks, as they have different functions, different semantics, and work very differently in Unicode and (most) current font technologies. Given the prominence of vowels amongst such combining marks, I think it may be admissible to call them 'vowels', with a note explaining that there are also other orthographic and grammatical signs that behave similarly.


Please view or discuss this issue at https://github.com/w3c/alreq/issues/205 using your GitHub account

Received on Wednesday, 20 November 2019 10:10:52 UTC