ITALIC

THE first italic types were designed and used by Aldus Manutius, the celebrated Italian printer, of the fifteenth century. It is said that the style was suggested by the handwriting of Petrarch. In the first fonts only the lower case letters were italic, the capitals being roman; but this irregularity soon gave way to the more regular style of italic capitals and lower case.

1. Italic is not used for the text of a book, but it is permissible for the preface, extracts, etc.

2. For poetry and other matter of a literary character italic has a decorative effect.

3. Italic is used for emphasis in roman composition and vice versa.

4. Italic is used frequently for subheads, running-heads, and side-heads, as well as for important paragraphs or extracts.

5. Italic is often used instead of roman-quoted for the titles of books, magazines, newspapers, and names of ships.

6. Signatures or credits are often placed in italic at the end of an article.

7. Foreign words and phrases are often required to be set in italic, but there are many which are now so familiar to English readers {63} that they are kept in the ordinary text. The following is a list of the most familiar words:

à propos

ad valorem

addenda

aide-de-camp

alias

alibi

alma mater

anno domini

ante-bellum

beau idéal

billet-doux

bon-ton

bona fide

bravo

café

canto

carte blanche

chapeau

chaperon

chargé d’affaires

chiaroscuro

cicerone

contra

corrigenda

data

débris

début

depot

diarrhœa

diatum

dilettante

dramatis personæ

ennui

entrepôt

erratum

et cetera

facsimile

fête

finis

gratis

hoi polloi

imprimatur

innuendo

literati

mandamus

manœuvre

mignonette

naïve

ollapodrida

onus

paterfamilias

patois

per annum

per capita

per cent.

per centum

per se

post-mortem

pro rata

protégé

quondam

régime

rendezvous

rôle

savant

seraglio

sobriquet

ultimatum

verbatim

vice

vice versa

viva voce

8. The following expressions, which are not as a rule so well known, should be italicized:

ab ovo

ancien régime

bête noire

comme il faut

de quoi vivre

de trop

en passant

fait accompli

grand monde

hors de combat

inter alia

jeu d’esprit

locum tenens

mise en scène

noblesse oblige

raison d’être

sans cérémonie

tour de force

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9. Italic is used in the following words, phrases, and abbreviations employed in literary and legal references: e.g., ibid, idem, loc. cit., op. cit., ad loc., s.v., supra, infra, passim, vide, circa (ca.). Exceptions: cf., i.e., e.g., v. (versus), viz., etc., which are always roman.

10. Punctuation marks which are placed after italicized words should be italic.

Italic is used:

1. For the names of plaintiff and defendant in the citation of legal causes.

2. In algebraic, geometric, and similar matter to designate unknown quantities, lines, etc.

3. For s. and d. (shilling and pence) following the figures: e.g., 1s. 6d.

4. For specific names in Botany, Zoölogy, and Geology.

5. In medical matter roman is used instead of italic for scientific terms.

6. For names of stars or constellations in astronomical matter.

7. In resolutions for the word Resolved.

In MS. one line drawn beneath a word or sentence signifies that it is to be put in italic.

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