Intergeneric Hybrids

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Wed, 09 Jun 2004 10:19:46 PDT
At 11:28 PM 6/8/2004 -0400, Jim wrote:

>Was Jane McGary pulling our legs when she said that the x used with these
>names is the multiplication sign rather than the letter x? Is there a
>difference? Are the other mathematical symbols which superficially look
>like letters really something else? Inquiring minds want to know!

No, I was not joking. In typography, the mathematical symbols that resemble 
letters are formed somewhat differently and take up a different amount of 
letterspace. If you're using a typeface that has serifs, the multiplication 
symbol lacks serifs, for example. The minus sign is close to the en dash in 
most types, but it usually takes up a different amount of space in the line.

A small point, but that's what I get paid for -- even though I also write 
e-mails, in which I can use an x for a mult sign, and end sentences with 
prepositions.

Best regards,
Jane McGary



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