Ten common typography mistakes
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“What’s wrong?” : six-six and nine-nine quote style
“ = u+201C
” = u+201D
’ = u+2019
New in iWorks ’08! : single closing (nine) quote style
I am 5′ 10″ tall : usage of prime and double prime
instead of
I am 5' 10" tall ′ = u+2032 (minutes, feet)
″ = u+2033 (seconds, inches)
9.4″ × 4.5″ : using multiplication sign and not lowercase x
× = u+00D7
÷ = u+00F7
14°C and overcast : correct usage of degree sign
° = u+00B0 (degrees)
№142 or Nº142 : U+2116 № NUMERO SIGN
instead of No.142 U+00BA º MASCULINE ORDINAL INDICATOR
A hyphen — the kind of : correct usage of short dash [hyphen] and en-dash
short dash you see like in ranges.
below — should really
only be used when
linking words such as
ready-made. Ranges should
also use the en-dash like
lunch is from 13:00–14:00
- = u+002D (hyphen, minus)
– = u+2013 (en dash: join numbers like in a range)
— = u+2014 (em dash: inclusion of text, emphasis, pause)
― = u+2015 (long dash: used in quotations)
£17.99 vs £17·99 : the period is only supposed to be used if
€17.99 vs €17·99 technical limitations meant that the middle dot
couldn't be printed.
· = u+00B7 (middle dot, currency)
€ = u+20AC (Euro currency sign)
£ = u+00A3 (Pound currency sign)
¢ = u+00A2 (Cent sign)
¤ = u+00A4 (universal currency symbol)
OK then… : three periods [...] are not ellipsis.
… = u+2026
⋮ = u+22EE (vertical ellipsis)
⋯ = u+22EF (middle horizontal ellipsis)
« = u+00AB (left pointing double angle
quotation)
» = u+00BB (right pointing double angle
quotation)
± = u+00B1 (plus-minus sign)
≈ = u+2248 (almost equal to)
∴ = u+2234 (therefor)
‡ = u+2021 (double dagger)
• = u+2022 (bullet - small)
‣ = u+2023 (bullet - triangular)
※ = u+203B (reference mark)
§ = (used to reference a section in a
document)
These (honest!) are brackets : No, those are parentheses. Brackets [like these ones] are used to add in information.
3 1/2″ vs 3½″ vs 3.5″ : correct usage of fractions.
½ = u+00BD
「b 'my search term'」 : To quote a string or command without confusing the
reader by using quotes, because the command could
maybe use quotes too. The problem seems to be that not
many fonts have these glyphs.
⸢aoe⸥ 「aoe」 『aoe』
⌜aoe⌟
◌ = u+25CC (dotted circle). Often used to indicate the placeholder in a
combining character.
Here is a nice “cut and paste” example. It’s a line with scissors on
them.
---8<-----------8<-----------8<-----------8<-----------8<-----------
Mask somebody’s email address as follows:
"Barry Kelly" <✉eircom.net>
or
"Barry Kelly" <…eircom.net>
Line Drawing characters
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╔═╦═╗ ┌─┬─┐ ╭──╮
║ ║ ║ │ │ │ │ │
╠═╬═╣ ├─┼─┤ │ │
╚═╩═╝ └─┴─┘ ╰──╯
Arrows
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◀ ▲ ▼ ▶
FontAwesome characters
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u+f0a8 (white circle with black left arrow)
u+f0a9 (white circle with black right arrow)
Other useful symbols
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✔ check mark
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