A Glossary of Publishing Terms (G-M)

- G -

galley:

A long narrow tray, usually of metal, for holding type that has been set. See composing stick, chase, typeface, font.

galley proof:

A proof taken before the material has been made up into pages and usually printed as a single column of type with wide margins for marking corrections; originally a proof set from type in a galley. See proof, proofread, catchline.

gamma:

A measure of the degree of development of a photographic print or negative. See burn, retouch, gamma curve, photography.

gamma curve:

An expression of the brightness and contrast relationships for the red, green, and blue display elements, which may be broadcast calibrated or reception adjusted. See interlaced, additive color.

gang:

To separate more than one image in only one halftone or exposure. Also, to reproduce two or more different printed products simultaneously onto one sheet during a single pressrun; also called "combination run". Also, to form into groups, sets, or sequences; see tail-in. Also, a group of identical or related items. Also, a group of elements or components arranged to work together or simultaneously.

garland:

A collection of short literary pieces, as poems and ballads; being a literary miscellany, cycle, or divan. See compilation.

gateway:

An interface device or system used to connect dissimilar networks, so that information can be passed among different communications protocols. Unlike a bridge, which transfers information between similar networks, a gateway both transfers information and converts it to a form compatible with the protocols used by the other networks for transport and delivery.

gather:

Signatures assembled in the proper sequence for binding; also called "stack". Compare quire, imposition, nested, fold lines, F&G; see binding.

gazette:

A commercial newspaper or a government journal; derived from the price of an issue. See journal, newspaper, catalog, trade journal, organ, periodical.

gem:

A four-point type; see font, type. Also, the abbreviation for the Graphics Environment Manager (GEM) by Digital Research; being a graphical interface designed to both make the operation of software simpler for the non-expert, and to allow programs to communicate with one another. Two key DTP packages, "GEM Desktop Publisher" and "Ventura", operate within this GUI environment.

gender:

A set of grammatical categories, or the membership of a word or form in such a grammatical category, applied to masculine, feminine, neuter, or common nouns, represented by the form of the noun itself or the choice of words that modify, replace, or refer to it. The referent may or may not be correlated with sex, animateness, or any other characteristic. Specificity is used as grammatical delimiter, and not as designator of sexuality; derived from "kind, sort, or class" (genus). See syntax, grammar, parts of speech, censorship. [eg: "God created man, male and female" Genesis 1:27, Mark 10:6, Matthew 19:4]

genre:

A class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, technique, style, content, or the like.

genuine finish:

Any surface treatment or effect applied to paper while actually being made; such "wet impressions" are not only more durable, but accept ink better for a finer printing display. Compare emboss; see finish, paper coating.

GEO:

The abbreviation for Geosynchronous/Geostationary Earth Orbit, a satellite system used in telecommunications. GEOs orbit the earth at 22,300 miles above the planet's surface. They are tied to the earth's rotation and are therefore in a fixed position in space in relation to the earth's surface. The satellite goes around once in its orbit for each rotation of the earth. The advantage of a GEO system is that the transmission station needs to point to only one place in space in order to transmit the signal to the GEO satellite. GEO systems are used for transmissions of high-speed data, television signals, and other wideband applications. Compare LEO, MEO: see VSAT.

ghosting:

Phenomenon of a faint image appearing on a printing sheet where it was not intended to appear. Also, phenomenon of printed image appearing too light due to ink starvation. Compare scum, setoff, slur, hickey, mottle, cheater bar; see illustration.

GhostScript:

A freeware program that reads PostScript files in the Linux environment without displaying EPS coding; as a browser reads HTML files that would display coding in an ASCII text editor.

ghost word:

A word that has come into existence by error rather than by normal linguistic transmission, as through the mistaken reading of a manuscript, a scribal error, or a misprint. See mot juste, counterword, word, rhetorical forms.

ghostwriter:

A person who is paid to write a speech, article, book, or the like, for another person who's presumed to be the author. See hack, byline, plagiarism; compare amanuensis.

GIF:

The abbreviation for Graphics Interchange Format; being a graphics file format (*.GIF) developed by CompuServe (c1987 CIS) that uses LZW compression algorithm and 256 colors to display bitmap images. GIF files are widely used on World Wide Web pages because they provide good-quality color images in a format that takes up a small amount of compressed memory space. The GIF89A version allows one color of an image to be made transparent, so images can display directly onto backgrounds. GIF is suitable for banners, cartoons, and animations. Compare PNG; see graphics, illustration.

gigaPOP/gigaPoP:

A contraction of gigabit Point of Presence, a network access point that supports data transfer rates of at least 1 Gbps. Only a few gigaPOPs currently exist, and they're used primarily for accessing the I2 network. Each university that connects to I2 must do so through a gigaPOP, which connects the university's LANs and WANs to the I2 network. Originally, 12 gigaPOPs were planned, each one serving half a dozen I2 members, but the number of gigaPOPs is likely to grow. Whereas the POPs maintained by ISPs are designed to allow low-speed modems to connect to the internet, gigaPOPs are designed for fast access to a high-speed network, such as I2.

GIGO:

The abbreviation for Garbage In Garbage Out, being the axiom that faulty data fed into a computer will result in distorted information. No valid conclusion can be drawn from invalid premisses. See debug, kludge, patch, RTDM. [nb: a technology adage declares that work-products can be timely and inexpensive, but they won't be flawless; or they can be timely and flawless, but they won't be inexpensive; or they can be flawless and inexpensive, but they won't be timely.]

GII:

The abbreviation for Global Information Infrastructure, being the high-speed interactive network that distributes audio, video, and text elements, regardless of format or mode (including satellite communications; also called National Information Infrastructure (NII). See website, www, portal, internet.

glassine:

A strong, thin, glazed semitransparent paper. See paper.

glide:

A transitional or connective sound linking contiguous articulations, as a "semivowel"; see accent, syllabary, compare blend, compound. Also, a smooth progression from one tone or pitch to another; portamento.

glitch:

A defect, error, or malfunction, as in a machine or plan. See crash, debug.

gloss:

In old manuscripts, an explanation, translation, or interpretation of a word or phrase written interlinear, marginal, or appended in a glossary. In modern printing, a marginal annotation is usually set in a type size smaller than that of the text to which it refers. Also, an artfully or deliberately misleading interpretation, as "to gloss over" by explaining away or dismissing. Also, a glossary or lexis; derived from "a word requiring explanation". See interlinear, marginalia, notation, reference marks.

gloss finish:

A shiny finish on photographic paper or coated printing paper. See paper coating.

glyph:

Any symbol bearing non-verbal information or a non-alphanumeric message, such as a pictograph or hieroglyph (qqv); see rebus, ideogram, logogram, semiotics, alphabet, typology. Also, a shape in a font that is used to represent a computerized character code, such as letterforms and dingbats (wingdings); see hint, font, typeface.

golden handcuffs:

Colloquial expression for attractive remuneration packages offered to senior managers, particularly those with specialized knowledge, which make it more worthwhile for them to remain with present employers than to succumb to offers made by rival organizations. Generous but delayed share option schemes can form a helpful ingredient in preparing these inducements. A practice frequently adopted to deter competitors from poaching senior executives by devices such as golden hellos (qv). See revolving-door, headhunting, staff, trade secret, forbearance agreement; compare golden key.

golden handshake:

Alternative reference for 'golden parachute' (qv); being an incentive to resign or an inducement to retire.

golden hello:

Colloquial expression for a payment made to induce a prospect to take up employment. The taxability of the payment depends upon how it is characterized (eg: compensation, allowance, honorarium, gift, etc). See revolving-door, headhunting, staff.

golden key:

Colloquial expression for the key that unlocks the golden handcuffs (qv); usually consisting of a single payment, exclusive of salary/wages or other benefits, to an employee who is dismissed for reasons beyond their control, who is no longer considered worth retention, or who has not fulfilled expectations. Also known as superannuation, redundancy, or severance pay. See revolving-door, non-competition agreement, headhunting, staff.

golden parachute:

Colloquial expression for a clause in the employment contract of a senior executive that provides financial and other benefit guaranties if a change of corporate ownership, business practice, or company policy causes the position to lose function or forfeit status, resulting in transfer or demotion, then the "bail-out" option may be exercised. Also called "golden handshake". See revolving-door, headhunting, non-competition agreement, staff.

golden proportion:

The proportional ratio of linear or planar dimensions serving to guide good or pleasing design layouts, as derived from ancient Greek architecture; also called "golden ratio" or "golden section". This rule posits that dimensions or proportions relate the lesser of the two to the greater as the greater is to the sum of both; a ratio of approximately 0.618 to 1.000. See aesthetics, design, graphic design, layout. [cf: Aristotelean Golden Mean]

Goldenrod sheet:

An opaque yellow paper used to block actinic light in non-print areas for lithography. See masking.

Gothic:

A square-cut printing type with broad even strokes, but without serifs or hairlines; also called "grotesk"; see black letter, typeface, type family. Also, a literary or filmic work characterized by a gloomy setting, violent events, mysterious or sinister plots, and, in contemporary fiction, an imperiled heroine.

GRACOL:

The abbreviation for General Requirements and Applications for Commercial Offset Lithography; being an industry guideline. See trade customs, trade associations.

grade:

General term used to distinguish among printing papers, by referring to the category, class, rating, finish, or brand of paper.

graduated screen tint:

Screen tint that changes densities gradually and smoothly (not in distinct steps); also called "degrade", "gradient", "ramped screen", and "vignette". See illustration.

graffiti/graffito:

Markings, as slogans or drawings, written or sketched on a sidewalk, wall, or a similar public receptacle; derived from "to scratch" an incised inscription or design. See samizdat, scratchboard.

graffitist:

One who marks public surfaces with writings or drawings, as artistic expression, as political protest, as vandalistic defacement, or as antagonistic desecration; also called "tagger", "street author", "sidewalk scribe", "pavement poet". See samizdatchik, writer.

grain direction:

The predominant direction of fiber alignment in paper during manufacture; also called "machine direction". Compare cross grain; see with the grain, cracking, paper.

grain long/short paper:

Paper with fibers running parallel to the long or short dimension of the sheet. Compare cross grain; see with the grain, cracking, paper.

grammage:

The ISO basis weight (qv) of paper expressed in grams per square meter (gsm). See paper.

grammar:

The study of the way the sentences of a language are constructed. Also, a set of rules accounting for prescriptive and proscriptive usage in a language, as a grammar book. Derived from the Greek letter "gamma"; see syntax, morpheme, alphabet, rhetorical forms. [cf: agrammatism, lexis, sprachgefühl] [nb: computerized grammar checkers operate like generative parsers, so that subtlety, ambiguity, and poetic license is identified as erroneous; the programmer's catch-phrase for this phenomenon is: "time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana"]

grant:

Something valuable, such as a sum of money or property, goods or services, that is conferred or conveyed without encumbrance or obligation; as a gift, stipend, or subvention. See advance, production advance, royalty, benefactor, white knight.

graphic arts:

The crafts, industries, and professions related to designing and printing on paper and other strata.

graphic design:

An arrangement of type and visual elements, along with specifications for paper, ink colors, and printing processes that, when combined, convey a visual message. Artistic tension is permissible, but text and graphics should not compete for dominance or attention. Standard source directories include: "Creative Illustration Book" (The Black Book), and "American Showcase: Illustration". See design, golden proportion.

graphics:

The creation, editing, and printing of pictures. Computer graphics have two main methods: vector graphics (stored as a list of vector matrices), and raster or bitmap graphics (stored as a collection of dots or pixels). In HTML, all graphics display at 72 pixels per inch (dpi); and if the dimensions are specified, the accompanying text will stream around a tagged border while the image is loading. Graphical formats include BMP, CGM, GIF, JPEG, PICT, PNG, SVG, TIFF, WMF, Flash, among others. See bitmap graphics, raster graphics, vector graphics, Bezier curve, metafile, gray scale, stochastic screening, CAD, drawing program, clipart, dithering, web pox, VRML, palette, transparent palette, dentation, illustration; compare program, software.

graph plotter:

A device that draws images using ink pens that can be raised, lowered and moved over a page. The plotter uses vector graphics, making an image out of a series of point-to-point lines. Lines and curves are drawn on the page by a combination of horizontal and vertical movements of the pen or paper. See plotter, pantograph.

gravure:

A rotary printing process where the image is etched into the metal plate attached to a cylinder. The cylinder is then rotated through a trough of printing ink after which the etched surface is wiped clean by a blade leaving the non-image area clean. The paper is then passed between two rollers and pressed against the etched cylinder drawing the ink out by absorption. This high speed, high capacity, and high accuracy process will not pick paper, regardless of quality. See doctor blade, photogravure, rotogravure, intaglio.

gravure press:

An intaglio process of photomechanical printing, such as photogravure or rotogravure, using metal plates or cylinders etched with numberless tiny wells that hold ink. See press.

gray balance:

Printed cyan, magenta, and yellow halftone dots that accurately reproduce a neutral gray image. See illustration.

gray component replacement:

Technique of replacing gray tones in the yellow, cyan, and magenta files with black; abbreviated GCR. See illustration.

gray levels:

Number of distinct gray tones that can be captured by a scanner or reproduced by an output device. Compare dynamic range; see illustration.

gray literature:

Non-commercial printed works, such as theses and proceedings, internal reports and commissioned documents, which were never intended for general circulation, but which may be channeled through interlibrary loan, document delivery service, and other methods. Compare fugitive materials; see thesis, monograph, hermeneutics, DAI, gray space.

gray scale:

A scale of achromatic colors having equal gradations ranging from white to black, used to calibrate exposure times for film and plates for fine shading in photography, television, and computer graphics. See dithering, graphics, illustration.

gray space:

The designation for text or body copy printed throughout a publication, regardless of ink color; also known as "gray matter" [nb: probably a publishing pun on the brains necessary for the creation of interesting and readable text]. Compare white space, black space; see gray literature, type noise.

great primer:

Approximately a seventeen-point type; see font, type.

Greek type:

An arrangement of incomprehensible nonwords or indecipherable nonsense phrases on a sample or specimen, used to demonstrate the setup or layout of a proposed publication; also known as "dummy text" or "verbigeration". See comprehensive dummy, dummy, solecism, balderdash.

Gresham's Law:

A mid-19th Century economic theory on devaluation which has since been applied to social psychology and political science. As a publishing reference, it argues that inferior or mediocre publications appealing to the "lowest common denominator" will cause the displacement or downfall of better or superior publications by pandering to "mass markets". The degradation of fine publishing is due to abandonment of higher standards, for any number of reasons, rather than infiltration and permutation. Unlike economics, where hoarding retains or increases value, communication is contingent upon circulation for both the establishment of basic value and its increased value by modification or refinement. Innovation and experimentation are meaningless without other measures, be they historical or popular culture. See publish, publication, periodical.

grid:

The systematic subdivision of a page into the consistent presentation of contents, according to style guidelines and segmental definition, so as to ensure a recognizable pattern in subject and design. This artificial boundary or imaginary overlay serves to measure and position page elements (ie: text, heads, images, ads, borders, margins) on the periodical's trim size. See frames, template, layout, modular make-up, horizon line, pipeline, design.

grid box:

A structural display area on a page layout containing copy; grid boxes may be combined or bridged to accommodate particular images, headings, or body text. See box, mortise, grid.

gripper edge:

The edge of a sheet held by grippers on a sheet-fed press, thus the edge going through the press first; also called "feeding edge" and "leading edge". See work and tumble, work and turn, bite, guide edge, head stop, lap.

GROFF:

Contraction of GNU Run-OFF, being a freeware version of troff for the Linux system, which formats text for display on a phototypesetter, as an enabling program associated with ROFF (qv). As a complex coding system, primarily used for manual pages, it is being displaced by TeX and LaTeX (qqv). See text editor.

groundwood paper:

Newsprint and other inexpensive paper made from pulp created when wood chips are ground mechanically, rather than refined chemically. See paper.

guard:

A narrow strip of paper or cloth pasted to a single leaf to allow sewing into a section for binding (qv). Compare backing.

GUI:

The abbreviation for Graphical User Interface, being an image intensive display, or an iconographic overlay of computer program operations, in which the masked command options are executed by actuators (eg: mouse clicks, hot buttons). The "Apple" Macintosh computer system introduced iconographics in 1984, and Microsoft "Windows" followed the next year. The first World Wide Web GUI browser was "Mosaic", created by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois, since it enabled a cross-platform multimedia interface for UNIX, Windows, and Macintosh operating systems. See WYSIWYG, GEM, X-Window @ UNIX, window; compare command line, POSIX.

guide edge:

Used to set the registration of sheets from the feeding unit (qv) prior to printing, or to jog (qv) sheet alignment when stacking in the delivery unit after printing; distinct from head stop and gripper edge. See lap, press.

guideline/guidelines:

Any lightly marked line(s) used to position page contents in a layout template with extensional or intentional specifications; see stripping, crop marks, keylines, register marks. Also, a set of publication standards governing acceptable submission material(s), which are often used as an advisory by freelancers seeking appropriate outlets; see mission statement, publication.

guillemet:

A single or double angle-bracket character, pointing either left or right (®/¯), used as a bullet to draw attention to particular sections of text. See dingbat, page marker, ornament, typeface.

guillotine cutter:

A large cutting machine with a descending blade that trims paper evenly across a stack of sheets.

gusset:

See dog-ear.

gutenberg:

A unit of measure, equal to 0.01 pica point; named after the German printer, Johannes Gutenberg (Johann Gensfleisch), who is recognized as the first European to print with movable type.

gutter:

The white space formed by the inner margins of two facing pages in a bound book, magazine, or newspaper. See white space; compare valley.

- H -

hack:

A writer whose services are for hire; see ghostwriter. Also, a person who surrenders individual independence, integrity, or belief in return for money or other reward. Also, a person who engages in an activity without talent or skill, as a producer of banal or mediocre work, or a dull or routine worker. Also, to make trite, banal, or stale by frequent use; hackney. Also, to damage or injure by crude, harsh, or insensitive treatment, as a piece of writing.

hacker:

Slang for a computer expert or enthusiast; the term may be either complimentary or derogatory. Among technophobes, there is little distinction between a nerd and a hacker, between a dweeb and a techie; so the pejorative sense of the term is becoming more prominent, largely due to its co-optation by the popular press as a referent for persons gaining unauthorized access to computer systems for malicious or illegal purposes. The proper term for computer system intruders is cracker (qv). See phreak, script kiddie, turist, software, virus.

haiku:

A Japanese poem or verse form, consisting of 17 syllables divided into three lines, respectively of 5/7/5 syllables, often about nature or a season. Derived from "jesting stanza". See hokku, tanka.

hairline:

Subjective term referring to a very small space, thin line, or close register, which is too vague for accuracy; for example, a "hairline rule" is the thinnest which can be printed. See featheredge.

half binding:

A type of book binding consisting of a leather binding on the spine and, sometimes, the corners, with paper or cloth sides. See binding.

half-life:

The time it takes for a sensational news item to migrate from a front-page (qv) report to a back-page filler (qv), or for a spectacular entertainment to lose public interest; being a period that's shrinking with improved communications and diminished attention span. The "art of journalism" consists in the ability to extend or revive a waning story. Revisiting "old news" is less nostalgia than revisionism. See news.

half-title page:

The first printed page of certain books, appearing after the endpapers but before the title page, and containing only the title of the book; also called "fly title" or "bastard title". Beginning in the 17th Century, a half-title page was printed in abbreviation on one of the flyleaves so it could be cut-out and tipped over the fore-edge or pasted onto the spine for book identification on shelving. Compare title page; see heading, key title, protocol, spine, colophon, acknowledgments.

halftone:

A printing process in which gradation of tone is obtained by a system of minute dots; also called "monotone". Also, either the metal printing plate or the final image obtained from this process of intermediate values. See illustration.

half web:

Press using rolls 17" to 20" wide to print eight-page signatures with a flat size typically 17" X 22". See press.

hallmark:

Any distinguishing mark or special indication signifying quality or genuineness; also called "plate mark". See indicia, signet, autograph, show-off, logo, brand, imprint, trademark, colophon, imprimatur.

handbill:

A small printed notice, advertisement, or announcement, usually for circulation by hand; also called a flier or tract. See leaflet, fly sheet, broadside, banner, panel. [eg: "Zap" comix; v: cartoon]

H&J:

Notation for setting hyphenation and justification to automatically delimit the permissible character count at the end of each line, and the frequency of repetition between lines. See justify, straight composition, alignment, river, proofreader's marks.

hand sample:

A handmade prototype or mock-up offered for design approval and production setup (nb: contract should stipulate that the manufactured item will meet the quality and performance of the sample). See samples.

handshake:

The slang expression for a protocol interface or an exchange of signals during initialization, by computer systems or their devices, to ensure synchronization of the connection; including modem, bandwidth, interlace, power, and the like. See password.

hanging:

Any type of mark or non-alphanumeric character positioned in a margin, and not aligned with the body of the copy, such as "hanging hyphenation" and "hanging punctuation". A common example is "hanging indentation", also known as "out-denting", in which the initial text line extends beyond the body of a paragraph, as used in stylization and itemization. A "hanging baseline" is also used with some non-Latin scripts.

Hansard:

The official published report of the debates and proceedings in the British Parliament, equivalent to the Congressional Record; eponymously derived from Luke Hansard and his descendants, who compiled the reports from about 1775 through 1889.

hard copy:

Type and images on paper or proofing material that's ready for printing or scanning. Also, computer output printed onto paper; a printout. Compare soft copy, PaperNet; see screen shot.

hardcover:

A book bound in cloth, leather, or the like, over firm or stiff material; also called "hardback" or "case bound". Hardcover book interiors are sewn together before being glued to the cover. See split edition, paperback, binding.

harden:

The oxidation process of drying ink, which is affected by adhesion and penetration additives, so as to prevent setoff (qv) and other problems. See ink.

hardware:

The mechanical, magnetic, electronic, and electrical devices comprising a computer system. Compare software; see chip, disc, Floptical disk, Winchester disk, bus, multifunction, computer.

hard-wired:

Intrinsic or built-in, not readily changed; such as a direct hardware connection, or an invariable procedure, or an inflexible technique. See interface.

haute-couture:

High fashion, especially the dressmaking establishments that produce collections. Derived from "high + fashion", but not to be confused with "high + fashion designer" (haute-couturier/-e; similar to "high society" (haut-monde/haute-monde), with the same root as "haughty" (hauteur). See ars gratia artis, l'art pour l'art, oeuvre, tour de force. [v: de rigueur, outr‚, m‚tier]

headband:

A reinforcing strip added at the inner top of a book spine; intended to prevent cover damage when books are unshelved by their spine.

headbox:

The dispenser or hopper for supplying pulp/furnish to a papermaking machine (fourdrinier). See deckle, wire.

header:

A line or lines of text set to display at the top of every page in a document or publication, usually for identification; may include graphic lines or automatic page sequencing, but usually includes title, subtitle, or web address. Also known as running head (qv). See footer, meta tag, dateline.

headhunting:

The search by professional recruiters ("headhunters") for executives to fill high-level positions; see revolving-door, golden hello, golden handcuffs, golden key, golden parachute, staff, non-competition agreement. Also, the act or practice of trying to destroy the power, position, or influence of one's competitors.

heading:

Any title or caption of a page, chapter, etc, as used to identify or distinguish that part; also called headline or head. See subhead, cross head, deck, strap, kicker, nameplate, catchline, jump head, banner, floating flag, down style, streamer, screamer, stepped head, standing head, tombstone, initial, rubric, sinkage, key title, title page.

headless-word:

An irregular form of a grammatical construction that does not derive from its components or keywords (eg: lowlife, flat-out, flatfoot, tenderfoot, fly-out, sabertooth, etc). Compare headword, keyword.

headpiece/head-piece:

A decoration, usually a printer's ornament or a small illustration, printed in the blank space above the beginning of the text of a book chapter or other subdivision; also called "head ornament". Compare tailpiece, frontispiece; see sinkage, horizon line, attic.

head stop:

The butt of the registration or delivery units, enabling sheet position to be set accurately and consistently; lightweight paper tends to crumple, and heavy paper tends to bounce-back when striking the head stop. See guide edge, press.

headword:

A word or phrase appearing as the heading of a chapter, section, or reference entry, as used in codex volumes for place location before pagination; also known as "guide word" or catchword. Also, a word that serves as the origin of a grammatical construction, or the source of meaning for another word or phrase; also called "lemma" or keyword; compare headless-word.

heat-set web:

Web press equipped with an oven to dry ink, thus able to print coated paper.

hellbox:

The receptacle for collecting discarded type ("dead matter") that will be melted for re-use. See foundry type, hot type, type metal.

help:

An integral form of assistance provided by many programs, consisting of advice or instructions on using specific features. Help facilities, also called "online help", can be accessed directly, without the need to interrupt work in progress or to leaf through a manual, by actuating a hot-key or control character (eg: help key, F1/? function key). Some help facilities are context-sensitive, so that relevant information about the active task or topic will be automatically presented. Help screens are not as extensive as manuals, but they refresh the memory and quickly detail little-used features. See RTDM, FAQ, debug, program, software.

hermeneutics:

The art or science of textual description, explanation, and interpretation, especially scriptural exegesis. See monograph, thesis, gray literature.

heteronym:

A word spelled the same (homograph) as another but having a different sound and meaning (eg: lead [conduct/metal]; row [line/fight]; bear [carry/animal]). See homonym, oronym, vocabulary, rhetorical forms, alphabet; compare contranym. [see Confusing Words]

hickey/hickie:

A spot or imperfection in printing, most visible in areas of heavy ink coverage, caused by dirt on the plate or blanket; also called blemish, goober, booger. Compare slur, mottle, scum, setoff, picking, webpox. [v: maculate/maculation]

hieroglyphics:

Designating a symbolic language, in which many of the signs are conventionalized pictures of the things represented; also known as hieroglyphs. Also, characters that are difficult to read or decipher; or a figure or symbol with a hidden meaning, as derived from "sacred writing". See ideogram, logogram, rebus, pictography, semiotics, alphabet, steganography, typology.

high-fidelity color:

Color reproduced using six, eight, or twelve separations. See illustration.

high-key photo:

A photo with its most important details appearing in the highlights. See illustration.

highlights:

Lightest or brightest portions of an image; as distinguished from midtones and shadows. See key, illustration.

hint:

A hint is a mathematical instruction added to the font to distort a character's outline at particular sizes. Technically, hints result in operations which modify a character contours' scaled control point coordinates before the outline is scan converted for optimal "grid-fit". Hinting is a method of defining exactly which pixels are actuated in order to create the best possible bitmapped font character shape at small sizes and low resolutions. It is often necessary to modify a glyph's outline to generate an accurate and recognizable image. Global parameters which only specify letterform spacing or distances are properly kerning, instead of hinting a more readable image. See kern, font, typography, pantograph, tweak; compare dentation.

histogram:

Vertical bar chart or proportional graph showing the frequency distribution or tonal range in an image. See illustration.

historiography:

The body of literature dealing with historical matters; the body of techniques, theories, and principles of historical research and presentation, including hierology and hagiology. Compare roman a clef.

HLS:

The abbreviation for the Hue/Lightness/Saturation table; also called HVS. See color curves.

hokku:

The opening verse of a linked poetic series. Derived from "opening stanza". See epigraph, haiku, tanka.

hologram:

A three-dimensional image of an object produced by recording the patterns of interference formed by a split laser beam on a photographic plate or film, and then illuminating the pattern with usually coherent light; also called "holograph".

holography:

A printing method using a laser to emboss images precisely overlaying each other on a thin piece of film to produce a three-dimensional image.

homepage:

The entry or gateway to the contents of a website; which normally includes the website's title, mission, credits, and menu, with links to supporting webpages. In a hierarchical arrangement, the highest webpage; in a linear arrangement, the first webpage; in a distributed arrangement, the central webpage; in an eclectic arrangement, the primary webpage. In well designed websites, internal links back to the homepage will be conveniently placed to facilitate user navigation. In hypermedia, the initial or arrival webpage is identified as ".../index.html"; and any unspecified path defaults to the homepage location, but the homepage need not act as menu or exit. See webpage, domain name, internet address; compare portal.

homonym:

A word that's the same as another in spelling ["homograph"] or pronunciation ["homophone"] but different in meaning, usually as a result of word origin. See heteronym, oronym, vocabulary, rhetorical forms, alphabet; compare contranym. [see Confusing Words]

honeypot:

A decoy internet-attached server that lures prospective hackers and potential crackers, in order to study their activities and monitor their techniques. Honeypots are designed to mimic systems that an intruder would like to break into, but limit the scope of possible access. Most honeypots are installed inside firewalls so that they can be better controlled, though it is possible to install them outside of firewalls. A honeypot firewall works the opposite of a normal firewall; instead of restricting ingress to a system from the internet, it restricts egress from that system back onto the internet. The surveillance objectives do not include tracing intruders back to their origin. The study of honeypot activity is designed to develop tamper-proof environments. See web server, BBS, virus, software.

hook:

Something that attracts attention, as an audience captivated by a dramatic introduction; or entices patronage, as to snare clients and customers. See cover lines, skyline, teaser, take-off, puffery.

horizon line:

The position on a page where contents are placed to establish a consistent pattern, so that the reader can reliably anticipate the starting point of sections, departments, or features. This "eye line" or "sight line" is established so the point of focus consistently lands at the same place on successive pages. Inconsistent placement tends to frustrate and alienate readers, but the horizon line can be varied by typography and imagery, including ruled lines. See sinkage, optical center, layout, grid, modular make-up, attic, headpiece, skyline.

hot-key:

A command key sequence, so called due to always being ready and waiting ("warmed-up") for activation. Hot-key combinations usually consist of control keys (ie: CTRL, ALT, Shift) used simultaneously with some other keyboard selection. Hot-keys actuate subroutines, TSR programs, compatible programs, and command shells. The definition of hot-keys must not conflict with any program keystrokes or application functions. Importing memory-resident "pop-ups" monopolizes RAM, and processing may be retarded by over-equipped programs. See TSR, subroutine, macro, script, batch file, shell, multitasking.

hot link:

A link between two applications such that changes in one will automatically affect the other. See link, pointer, hypertext, hot spot, OLE.

hot spot:

Slang for a hyperlink; see pointer, hot link, image map.

hot type:

Any relief printing method, especially involving molten metal castings. Compositions include: hand-cut (block), hand-set (foundry), machine-cut (monotype, linotype). The distinction is oriented to the prevailing or final process, rather than exclusion; as 'scanned relief' is "cold type", but 'photo engraved' is "hot type". See foundry type, reproduction proof, hellbox, type metal, font, type.

hourglass:

The serpentine effect from justified copy produced by placing a column of flush left text beside a column of flush right text; the resulting white space may be deliberate or accidental. See H&J, river, trapped white space, white space.

housekeeping:

The routine management, maintenance, and servicing of any system, especially computers attended by script or utility software; also called "system clean-up".

house sheet:

Paper that's suitable for a wide variety of printing jobs, that is regularly kept in stock by a printer; also called "floor sheet". See paper.

HTML:

The abbreviation for HyperText Markup Language, being the language format used to develop and write document pages on the World Wide Web. Webpages are built with HTML codes or tags (qv) embedded into the text. HTML defines the webpage layout, attributes, and graphic elements as well as the hypertext links to other documents on the Web. Each link contains the address or URL of a webpage residing on any Internet server. HTML 2.0 was defined by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) with a basic set of features including interactive forms capability. From HTML 1 (1991) to HTML 4.0 (1999), subsequent versions added more features such as blinking text, custom backgrounds and tables of contents. Each new version requires agreement by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) on the codes or tags used, and browsers must be modified to implement those tags. HTML is not a programming language (ie: if this, do that), rather it could be considered a "presentation language". HTML was derived by Tim Berners-Lee from the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), which is widely used to publish documents. HTML is an SGML document with a fixed set of tags that, although changing with each new revision, are not flexible. A subset of SGML, known as XML, allows the developer of the webpage to define the tags, and HTML 4.0 and XML 1.0 have been combined into a single format called "XHTML", which is expected to become the standard format for Webpages. XHTML also enables Web pages to be developed with different sets of data, depending on the type of browser used to access the Web. See DTD, CSS, image map, markup, webpage.

HTML tag:

A code used in HTML to define a format change or hypertext link. HTML tags are enclosed within <angle brackets>; and nested contents are enclosed by the most recently opened HTML tag element. See tag, slash, DTD, SSI, markup.

HTTP:

Hypertext Transport/Transfer Protocol. The client-server TCP/IP protocol used on the World Wide Web for the exchange of HTML documents. See FTP, anonymous FTP, TELNET, internet address, protocol, URL, internet.

hue:

A specific gradation or variety of a color. Compare chroma, value; see tint, solid, illustration.

hundredweight:

A unit of avoirdupois weight commonly equivalent to 100 pounds (45.359 kilograms) in the U.S.A., 112 pounds in the United Kingdom; abbreviated CWT. Also called "cental" or "quintal".

hypermedia:

The non-linear integration of text, graphics, animation, video, audio, sound recordings, or any combination of data into a primarily associative system of non-sequential information storage and retrieval; originated ca1985. See hypertext.

hypernovel/hyperlinked novel:

Based upon a model of the multiverse interactivity of quantum mechanics, a speculative composition with inherent potential and uncertainty, such as a story with alternative conclusions or contrary storylines manifest by different characters. Best represented in electronic media, these multireality depictions have been presented in books and plays, films and poems.

hypertext:

A computer programming method of storing data for random access or retrieval through non-sequential information links; as derived from a metaphoric expression for browsing unstructured ideas or non-linear associations, originated by Ted Nelson in 1965. See hypermedia, link, hot link. [nb: an "index" was the first hypertext]

hyphen:

A short line (-) used to connect the parts of a compound or divided word, or used to conjoin related words for clarity of meaning. Compare dash, composition, solid; see hanging, punctuation.

- I -

IAS:

The abbreviation of Institute for Advanced Studies, that hosted the "von Neumann calculating machine", which many consider to be the first modern computer. This early computer, created by Hungarian mathematician John von Neumann (1903-1957), included three components used by most modern computers: a central processing unit (CPU), a slow-access data storage area (like disc drive/HDD), and a secondary fast-access memory (like RAM). The "von Neumann machines" stored instructions as binary values (creating the stored program concept) and executed instructions sequentially (processing fetched instructions one at a time). A "von Neumann architecture" often refers to the sequential nature of computers based on this model. See computer.

ideogram:

A written symbol that represents an idea or object directly, rather than a particular word or speech sound; also called "ideograph". See lexigram, logogram, pictography, rebus, hieroglyphics, alphabet, typology.

idiolect:

A person's individual speech pattern or eccentric vocabulary. Compare dialect, neologism; see accent, diction, oronym, slide, slang, catch-phrase, colloquialism, vernacular, language.

idiom:

An expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, or from the usual grammatical rules of a language (eg: "kick the bucket" means "to die"). Also, a dialect, construction, or expression peculiar to the language of a people. Also, a distinctive style or character in linguistic or artistic expression. [v: sprachgefühl]

illustration:

Drawings, pictures, or other artwork, including photographs, lithographs, sketches, caricatures, woodcuts, and holograms. See bleed, dry-trap, ink-trap, spread, overprint, image-trap, keylines, color break, integral proof, loose proof, overlay proof, page proof, image map, hue, tint, ink, dye, tint block, graduated screen tint, high-fidelity color, standard viewing conditions, brightness, value, density, low-key photo, high-key photo, highlights, shadows, contrast, specular highlight, flop, subtractive color, Dmax/Dmin, histogram, tonal range, dynamic range, gray levels, dithering, stochastic screening, neutral gray, ink balance, fifth color, spot color, dot area, total area coverage, CIE, DCS, CMYK, subtractive primary colors, RGB, additive color, undercolor removal, color sequence, chroma, color balance, color build, color control bar, color model, color curves, HLS, color correct, color cast, ghosting, color shift, color gamut, palette, transparent palette, color matching system, device independent colors, commercial match, multicolor printing, four-color process, process colors, black point, white point, chiaroscuro, gray balance, gray component replacement, gray scale, silhouette, line drawing, block-in, continuous tone, color specification, resolution, measured photography, opacity, burn, double burn, Imagesetter, black patch, unsharp masking, repeatability, up, wrong reading, emulsion, halftone, monotone, duotone, double black duotone, quadtone, midtone, screen, Ben Day, watermark, screen tint, dot gain, band, drop out, masking, moire, mottle, pixelated, tessellate, wallpaper, rule, pixel, pixel map, bitmap graphics, EGA, SVGA, XGA, SXGA, UXGA, Flash, VESA, SVG, vector graphics, GIF, JPEG, CGM, TIFF, PNG, WMF, EPS, PICT, PostScript, digitizing tablet, plate, flat, digital plate, plate-ready film, working film, dye transfer, fountain solution, setoff, scum, crossover, reflective copy, dry transfer, montage, collage, pochoir, mezzotint, stipple, cartoon, animation, flipbook, ASCII art, photogenic, mediagenic. Also, to make intelligible with examples or analogies; to exemplify.

illustrator:

A person or thing that illustrates; an artist conceptualizes from the theme of the copy, then designs images consistent with the style or format of the publication. See sketch, scamp, line drawing, block-in, thumbnail, graphics design, design, illustration.

image map/imagemap:

A map or other graphic in an HTML document that has hyperlinks or "hot spots"; also called "clickable image". Multiple areas can be defined within one image, and the plotted shapes include point, oval, circle, polygon, and rectangle. When using an interactive browser (such as Mosaic or Netscape), a user can activate the hyperlink on the image and open a box or page with more information. May be categorized as either a client-side image map, in which the hyperlinks that relate the URLs are stored in the current file, or a server-side image map, in which the hyperlinks that relate the URLs are stored on the server. Formerly required CGI script.

imagery:

Mental pictures evoked by figurative descriptions; derivative imagination. Compare videation; see rhetorical forms.

Imagesetter:

Laser device for outputting film or plates. Compare typesetter, phototypesetter; see illustration.

image-trap:

Slight overlapping of images to ensure they appear registered, as contrasted with simple juncture or abutment ("dead butt"). See keylines, illustration.

immortals:

A designation for the gods of classical mythology, who were augmented in the oral tradition by noteworthy persons of enduring fame. This legendary category was exponentially extended to artists and authors during the Medieval era, as a result of the printing press widely disseminating lifelong works beyond the graves of their creators. Mass production eventually elevated so many to the rank of "cultural hero" that the distinction of achieving egomaniacal notoriety [v: parvenu] has become meaningless... hence, posthumous immortality is just another disposable commodity to fickle antiheroes in a revisionistic society intimidated by posterity. See mentor, intelligentsia, poet laureate, writer. [nb: "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for fifteen minutes." by Andy Warhol]

imposition:

Arrangement of pages so they will appear in proper sequence after press sheets are folded and bound. Compare gather, quire, fold lines; see stripping, template, format.

impression:

One impression is equal to the speed of passing a single sheet once through a press, or to the process of passing a single sheet once through a color printing unit.

impression cylinder:

The cylinder on a press, that pushes paper against the plate or blanket, thus forming the printed image.

impressions per hour:

Measure of the speed of a printing press; abbreviated iph.

imprimatur:

Sanction or cachet; permission to print and publish a book or pamphlet, after clearance review for dissemination by a censor. See signet, samizdat, expurgate, censorship. [v: nihil obstat, auto-da-fe/auto-da-f‚] ["If fascism came to America, it would be on a program of Americanism." by Huey P. Long; "I have often thought that if a rational Fascist dictatorship were to exist, then it would choose the American system." by Noam Chomsky]

imprint:

The designation under which a publisher issues a given list of titles, and by which designation, the books of a publisher are identified. See indicia, signet, autograph, show-off, logo, brand, trademark, hallmark, colophon.

incipit:

The introductory words or opening phrase of a text; derived from "begin here". See front matter; compare coda.

incunabula/incunabulum:

The earliest stage of anything, especially books printed before 1455-1501. Derived from "earliest home", as straps holding a baby in a cradle, or placing an instrument in a cradle. See scroll, volume, codex, protocol, spine, artifact.

indemnify:

The legal exemption from penalties attaching to illegal actions; to secure against anticipated loss. Most publishing contracts require that non-employee or freelance authors indemnify the publisher against manuscript defects, errors, libel, negligence, etc.; such that the editors have limited responsibility for verification in published works. Derived from "without (financial) loss".

indent:

A notch, recess, or setback from the margin or edge; derived from back-formation of "toothlike". Also, to sever a duplicated document along an irregular line as a means of identification, or to cut the edge of a copied document in an irregular way. See hanging, mortise, punctuation, stylebook.

index/indices/indexes:

A sequential arrangement of material, especially in alphabetical or numerical order; as derived from "informer". In printed works, an alphabetical listing of names, places, and topics, with page numbers indicating where they appear in the body of the work; see contents, back matter. Also, a pointer or indicator, as a printed sign in the shape of a hand with the index finger extended toward a notice or paragraph; also known as "fistnote" or fist (qv).

indicia:

Any distinctive mark, such as an imprint or signet. Also, the printed legend or stamp-like device (cachet) marked on bulk mail indicating that postage has been paid.

infomercial:

A program-length television commercial that is cast in a standard format, such as a documentary or a talk show, so as to disguise the fact that it is an advertisement; derived as a blend of information and commercial. See broadcast, narrowcast, PSA, advertorial, advertising.

information ethics:

The branch of ethics which deals with the relationship between the creation, organization, dissemination, and utilization of information, and the implicit ethical standards and explicit legal codes which govern human conduct in society. Compare information law; see intellectual freedom, censorship, intellectual property, plagiarism.

information law:

The regulation and control of information by the state, including laws regarding censorship, copyright, fair use, intellectual property, freedom of speech, freedom of information, intellectual freedom. Also, a specialized branch of legal studies dealing with the regulation of information; see information ethics.

initial/initial cap:

The enlarged or decorative first letter of the word beginning a paragraph or section. If the top is level with the first line and the letter descends into the text body, then it is called a drop initial. If the base is level with the first line and the letter projects above the text body, then it is called a cocked-up initial. See drop-cap, rubric, heading, swash.

initialism:

An abbreviation or acrostic formed from the initial letters of the words in a name or phrase, which are always separately spelled-out in pronunciation (eg: MPH, RPM, ATM, HIV, STD, TLC, PRN, QID, IRS, FBI, CIA). Compare acronym.

ink:

A viscous fluid (originally a compound of carbon black and linseed oil invented in Sixth Century China) used for marking, writing, or printing. Compare dye, toner, strike-through, opacity; see pigment, chalking, dot gain, ghosting, hickey, picking, mottle, pounce, scum, setoff, slur, harden, lacquer, varnish, laminate, illustration.

ink balance:

Relationship of the densities and dot gains of process inks to each other, and to a standard density of neutral gray. See illustration.

ink fountain:

The reservoir on a printing press that holds ink. Compare fountain solution.

ink holdout:

A characteristic of paper that prevents it from absorbing ink, thus allowing ink to dry on the surface of the paper; also called "holdout". See paper coating.

ink-jet printing:

A method of high-speed printing by spraying charged droplets of ink through computer-controlled nozzles. See demand printing, quick printing.

ink roll-out:

Test proof of specified color matched to actual paper as preliminary to job approval; also called "drawdown". Compare eye markers, color control bar; see commercial match, samples. [nb: not to be confused with 'rollout' (qv)]

ink-trap:

Ink printed over a previously printed image. Compare overprint; see illustration.

inscription:

A brief dedication or other note written and signed by hand in a book, on a photograph, etc; an autograph. Also, some notable words or a significant message running across the field of a prepared permanent surface, such as stelai or medallions; see banderole, cartouche, epigram, legend. [nb: the evolution of literature in China, from seals through stone rubbings to clay and woodblock typesetting for the accurate transference of knowledge, vastly antedated Occidental developments]

inset:

A small text box (eg: legend), graphic (eg: picture), or illustration (eg: diagram) contained within the border of a larger display. Also, to set anything within the bounds of something else; an insert. See mortise.

insert:

In binding, one or more folded sheets of four pages (or any signature having a multiple of four) placed within another section of a book in such a way that the sewing passes through the back fold of all sections. Often used to incorporate plates, as opposed to tipping them in. Also known as nested or inset signatures; see tip, integral, binding. Also, to alter or amend proof copy, by the addition of a phrase or passage, before a work goes to press; see AA, change order, sandwich, proofread, interpolation, interlinear, trope.

insertion point:

A blinking vertical line or other mark in the document window of the editor, form, or other application which indicates where any new text or data will appear. See prompt, cursor, mouse, pointer.

installment:

One portion of a literary work published in consecutive issues of a periodical, or one part or fascicle of such a work published separately at regular intervals. Formerly, novels were often published by installments in literary magazines. See serialization, series, sequel.

instant book:

A book published within weeks of an important event, to capitalize on popular interest in the subject. Because research requires time, works prepared in haste may lack depth of treatment and contain errors of fact. An astute reviewer will note such weaknesses. See bestseller, book.

instant messaging:

A compact and deconstructed mode of rapid communication, using abbreviations and other shorthand (eg: ATM = at the moment, BRB = be right back, BCNU = be seeing you, BTW = by the way, IMHO = in my humble opinion, FWIW = for what it's worth, G2G = got to go, R U = are you, TTYL = talk to you later) in a "burst speech" subcultural creole; abbreviated "IM", also called "alphanumerish"; compare emoticon, notation, stenograph. Also, an interactive conference method for personal or business contacts sharing the same software (eg: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo!Pager, etc), being a fast and compact messaging system for pagers and online; see chatroom, IRC, newsgroup, blog, thread, listserve, UseNet.

intaglio:

A printing process in which a design or text is recessed below the surface of a plate, so that when ink is applied and the excess wiped off, ink remains in the grooves for transfer to paper; also called gravure (qv). Also, any incised design or sunken ornamentation.

integral:

A leaf or page bound into a publication at the time it was initially printed and assembled. Compare insert, tip.

integral proof:

Color proof of separations, shown on one piece of proofing paper; also called "laminate proof". See proof, illustration.

intellectual freedom:

The Constitutional right of any person to receive or express views which may be unpopular or offensive to others, provided that such views are not libelous or seditious, nor cause equal freedom to be denied to others. The Office of Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association sponsors the Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT), and publishes a Freedom to Read Statement and a Library Bill of Rights. See freedom of speech, freedom of information, censorship.

intellectual property:

The catchall label for the tangible product of mental labor or creative work, without absolute definition of its delineation, as represented by protections for copyright, patent, trademark, trade name, trade dress, trade secret, servicemark, and their authorized license or expansion; also known as "intellectual capital", "intellectual asset", "literary property", and "artistic property". See fair use, non-disclosure agreement, public domain.

intelligentsia:

The group or class of intellectuals representing a cultural, social, or political elite; an intellectual is also known as a sage, savant, pundit/pandit, maven, polymath, polyhistor, scholar, scholiastic, scholastici, philosophe, casuist, pedagogue, autodidact, virtuoso/virtuosa, cognoscente, connoisseur, dilettante, sophisticate, magus, solon, mandarin, brahmin. In ancient times, learned persons were patronized by aristocrats, but the division of labor, having been enabled by Medieval technologies, and that era's "conspiracy of learning", evolved into professions. The literati is usually differentiated from the bourgeoisie (uncultured) and proletariat (illiterate). It has only been in the modern era that the impractical and unrealistic Ivory Tower egghead has acquired the pejorative sense of the aloof and disdainful highbrow. Reciprocal prejudice presumes the illiterate (unlettered) to be either stupid (thoughtless) or dumb (mute). With a rich oral tradition, people differentiate between "learning to read" and "learning from reading". A "man of letters" derives from a "school of letters", which derives from the "republic of letters", as an idealized subculture comprised of the educated; which "book learning" by volumes of "silent instructors" must be distinguished from "real life learning" ("The sick shall be the physician's textbooks."). Among the conflicts of the Reformation was the contradiction of iconoclastic thinking being inculcated by literary idolatry... an orthodox substitution instead of a heterodox liberation. It has been alleged that orality is too imprecise for the preservation of civilized history and the documentation of scientific inquiry, but the supposedly disinterested recordings of authentic truth have not been impartial and unbiased; so the distortions of revisionism seem to be immaterial to their medium. Since most people in the modern era obtain their data through an audio-visual broadcast medium, validation and verification is professionally crucial, if timely and legitimate decisions are to be made. See renaissance, enlightenment, athenaeum, literature, lingua franca, immortals, mentor. [nb: paraphrased attribution of Charles V (King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor): "Educated persons speak Greek to God, Latin to ecclesiastics, Spanish to gentlemen, French to ladies, Italian to servants, and German to horses."]

interface:

The area shared by or connecting two or more disciplines or fields of study. Also, a common boundary or interconnection between systems, equipment, concepts, or people. Also, something that enables separate and sometimes incompatible elements to coordinate or communicate. Also, computer hardware or software designed to enable the communication of information between hardware devices, between software programs, between devices and programs, or between a computer and a user. See noise, feedback, computer, cybernetics.

interlaced:

Interlaced display technology scans alternate lines of the whole screen with electron beams, covering the full image in two vertical passes; includes analog television broadcasts conforming to NTSC, Phase Alternate Line (PAL/PAL1; Phase Alternation Line), and Sequential Couleurs a Memoire (SECAM; or Systeme Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire) protocols. See gamma curve. Also known as "interleave" (stored in alternate segments), as in the non-adjacent file storage of audio and video elements. A "fade-in" effect for interlaced media will initially display as discontinuous segments on a webpage. Slice graphics can be housed in tables, which the browser assembles. Non-interlaced (N/I) display technology sends every line of information to the screen, so that image flicker is eliminated, and viewing eyestrain is reduced.

Interleaf:

An extensible cross-platform commercial DTP package with an integral graphics utility running in the X-Windows environment. The initial desktop contains a cabinet and clipboard, to which the user adds other cabinets, drawers, folders, and files. Configuration files and style templates are housed in a single location. Features and functions are selected by a three-button mouse pointer. See WYSIWYM, DTP.

interlinear:

Explanatory matter or translation that is situated or inserted between the lines of a text, usually handwritten or printed in small lettering or type; see insert, interpolation, sandwich, trope. Also, a publication having the same text in different languages set in alternate lines (eg: an interlinear Bible); see gloss.

interlude:

An intervening episode or intermediate entertainment, as a separating period, musical passage, or brief performance between other acts or events. Also, a comedic sketch performed between the parts of a play or other entertainment. Also, a play or morality play containing comic or farcical elements. See revue, drama.

internet/InterNet:

A network of networks; a group of networks interconnected via routers. This worldwide information superhighway is comprised of thousands of interconnected computer networks, and reaches millions of people in many different countries. The Internet was originally developed for the United States military, as a result of a RAND study on post-war decentralization that was implemented by DARPA until 1989; and its use was then extended to government, academic and commercial communications and research. The Internet is made up of large backbone networks (such as MILNET, NSFNET, and CREN), and smaller networks that link to them. The U.S. National Science Foundation maintains a major part of the backbone (NSFNET). The Internet functions as a gateway for electronic mail between various networks and online services. The World Wide Web facility on the Internet makes possible almost instantaneous exchange of information by linking documents around the world. Internet computers use the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). There are over six million hosts on the Internet: mainframes, minicomputers, or workstations that support the Internet Protocol. An autonomous internet is a group of gateways that are under the same administrative authority and use a common Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP). The Internet is connected to computer networks worldwide that use various message formats and protocols; gateways convert these formats between networks so that the Internet functions as one big network. UNIX utilities such as FTP, Archie, TELNET, Gopher and Veronica have been widely used to access the Internet. The Internet sometimes appears to be amorphous and unregulated, but there are several administrative bodies: the Internet Architecture Board, which oversees technology and standards; the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, which assigns numbers for ports and sockets, etc.; InterNIC, which assigns Internet addresses; the Internet Engineering and Planning Group, Internet Engineering Steering Group, and the Internet Society. Compare intranet; see website.

Internet Access Provider/IAP:

An organization or company which provides Internet access to individuals, businesses, or other groups. An IAP may provide leased line services for dedicated high-speed access, and dial-up accounts that use a modem and a regular telephone line. Major online services such as America Online and CompuServe are often also Internet Access Providers. Abbreviated IAP; compare Internet Service Provider, see web server.

internet address:

Consisting of a network portion and a node portion, the address for a host must be unique on the network. This unique 32-bit number is assigned to each computer connected to the Internet and used by the TCP/IP protocol to route packets of data to their destinations. The number is usually written in "dotted octet" shorthand notation, in which the 32 bit address is grouped into four sets of 8 bits, each eight-bit set is converted into a decimal number, and the four resulting decimal numbers are separated by dots. See URL, IP, TCP/IP, MIME, HTTP, FTP, WWW, web server, domain name, filename. [nb: the internet address of every publication should appear on the front or back cover, in the masthead, in the acknowledgements, on the table of contents, and in the running foot or running head]

Internet Service Provider/ISP:

A telecommunications company which provides Internet access or Internet presence to subscribing individuals, businesses, and other groups. A major continental Internet Service Provider is European UNIX Network (also called EUnet). Abbreviated ISP; compare Internet Access Provider, see web server.

InterNIC:

The contraction of Internet Network Information Center, being the quango governing body that assigns and tracks IP addresses. See domain name, DNS, internet address, IP, TCP/IP, sniffer.

interpolation:

Increasing input resolution by using software to create new pixels based on the nature of neighboring pixels. Also, to introduce, interject, or interpose something additional or extraneous between other things or parts; see interlinear, insert, trope, sandwich. Also, to alter a text by the insertion of new or spurious matter, especially in a deceptive or unauthorized manner; derived from refurbish, as to make polished or new.

interrobang:

A printed punctuation mark (or its approximation), designed to combine the question mark and the exclamation point, indicating a mixture of query and interjection. Derived from interro- [gation point] + -bang [nb: printer's jargon for an exclamation point]. See tittle, kern, digraph, ligature, punctuation.

intranet:

A network of World Wide Web technology for internal applications to a private enterprise. It may consist of many interlinked Local Area Networks, and also use leased lines in the Wide Area Network. Typically, an intranet includes connections through one or more gateway computers to the outside Internet. The main purpose of an intranet is to share company information and computing resources among employees, while restricting external access. An intranet can also be used to facilitate working in groups, and for teleconferences. An intranet uses TCP/IP, HTTP, and other Internet protocols, and generally looks like a private version of the Internet. May also be called "innernet". Compare internet, website; see LAN, MAN, PAN, WAN, Ethernet, URL.

introduction:

A preliminary part leading to the main body of a publication; usually an extensive statement that guides or outlines the text. See front matter.

IP:

The abbreviation for Internet Protocol, being a component of TCP/IP, which is the protocol used to route a data packet from its source to its destination, by numerically translating the 32-bit address for the domain name server, over the Internet or any IP managed networks. The IP datagram has the addresses of its source and destination, the data being sent, error checking, and some fields defining length or breaks. IP supports TCP, UDP, ICMP and many others. See UrL, web server.

IRC:

The abbreviation for Internet Relay Chat, being an internet service that allows interactive conversations using a keyboard. See chatroom, instant messaging, BBS, UseNet.

ISBN:

International Standard Book Number; the worldwide catalog number assigned to each new book by its publisher. ISBNs assist librarians, distributors, wholesalers and booksellers in identifying, ordering, and maintaining inventory control over new titles. A publisher will be issued ISBNs according to the number of titles in print, to be assigned to each existing title, and to every future title. The master list of current ISBN titles is "Books in Print", which is available in bookstores and libraries. To obtain information and ISBN applications for new books, contact: Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540-4160; http://lcweb.loc.gov/isbn/; 202/707-3000. See LCN, UPC, Dewey decimal system, book categorization, out of print.

ISDN:

The abbreviation for Integrated Services Digital Network, being a communications method for telephone systems that uses ordinary phone lines and special modems to transmit digital (instead of analog) signals.

island ad:

A display ad set in a text well, or positioned like a call-out or image box, such that it is surrounded by editorial or feature material; often conspicuously positioned in a related article. See advertising.

ISO:

The abbreviation for the International Standardization Organization. See ANSI.

isometric projection:

A three-dimensional drawing. Compare orthographic projection; see hologram.

ISO sizes:

Because the ISO paper size system is metric, the area is even, while the linear dimensions are uneven, making grammage and postage calculations for a known quantity in a given size easier and more consistent than US/Canadian sizes. In the ISO 216 paper size system, all trimmed pages have a height-to-width ratio of the square root of two (1:1.4142). The height divided by the width of all formats is the square root of two (1.4142). For example, format A0 has an area of one square meter; and A0 is as wide as A1 is high, while A0 is twice as high as A1 is wide. In the same progressive ratio, the B series is the geometric mean between the corresponding A series formats. Similarly, the formats of the C series, which have been defined for envelopes, are the geometric mean between the corresponding numbers in the A and B series formats. ISO paper size series formats include: 4A0, 2A0, A0, A1 - A10; B0, B1 - B10; C0, C1 - C10. Some main applications of the most popular formats can be summarized as: A0/A1: technical drawings, posters; A2/A3: drawings, diagrams, large tables; A4: letters, magazines, forms, catalogs, laser printer and copying machine output; B4/A3: newspapers, copying machine output; A5: note pads; A6: postcards; B5/A5/B6/A6: books; C4/C5/C6: envelopes for A4 letters. Compare basic size; see paper. Also, the numerical exposure index of a photographic film under the system adopted by the International Standardization Organization, used to indicate the light sensitivity of the film's emulsion; formerly cited as Deutsche Industrie Normen (DIN) [later construed as "Das ist Norm", or 'that is the standard'] and American Standards Association (ASA); see ANSI.

ISSN:

International Standard Serial Number; magazine publishers need to assign the concise ISSN citation for periodical or serial publications. ISSNs and key titles (qv) are commonly used by librarians, researchers, booksellers, distributors, subscription agents and others. To obtain information and an ISSN application for a print periodical or web publication, contact: Library of Congress, National Serials Data Program, Washington DC 20540-4160; <http://lcweb.loc.gov/issn/>; 202/707-6452. The explanatory brochure "ISSN Is for Serials" is useful and includes a form.

issue:

One of a series of things that is printed, promulgated, published, or distributed at one time, or all the copies of a series produced at one time; derived from "to go out", as the place or passage of exit. Also, all the copies of an edition of a publication printed from the same setting of type for public distribution and sale, including slight variations in impression or compilation. See regional edition, selective binding, copy, volume, reissue.

I2:

The abbreviation for Internet2, which is a testing-ground network for universities to work together and develop advanced Internet technologies such as telemedicine, digital libraries, and virtual laboratories. In October of 1996, 34 US research universities began working on Internet2, and in September of 1997, the University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development (UCAID) was created to give an organizational body to the project. Requiring state-of-the-art infrastructure, Internet2 universities are connected to the Abilene network backbone, which uses regional network aggregation points called gigaPoPs, high-speed Sonet facilities, and IP-over-Sonet routers. Abilene supports transfer rates between 2.4 gigabits per second and 9.6 gigabits per second. With over 140 members, Internet2 currently has 30 gigaPoPs, about 150 HPCs, two backbones, and around 1500 routes. See multicast backbone, backbone, internet.

ITAL:

Abbreviation for "set in Italic type"; see proofreader's marks. [nb: the SGML "italics" tag was deprecated in HTML and CSS by "emphasis"]

Italics:

A cursive form of type, which involves kerning, and slants heavily to the right to obtain the maximum word density per line. It is used in combination with roman type for emphasis, and to indicate foreign words or phrases in a text. Italics, abbreviated ITAL or "It", should not be confused with "slanted Roman type". Italics, first used in an Italian edition of "Virgil", were invented by Aldus Manutius (Teobaldo Mannucci/Manuzio), an Italian protege/prot‚g‚ printer of Johannes Gutenberg (Johann Gensfleisch). See typeface.

ivory board:

A smooth white stock used for business cards; see paper.

- J -

jabberwocky:

Writing or speech with nonsensical words or construction. See balderdash, pap, Greek type.

jacket:

A removable paper cover for protecting the binding of a book, usually bearing the title, author's name, imprint, and an illustration; also called a "dust jacket". Also, the cover of a paperbound book, usually bearing an illustration. Also, any protective covering or case, such as a document sleeve, portfolio, or slipcase.

jargon:

The specialized vocabulary peculiar to a specific occupation, profession, or social group. Also, obscure or unintelligible communication, as language that is characterized by pretentious vocabulary, convoluted syntax, and is uncommonly vague in meaning (eg: "sacred gibberish"). See pidgin, vernacular, boilerplate, puffery, balderdash, euphemism, neologism, language.

Java:

A cross-platform programming language from Sun Microsystems that can be used to create animations and interactive features on World Wide Web pages. Java programs are embedded into HTML documents. Java applications are run on browsers eg: (Microsoft Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Sun HotJava) using small self-contained programs (called applets). A component technology of Java (called Java Bean) lets developers create reusable software objects, which can be shared. See C/C++, language, program, software; compare JavaScript.

JavaScript:

A popular scripting language that is widely supported in Web browsers and other Web tools. It is easier to use than Java, but not as powerful and deals mainly with the elements on the webpage. On the client, JavaScript is maintained as source code embedded into an HTML document. On the server, it is compiled into bytecode (intermediate language), similar to Java programs. JavaScript evolved from Netscape's LiveScript language. First released with Navigator 2.0, it was made more compatible with Java. JavaScript does not have the programming overhead of Java, but can be used in conjunction with it. For example, a JavaScript script could be used to display a data entry form and validate the input, while a Java applet or Java servlet processes the information. JavaScript is also used to tie Java applets together. See browser, webpage, language.

jingle:

A piece of verse or a short song, with a light or humorous succession of catchy or repetitious sounds; as in an advertising jingle. See doggerel, verse, catchword, catch phrase, slogan.

JIS sizes:

The Japanese JIS P 0138-61 standard defines the A paper size series the same as for the ISO 216, but the B paper size series (sometimes called "JIS B" or "JB" series) is slightly different. The area of JIS B page progressions is equivalent to the arithmetic mean of the area of A series page progressions, instead of the geometric mean of the ISO B series. The JIS B series should be avoided because it introduces additional magnification factors, and is not internationally standard. See ISO sizes, paper.

job lot paper:

Paper that doesn't meet specifications, has been discontinued, or is not considered first quality for some other reason. See paper.

job order:

The order for a printing job usually consists of original illustrations, image printouts, applicable fonts, text files, copy layouts, and specifications for size, paper, colors, and binding. See specifications, artwork, lasers, suitcase.

jog:

To align the edges of a stack of sheets of paper, all of the same size, by gently tapping. See guide edge; compare burst.

journal:

A daily newspaper, or any daily record of the proceedings and transactions of an organization or governmental body. Also, a magazine or periodical published for a profession or learned society. Also, a personal account of occurrences, experiences, or observations, as in a diary, log, or other ephemera. See monograph, chapbook, pamphlet, booklet, catalog, gazette, organ, periodical, little magazine, desideratum. [nb: a literary genre which imitates the diarium form is known as "epistolary fiction"; compare roman a clef]

journalism:

The occupation of gathering, writing, editing, and publishing or broadcasting news; commonly known as "the press" or "the media". By association with gadfly, most reporters are known as "fruit flies", but these bullyraggers imagine their pronouncements and prognostications annoint them as soothsayers of the realm. It has often been noted that journalism, which is populated by unscrupulous and disreputable persons, is a career but not a profession! See copyboy, stringer, deskman, news, counterfactual, factoid, yellow journalism, Pulitzer Prize. [nb: School of Journalism established at University of Missouri (1908), and at Columbia University (1912)]

JOVE:

The acronym for Jonathan's Own Version of Emacs, being a freeware screen-oriented editor that operates on UNIX, VMS, MS-DOS, and Macintosh systems. Delivered with many versions of Berkeley UNIX, JOVE is quickly becoming very popular due to its powerful capabilities, its size and speed, and the fact that it's available on a wide variety of machines. The command "jove" will invoke the program, and "teachjove" will launch an integral tutorial. See text editor.

joystick:

A lever that moves in all directions and controls the movement of a pointer or some other display symbol. Unlike a mouse or trackball, which stops when movement stops, a joystick pointer continues moving in the designated direction until the control is neutralized at upright. Most joysticks include two buttons, called "triggers". Joysticks are used with computer games, focus group surveys, interactive directories, animated maps, CAD/CAM systems, and other applications. See pointer.

JPEG:

The abbreviation for the Joint Picture Expert Group (or Joint Photographic Experts Group); being the ISO standard for the compression of still pictures. JPEG compresses image files (*.JPG) to yield a smaller file size, resulting in some loss of image data during the compression process. JPEG is therefore termed a "lossy" format. JPEG usually offers more than the standard 256 color palette, so is suitable continuous tone images; but is unsuitable for cartoons and transparencies. See graphics, illustration.

Jscript:

Jscript is Microsoft's extended implementation of ECMAScript (ECMA262), an international standard based on Netscape's JavaScript and Microsoft's script languages. Jscript is implemented as a Windows Script engine, which means that it can be plugged into any application that supports Windows Script, such as Internet Explorer, Active Server Pages, and Windows Script Host. It also means that any application supporting Windows Script can use multiple languages - Jscript, VBscript, Perl, and others. Jscript and other languages can be used for both simple tasks (such as mouseovers on webpages) and for more complex tasks (such as updating a database with ASP, or running log-on scripts for Windows NT). Windows Script relies on external "object models" to carry out much of its work. For example, Internet Explorer's DOM provides objects (such as 'document') and methods (such as 'write()') to enable the scripting of webpages. See language; compare JavaScript.

JSS:

The filename extension (*.JSS) for JavaScript Stylesheet data sets. See JavaScript, CSS.

jump article:

An article started near the beginning of a periodical, often with a dramatic heading and profuse illustrations, then interrupted for continuation near the back pages. This practice is designed to capture a reader's attention early, and to accommodate as much advertising elsewhere in the presentation as possible. This commercial technique is not usually practiced by literary magazines and serious journals, where theme and cohesion are paramount. See pipeline, carry-over, continue line.

jump cut:

An abrupt break, created by editing, in the continuity of a presentation, as in a film scene or a webcast. Designed to retain audience attention by altering momentum or sequence; which usually sacrifices subtilty and depth of presentation.

jump head:

The subheading that announces the resumption of a jump article from its interruption on a previous page. See continue line, carry-over, heading.

jump line:

Phrase referring to both carry-over and continue line (qqv) functions.

justify:

To fit exactly in a line, by adjusting the spacing of words and characters, which produces even margins. See flush, alignment, feathering, straight composition, ragged, H&J, indent.

- K -

Kermit:

A file transfer and terminal emulation program from Columbia University. Kermit can transfer text and binary files on many different computer platforms. It is a reliable protocol for moving data over noisy lines, but it is slow. See internet.

kern:

A part of the face of a type projecting beyond the body or shank, as in certain Italic letters; see finial, ear, digraph, alignment, font, typeface, typography. Also, to remove a portion of space between adjacent letters in preparation for printing; see tracking, copyfit, hint, tweak. Derived from "corner of type".

kernel:

The essential part of a program or the core of an operating system, that manages memory, files, peripheral devices, time/date, application launch, system resource allocation, and performs the other basic functions after start-up. Proprietary kernels should not be used without license, and freeware kernels should not be adapted without modifying all affected software.

key:

One of the buttons on the keyboard of a typewriter, computer, or the like that are pressed to operate the device, as while inputting data; see keyboard, num-pad, six pack, arrow keys. Also, the mood, degree of intensity, or characteristic style of expression; see diction, elecution. Also, a book or other text containing the solutions or translations of material given or cited elsewhere; as musical transposition key or computer substitution key. Also, a systematic explanation of symbols, abbreviations, and the like used in a book, chart, or map (eg: pronunciation key); see legend. Also, a pin, bolt, wedge, or other piece inserted in a space to lock or hold parts of a mechanism or structure together; see quoin, reglet. Also, the dominant tonal value of a photograph or image, with high key being light tonal value with minimal contrast, and low key being generally dark with minimal contrast; see highlights, shadows, midtone. Also, a group of characters that identifies a record in a database or other computer file; see filename, path, internet address. Also, the system, method, or pattern used to decode or decipher a cryptogram; see escrow key, Clipper, digital watermark, steganography.

keyboard:

A set of keys, usually arranged in tiers, for operating a typewriter, typesetting machine, computer terminal, or the like; abbreviated "keyb". Also, to enter data into a computer, or to set text in type, by using a machine operated by means of a keyboard. See num-pad, six pack, arrow keys, cursor, mouse, prompt, insertion point, console.

keylines:

The lines on a mechanical or a negative, showing the exact size, shape, and location of photographs or other graphic elements; also called "holding lines". See register marks, illustration.

key title:

The commonly recognized title of a periodical, often condensed or rid of initialisms, as used for ISSN registration. See heading, title, half-title page, spine.

keyword:

A word serving as an indication or elucidation of the meaning of another word, phrase, or passage. See headword; compare headless-word.

kicker:

A subheading placed above the main headline in a story or article, usually underlined; also called strap or "precede". A "reverse kicker" is situated beneath the headline, like a subtitle, and is usually underlined. See deck, subhead, heading; compare skyline. Also, slang for a catchy or startling ending, as in a short story or mystery novel; compare climax, anticlimax, catastrophe, denouement, deus ex machina.

kill fee:

Compensation paid a writer, usually less than half the purchase price, for an assignment that's canceled, or for commissioned work that is not published. Because the writer is not salaried, and the work for hire (qv) cannot be sold elsewhere, this is the only payment the writer can earn.

kiosk:

A small separate structure, often open on one or more sides, used as a newsstand, vending stall, or other conveniences which may include computerized directories or animated maps. The term has been applied to a place to post public notices and advertisements, as well as a British-style telephone booth. By extension, it's a BBS website for news or announcements on the internet. Derived from Turkish for a pavilion or stand in a public park. See carrel, scriptorium. [nb: in a competitive display, each periodical has 2.7 seconds or less to capture the attention of potential buyers]

kiss die cut:

Die cut through face materials but not backing.

kludge:

An inelegant but successful solution to a problem in computer hardware or software. See patch, debug.

knee:

A braced angle or other device to help hold type in a composing stick (qv).

knockout:

The blocking, masking, or omission of a color process to prevent overlap or overprint; a form of trapping that normally requires larger than normal display type or image area. See cutout, reverse, cameo; compare color build, overlay, drop out.

kraft paper:

A strong brown paper, processed from wood pulp, used chiefly for bags, envelopes, and as wrapping paper; derived from "strength". See paper.

- L -

label:

An inscribed slip or strip used for identification (eg: UPC) or destination (eg: Cheshire, self-adhesive) attachment purposes; derived from "ribbon". See direct mail package.

lacquer:

A protective coating, such as resin or cellulose ester dissolved in a volatile solvent, sometimes with pigment added for printing on substrates. See ink, laminate, varnish.

ladder:

A graded series or graduated set, as a hierarchy of contents or an ordered preference for submitted materials; used in the selection and placement of features for presentation, as the "lead story". Compare contents.

laid finish:

A paper finish, on bond or text, simulating the surface of handmade paper with a grid of parallel lines; when the laid lines appear in both directions (crosshatching) the effect is called "chain marks". See wire, text paper, paper coating.

laminate:

To cover with a thin layer, or to overlay with a thin plate or scale; composed of layers, as paper finished with a coating.

LAN:

The abbreviation for Local Area Network, being a group of computers and data communications equipment, generally within a single office or building, that are connected together by cable into a network of workstations, file servers, printers, and other devices. Computers on a LAN can exchange information and share resources. Common LAN protocols are Ethernet and Token Ring; and LAN emulation is a technology that uses asynchronous transfer mode to connect Ethernet and Token Ring networks together. See NetWare, intranet, MAN, WAN, PAN.

language:

Communication using a formalized system of arbitrary vocal sounds, orthographic symbols and signs, or nonverbal gestures in conventional ways with conventional meanings, such as spoken language, sign language, body language; see standard, semantics, signifier, semiotics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, mannerism. Also, a body of words (vocabulary) and the systems (syntax, grammar) for their use common to a people of shared geography or heritage (dialect); see idiolect, vernacular, lingua franca, alphabet, writing system. Also, a set of symbols, together with the syntactic rules for their combination and use, by means of which a computer can be given operational directions; see ALGOL, BASIC, C/C++, COBOL, FORTH, FORTRAN, Java, LISP, Objective C, Objective Pascal, Pascal, PERL, Python, SNOBOL, SQL, Visual BASIC, XQL, YODL, script, CGI script, JavaScript, Jscript, VBscript, VRML, markup, escape sequence, at sign, program, software. Derived from "tongue".

lap:

Edge of a signature that a machine grips during binding operations. Compare gripper edge, guide edge.

large print:

Documents or publications set in a type larger than normal, usually 18-point or higher, for use by lecturers and public speakers, or by visually-impaired persons; also called "speech font". See specialized format; compare display type.

l'art pour l'art:

French slogan: art for art's sake, or art for its own sake. The philosophy of aestheticism derived from Kant's "purposiveness without purpose". Term first used by Benjamin Constant (1804), and later exemplified by Poe: "the poem written solely for the poem's sake" (1850). See ars gratia artis; compare masterpiece, tour de force, aesthetics. [v: aestheticism]

laser bond:

Bond paper made especially smooth and dry to run well through laser printers.

laser-imprintable ink:

Ink that will not fade or blister as dispensed during laser printing.

lasers:

Slang for the set of color separated ("color break lasers") and composite images supplied as low-resolution printouts, together with related files, for a print job. These printouts, with graphics files and color samples, will form the basis for the high-resolution plates made for commercial reproduction. See job order.

LaTeX:

A typesetting system based on the TeX programming language, originally written by Leslie Lamport and developed by Donald E. Knuth. LaTeX provides higher-level macros, which makes it easier to format documents, but sacrifices some of the flexibility of TeX. After creating the copy, a WYSIWYG preview may be generated using the "xdvi" (TeX device independent) subroutine. Two nearly WYSIWYG versions, called LyX and KLyX, are also available for UNIX or Linux systems. Derived from contraction of Lamport TeX. See text editor.

lay:

To devise a plan, as the consistent arrangement of type within font boxes; see type case. Also, a short narrative, poem, or song; see story, verse.

lay-flat bind:

Method of perfect binding that allows a publication to lay open fully. See binding.

layout/lay-out:

The overall design or mock-up of a page, including typeface, page number, headlines, and visuals showing how the page will look when printed; a guide for the printer. See cast off, grid, spread, white space, golden proportion, format, template, imposition, stripping, balance, contrast, sequence, pipeline, reticulate, read through, pre-press.

LC:

Abbreviation for "lowercase capital letter"; see proofreader's marks, compare U&LC.

LCD:

The abbreviation for Liquid-Crystal Display, being a liquid-crystal film that changes optical properties when voltage is applied. Compare LED.

LCN:

The abbreviation for Library of Congress Number (qv); also known as Library of Congress Catalog Number (LCCN).

leader/lead-in:

Words, letters, or symbols, such as a row of dots or a short line, that directs the viewer's attention across the page, and draws the reader into the writing.

leading:

A thin strip of type metal or brass, less than type-high, used for increasing the space between lines of type; compare solid, see quad, slug, nonpareil, tracking, furniture, tweak. Also, the measured spacing between lines of type, as in computer-generated typeset output; compare alignment, solid leading, minus leading, kern, copyfit, feathering.

leaf:

A sheet of paper or other writing material, especially as part of a document, one side of each sheet constituting a page. See sheet.

leaflet:

A small flat or folded sheet of printed matter, as an advertisement or notice, usually intended for free distribution; also called a flier or tract. See handbill, fly sheet, broadside, panel.

LED:

The abbreviation for Light-Emitting Diode, being a semiconductor diode that emits light when conducting current, used in electronic equipment, especially for displaying digital readings. Compare LCD.

ledger paper:

Strong, smooth bond paper used for keeping business records; also called "record paper". Ledger paper is usually sub wt 28 or 32. See paper.

legacy materials:

Art, film, or files from previous print jobs for incorporating into a new job; also known as "archive".

legal paper:

Term prevalent in North America for bond paper trimmed to legal-size (8.5" X 14") sheets, usually composed into a ruled writing tablet; often called "legal pad". Compare foolscap; see paper.

legal-size/legal-sized:

Term prevalent in North America for paper sheets trimmed to measure approximately 8.5 x 14 inches (216mm x 356mm); and office supplies or equipment fitted to accept such ledger paper. Compare letter-size; see paper.

legend:

An inscription, as a motto or epigraph on a crest, monument, or illustration. Also, an explanatory table or key to symbols and signs, as on a chart or map.

legible/legibility:

Referring to the clarity of type and its contrast against the background for easy perception or discernment of the characters. The "rule of mono-typographic harmony" promotes consistency and legibility by limiting print to one type family, or to contrasts of size and attribution between no more than two type families. See readability, type noise, type family, font, typeface.

LEO:

The abbreviation for Low Earth Orbit, a satellite system used in telecommunications. LEO satellites orbit the earth between 400 and 1,000 miles above the planet's surface. LEOs are mostly used for data communication such as e-mail, paging, and videoconferencing. Because LEOs are not fixed in space in relation to the rotation of the earth, they move at very high speeds, and therefore data being transmitted via LEOs must be handed off from one satellite to the next as the satellites move in and out of range of the earthbound transmitting stations that are sending the signals into space. Because of the low orbit, the transmitting stations do not have to be as powerful as those that transmit to satellites orbiting at greater distances from the earth's surface. LEO telecommunication systems are a promising technology because they provide the ability for underdeveloped territories to acquire satellite telephone service in areas where it is either too costly or not geographically possible to lay land lines. Compare GEO, MEO: see VSAT.

less is more:

A catch-phrase representing the aesthetics of spare minimalism or of meager functionalism, with an emphasis on craftsmanship and simplicity of design; exemplified by Chinese calligraphy and Bauhaus typography.

letter:

A written or printed communication addressed to a person or entity, and usually transmitted by mail; see autograph, e-mail. [nb: Correspondence is the legal property of the recipient addressee, bearing the same disposal rights as any other personal property; however, the sender retains copyright, so letters may not be released for quotation or publication without the express permission of the author.] Also, a conventional symbol or character used in writing and printing to represent a speech sound, and is part of an alphabet (qv). Also, a particular style of type bearing such a character; see font, typeface. Also, the actual terms or literal wording, as a formal document granting a right or privilege. Also, as "letters", the field of literature (qv) representing knowledge or learning.

letterpress:

The process of printing from type in relief or other raised surfaces, rather than from planographic or intaglio plates. This labor-intensive method, also called flat-bed or clamshell or block printing, is now reserved for fancy letterheads, wedding invitations, elegant brochures, short-run books (under 1,000 copies), and other expensive work. The technique was originated by Pi Sheng in Eleventh Century China; and reinvented by Johannes Gutenberg (Johann Gensfleisch) in Germany about 1447 by adapting a wine press. See tympan, frisket, platen, block print, foundry type, press.

letter-quality/letter quality:

A high-grade print output mode available on most office machine and desktop printers for the production of correspondence and other high-resolution character or image materials; also called "correspondence-mode". Compare near-letter-quality, draft-quality.

letter-size/letter-sized:

Term prevalent in North America for bond paper sheets trimmed to measure approximately 8.5 X 11 inches (216mm X 279mm); known as P4 sized paper in Canada, and as A4 sized paper wherever the ISO standard prevails. Also, office supplies or equipment fitted to accept such paper. Compare legal-size; see paper. [nb: A4 sheets are 18mm higher and 6mm narrower than letter-sized sheets, which makes international document conversion and exchange difficult]

letter spacing:

The distance between individual letters. See kern, tracking, digraph, ligature, quad, stylebook.

lexigram:

A written word or orthographic sign, as derived from "word + write"; also called "lexigraph". See orthography, alphabet, rune, steganography, semiotics, typology, script, inscription, manuscript, prose, prosody, literature, fugitive materials, word, vocabulary, gloss, language; compare ideogram, logogram, glyph, orality. [cf: alexia]

libel:

The crime (tort) of publishing a defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or the like, rather than by spoken words (slander); derived from book, library. anything that is defamatory or that maliciously or damagingly misrepresents. If an author alters another's words but effects no material change in meaning, including any meaning conveyed by the manner or fact of expression, the source suffers no injury to reputation that is compensable as a defamation. Likewise, if a person grants preliminary consent to privilege or immunity, then there is no basis for libel upon the conclusion of a report, survey, interview, or the like. [v: John Peter Zenger, Harry Croswell] [nb: in Europe (until 1830's) and America (until 1905), the usual manner of punishment for libel or perjury was confinement in the pillory (including William Prynne, Daniel Defoe, Thomas Evans); v: "Star Chamber"]

library:

A repository of cultural materials, primarily reading matter in printed form, arranged and categorized in an accessible manner, as by a public, private, religious, or educational institution. Changing technologies and mass-production combined with increasing patronage and diminishing budgets may redefine the library, from a cloistered depository to a bibliographic resource without walls. See scroll, volume, codex, incunabula, microform, book categorization, e-pub, athenaeum.

Library of Congress Number:

The arbitrary catalog number assigned to all forthcoming publications by the Copyright Office, and used by libraries and booksellers since 1901. See book categorization, ISBN, ISSN, UPC, Dewey decimal system.

license:

The legal and heritable right to use the property of another, which may be granted exclusively or non-exclusively, for one or more times, for one or more media, with or without options. See fair use, reprint permission, subsidiary rights, volume rights, copyright. [cf: usufruct, dilution, conversion]

ligature:

A stroke or bar connecting two letters, as a character or type combining two or more letters (eg: ff, fi, fl, ffi, ffl, iff); also called "conjoint" or "tied letters". See at sign, kern, notation, crossbar, digraph, typeface, alphabet.

lightweight paper:

Book paper (qv) with basis weight less than 40# (60 gsm). See paper.

limerick:

A folkloric poem, often humorous and sometimes ribald, in which lines one, two, and five rhyme, while lines three and four form a rhymed couplet. Unlike the French ode, Italian sonnet, and Japanese haiku, the five-line limerick is wholly English; from the refrain "Will you come up to Limerick?" that was sung after each set of extemporized verses during social gatherings. See verse.

linage:

The number of printed lines, especially agate lines, covered by a magazine article, newspaper advertisement, or the like; and consequently, the amount charged or paid per printed line. See character count, copyfit, agate, milline, space writer, copywriter, freelance.

line copy:

Any high-contrast image, including type.

line drawing:

A drawing done exclusively in line, providing gradations in tone entirely through variations in width and density; includes all graphics that are not photographs, such as pen-and-ink or pencil drawings, etchings or engravings. Line drawings, also called "line art", are usually printed like text. See block-in, scamp, sketch, pantograph, surprint, illustration.

linen finish:

Embossed finish on text paper that simulates the pattern of linen cloth. See paper coating.

line shot:

The picture taken by a printer of a layout, including text and line drawings, that does not require halftones.

lingua franca/lingua-franca:

Any language that is widely used as a means of communication among speakers of other languages; derived from "Frankish + tongue", as the Italianate pidgin spoken in Mediterranean Sea ports from the Medieval era. The first natural language which transcended its borders by military and religious dissemination was Greek, succeeded by Latin, both being displaced by French for literary and academic applications (eg: langue d'oc, langue d'o‹l/d'oil) during the 17th Century, which has been replaced by English since the 19th Century as a result of science and trade. Artificial languages, for science and communications, have been developed to improve information exchange and enhance international relations; notably Interlingua, Esperanto, and Ido. A synthesized language contrives a consistent syntax, but natural languages evolve both their grammar and vocabulary; which irregularity makes them both vital and enticing. See pidgin, vernacular, literature, language, intelligentsia.

linguistics:

The study of language, including: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, philology, pragmatics; and entails the following subdisciplines: descriptive linguistics, historical linguistics, synchronic linguistics, diachronic linguistics, anthropological linguistics, computational linguistics, paralinguistics, systemic linguistics, metalinguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, structural linguistics, computational linguistics, paralinguistics.

link:

A connector, as anything that connects two or more things; especially a pointer or a cue (called a hyperlink) in an HTML document that leads to another place within the same document, or to another WWW site. When setoff by angle-brackets, <LINK>, this HTML tag indicates the relationship between documents. Linked text is usually underlined or shown in a different color. A hyperlink in the middle of a line of text is known as an embedded link. Base reference to a designated URL can be nested within the heading of a webpage so all subsequent links can be abridged. See pointer, hot link, hot spot, OLE, relative link, target, SSI, image map.

Linotype:

A keyboard typesetting machine, invented in 1886 by Ottmar Mergenthaler, that automatically casts solid lines of type from brass dies or matrices when selected; contraction derived from casting a "line of type" at one time. This composing machine enabled one operator to be type-setter, justifier, typefounder, and type-distributor. Since first used by the New York Tribune, probably more than 1,500 separate patents for improvements have been filed in connection with it.

Linux:

A freeware implementation of UNIX (qv) created by Linus Torvalds, after inspiration from "Minix" by Andy Tanenbaum. Publicly released on 5 October 1991, Linux can be used with many different systems. Hundreds of application programs have been written for Linux, some of these by the GNU Project, and none encroach upon any proprietary sources. The Linux operating system, utilities, and applications can be downloaded from the internet/BBS, or purchased as an integrated suite on CD-ROM. See EMACS, TeX, LaTeX, LyX, GROFF, YODL, program.

LISP/LISp:

Contraction for LISt Processor /-ing, a high-level programming language, developed in the early-1960s by John McCarthy at MIT, that processes data in the form of lists, recursions, and character string manipulations. LISP statements are linked lists; and data objects may be lists or atoms. LISP, based on lambda calculus, is widely used in artificial-intelligence programs because it handles complex data structures more easily than other programming languages. An object-oriented version of LISP also exists. See language.

list broker/list rental:

A list broker is an agent who manages and rents subscriber and membership lists, and usually works for a large list brokerage agency. Many magazines with lists of more than 5000 subscribers will rent names on the commercial market -- whether or not the publication is considered "commercial". List rental is the term applied to accessing another publication's subscriber list, or any part thereof, for one-time use. Many of the best lists for literary magazines and independent presses are too small to be on the commercial market. You can often trade or rent lists directly from publishers. To maximize the potential of contact success, specify the intended audience by creating a "reader profile", then search for matching lists from brokers.

listserve:

A subject-oriented mailing list identified by a distinctive name. When a message is sent to the mailing list name on a BBS, it is automatically forwarded to all the addresses in the list. Unlike a thread, the messages are not displayed or archived. Unlike a forum, the responses are returned directly to the sender, instead of the group. Unlike a chatroom, the exchanges are not live. Listserve messaging, also known as a "reflector" or "lstsrv", is most appropriate for technical or academic communications. See instant messaging, usegroup.

literary magazine:

See little magazine, periodical.

literati:

Persons of literary or scholarly attainments; also known as "intellectuals". See intelligentsia, immortals, litterateur, poet laureate, writer. [v: scholiastic, scholastici]

literature:

Writing, in prose or verse, regarded as having permanent worth through its intrinsic excellence; encompassing the entire body of a people's work, from the heroic and agonic to fin-de-siecle and dada, including contextualism, expressionism, classicism, neoclassicism, impressionism, minimalism, naturalism, new wave, modernism, postmodernism, realism, surrealism, regionalism, romanticism, neoromanticism, eroticism, symbolism, verism. Of the thousands of oral languages used during the past 50,000 years of human development, only 106 made a commitment to writing sufficient to have produced literature; and of the approximately 3,000 surviving languages, only 78 modern tongues have any literature. Speech and rhetoric are in the tradition of disciple or apprenticeship of mastery by imitation of proven authority, but text is substantial in itself... literature serves as substantial proof, therefore what is written becomes irrefutable truth. A multiplicity of modes of expression tends to extend diversity at the expense of depth; hence pluralism increases breadth while decreasing depth, inevitably resulting in a new homogeneity. See athenaeum, renaissance, enlightenment, anthology, essay, poetry, prose, belles-lettres, roman a clef, novel, classic, bildungsroman, picaresque, stream of consciousness, metafiction, hypernovel, historiography, feuilleton, gray literature, OULIPO, intelligentsia, mentor, immortals; compare orality. Also, professional literary work or production; as any kind of printed material, including circulars, leaflets, handbills, brochures, or pamphlets. See chapbook, newsletter, tabloid, fugitive materials, lexigram. [nb: On behalf of the Korean people, King Htai Tjong exploited the existing Chinese technologies of ink, paper, and type to advocate universal literacy by standardizing their "alphabet", and commissioning movable type for publications. Between 1403 and 1516, six different fonts of 100,000 characters each were created in bronze for literary production; but this ambitious program was terminated by political changes.]

lithography:

A printing technique, by which the image to be printed is fixed onto a stone or metal plate, by a combination of ink-absorbent and ink-repellent vehicles; invented by Alois Senefelder in 1798, as derived from "stone + write". Non-image areas may be coated with water, to repel the oily ink, or may have a surface, such as silicon, that repels ink. Chemical resists include electrostatic, and material resists include bimetal. See tusche, press.

litterateur/litt‚rateur:

A literary person, especially a writer of literary works; also called "literator". See literati, writer.

little magazine:

A periodical of limited circulation, often subsidized or sponsored, and devoted to publishing experimental prose and avant-garde poetry, or high-quality work by unknown authors, without the discontinuity or incoherence of jump cuts. Little magazines, so named due to their compact size, claim a disproportionate artistic influence due to the originality and intellectual honesty of their contributions. Although an unconventional and uncommercial career track, surveys show that little magazines have featured 80% of all notable poets, novelists, and critics. Originating in the United States with "Port Folio" (1801-27, Phila) edited by Joseph Dennie; "North American Review" (1815-1939, Boston) edited by William Tudor, Edward Everett, Jared Sparks, et al; and "Southern Literary Messenger" (1834-64, Richmond) featuring Poe, Simms, Maury, et al. The autonomous tradition was carried on by "Poetry" (1912) and "Hudson Review" (1948), and has been revitalized by "Sun" (1974) and "Oxford American" (1992). Little magazines, also known as "literary magazines", hosted by institutions include: "Yale Literary Magazine" (Yale Univ 1831), "American Literature" (Duke Univ 1929), "American Scholar" (Phi Beta Kappa Society 1932), "Partisan Review" (Boston Univ 1934), "Kenyon Review" (Kenyon Col 1939), "Triquarterly" (Northwestern Univ 1964), "Southern Literary Journal" (Univ North Carolina 1967). Since their greatest flourish during the period between the World Wars, little magazines have been displaced in popularity by consumer and trade periodicals... similarly, neither "National Geographic" (1888) nor "Reader's Digest" (1922) accepted advertising during their early development. Little magazine references include: "Directory of Literary Magazines and Presses" (CLMP), and "DustBooks' Guide to Little Magazines and Small Presses". Rating services for literary magazines include: "American Scholastic Press Association", "Columbia Scholastic Press Association", "National Council of Teachers of English", "National Scholastic Press Association". See magazine, periodical.

logo:

A single piece of type bearing two or more uncombined letters, a syllable, or a word; also called "logotype"; see digraph, expert set, typeface, alphabet. Also, a graphic representation or symbol of a company name, abbreviation, product name, or tradename, often uniquely designed for ready recognition; see indicia, imprint, signet, autograph, show-off, brand, trademark, hallmark; compare watermark.

logogram:

An abbreviated conventional symbol for a frequently recurring word or phrase, such as the symbol "&" for the word 'and'; also called "logograph", as derived from "word + draw". See ideogram, rebus, semiotics, lexigram, alphabet, typology.

long primer:

A 9.5 point type; see font, type.

long run:

A relatively large quantity to print in relation to the size and speed of the press used. See pressrun.

loose-leaf:

Sheets of paper secured as printed matter in a notebook or portfolio for ease of replacement or rearrangement; including ring, spring-back, expansion post, binder post, screw-and-post. See side binding, binding.

loose proof:

Proof of a halftone or color separation, that is not assembled with other elements from a page; also called "first proof", "random proof", "scatter proof", and "show-color proof". See illustration.

low-key photo:

A photo with its most important details appearing in the shadows. See illustration.

lpi/lpcm:

The abbreviation for lines per inch/centimeter, being the unit of measurement for the size of halftone dots. Compare ppi/ppcm.

LyX:

A visual open-source editor, together with its variant KLyX (adjusted for the KDE environment), running in UNIX or Linux systems, and based on TeX and LaTeX (qqv). See WYSIWYM, text editor.

- M -

machine glazed:

Paper finished with a high gloss on one side only; abbreviated "mg". See calender, C1S, paper coating.

macro:

A single function for a computer program that implements a sequence of instructions; this special sequence is actuated by a control-key combination (called a hot-key). See script, batch file, subroutine, EMACS.

macron:

A horizontal line used over a vowel to show that it is long, or to indicate a specific pronunciation; see vowel, accent, diacritic. Also, this same symbol used to indicate a long or stressed syllable in prosody; compare breve, see foot.

magapaper:

Combination magazine and newspaper for trade circulation, often arranged in tabloid format. See public relations magazine, trade journal, newsletter, zine, tabazine, periodical.

magazine:

A periodical publication, usually paperbound, that typically contains essays, stories, poems, and illustrations on continuing or recurrent themes, with specific appeal to a categorized or specialized audience; derivation used figuratively as a "storehouse of information," in titles from c1640. The standard magazine size in USA is about 8.125" X 10.875" (ranging from 5"X8" to 11"X15"); and the standard international size for magazines is A4 (210mm X 297mm). The type area for common magazine sizes includes: pocket (@2 cols X 85 ag lns), standard (@2 cols X 119 ag lns), flat (@3 cols X 140 ag lns), and large (@4 cols X 170 ag lns). There are three times as many trade (ie: professional, organizational, specialty) magazines as consumer (ie: general, news, genre) magazines. The presentation and content of any magazine should be relatively consistent; following the Four F's of magazine design: Format (eg: size, folio, headers, logo, cover lines); Formula (eg: story length, feature type, department location, image style); Frame (eg: margin, border, gutter, well); and Function (eg: mission, audience). Magazines that focus their contents upon the majority of their readership will eventually lose their minority subscribers; but contents that offer a mix of general and subspecialty material will probably gain readership. Very few subscribers read everything in each issue, but will remain loyal if their narrow interests are covered at least once in every issue of a specialized magazine. Also, a television program that combines interviews, commentary, and entertainment. References include: "Oxbridge National Directory of Magazines", "Burrelle's Directory of Magazines", "Bacon's Magazine Directory", "Literary Market Place" (LMP), "Ulrich's Periodicals Directory", "Directory of Literary Magazines and Presses" (CLMP), "DustBooks' Guide to Little Magazines and Small Presses", "Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media"; International Association of Business Communicators (IABC); City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA); American Society of Business Press Editors; Agriculture Publishers Association; Society of the National Association of Publications; Magazine Publishers of America (MPA). [nb: Benjamin Franklin conceived the first American magazine, but by the time he could develop it, a competing magazine by Andrew Bradford was produced three days earlier; the "American Magazine, or A Monthly View of the Political State of the British Colonies" dated Jan 1741 but issued 13 Feb 1741 for only three editions, and the "General Magazine and Historical Chronical for All the British Plantations in America" dated Jan 1741 but issued 16 Feb 1741 lasted for only six editions. Early American magazines for women include: "Lady's Book"/"Godey's Lady's Book" (1830-98), "Peterson's Ladies National Magazine" (1842-98). A polemical magazine entitled "The Liberator" (1831-65), published by abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, did not transcend its zealous topic. The "Pennsylvania Gazette", a 1728 newspaper, evolved into the "Saturday Evening Post" in 1821, adopted the magazine format in 1871, ceased publication in 1969, and was reborn in 1971 as a quarterly. Other early American magazines include: "Scientific American" (1849), "Harper's New Monthly Magazine"/"Harper's Monthly Magazine" (1850), and "Atlantic Monthly" (1857)]

mailing service:

A business, also called a "letter shop", that addresses, sorts, and bundles publication mailings according to postal regulatory standards. See UPC, bar code, indicia.

majuscule:

A capital letter or uncial. Compare minuscule, cursive; see CAP, OC, LC, drop-cap, small-cap, initial, rubric.

make good:

Republication of an advertisement in a periodical at no additional charge, as compensation for an error in the original insertion. See advertising.

make-ready:

The process of preparing a form for printing by overlays or underlays to equalize the impression; compare setoff, scum, ghosting. Also, paper used in the make-ready process at any stage of production; see paper. Also, all activities required to prepare a press or other machine for a specific printing or binding job; also called "setup".

making order:

An order for paper made to the customer's specifications by a mill; as [paper] making order.

malware:

Contraction of malicious+software, such as virus or worm, being software that is specifically designed to damage or disrupt a system; see hacker, phreak, deadman, honeypot, sniffer, spoofer, smurf, script kitty, cracker, Trojan Horse, spyware.

MAN:

The abbreviation for Metropolitan Area Network, being a data network designed for a municipality or urban area. Intermediate between LAN and WAN configurations, MANs are usually characterized by very high-speed connections using fiber optical cable or other digital media. See LAN, WAN, PAN, intranet.

MANIAC:

The acronym for Mathematical Analyzer, Numerator, Integrator, and Computer; being a high-speed computer built at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory in the 1940s, which was used in the development of the hydrogen bomb. See computer.

manifold:

A thin, lightweight, translucent glazed paper, used especially for making multiple copies; also called flimsy. See onionskin, NCR paper, cc, copy, paper. [nb: both onionskin and manifold are 9# flimsy papers, but onionskin is stronger due to its cotton fiber content]

manila/Manila:

A strong, light-brown or buff paper, originally made from abaca fiber, but now also from wood pulp substitutes or other fibers. See paper.

mannerism:

An affected or habitual characteristic, as a style of posture or speech, which is considered unprofessional when injected or interlarded into the broadcast persona. Common verbal fillers include um, ah, like, ya know, okay, right, see, get it, you dig, you follow. Common nervous gestures include tick, twitch, pluck, stroke, poke, jiggle, rock, sway, tap, drum, thrum. An eccentric peculiarity can become a successful trademark. See body language, sign language, non-standard. [v: perseveration]

manuscript:

The text, especially when handwritten, of a book, play, or other literary work; abbreviated ms (plural: mss). Also, any written text prior to typesetting; derived from "hand written". For legal protection, manuscripts must be catalogued by author name and arrival date upon receipt, since the title may change, and cross-reference is always to the artist. Development or disposition of the manuscript must also be noted by date; and this catalogue retained for a minimum of one year after conclusion. See folio, page, script, autograph, portfolio, slush pile, proofreader's marks. [v: hapax legomenon]

map:

A file showing the structure of a program after it has been compiled. The map file lists every variable in the program along with its memory address. This information is useful for purposes of debugging, but it must be explicitly requested by specifying the appropriate compiler option. The term map is often used to describe programming languages; for example, C/C++ is an efficient programming language because it maps well onto the machine language.

mapping:

To make logical connections between two entities. Because programs cannot translate directly from human modes (source code) to computer numbers (object code), the data is translated incrementally, with each layer containing the same amount of information as previous layers, but in a more machine-readable form. These translations, from layer to layer, are called mapping. Also, to copy a data set or set of objects from one place to another while preserving the objects' organization; as when loaded programs are mapped into memory, or when graphics in memory are image mapped onto a display device.

margin/margins:

The border or edge space separating or surrounding printed matter on a page. Standard proportion stipulates that the bottom margin is larger than the top, and the top margin is larger than the sides. Progressive proportion stipulates that the inside margin is the smallest, the top next larger, the outside is next larger, and the bottom margin is largest; such that the progression runs clockwise on recto pages, and counter-clockwise on verso pages. The white space between columns is also a margin, sometimes called an "internal margin" (as distinguished from "external margins" at the edges), with or without a column rule. See valley, gutter, apron, white space, air, river, attic; compare sinkage.

marginalia:

Headings or notes that are written or printed on the margins of a page, especially in manuscript, usually in a type or style distinct from the text; including side notes, shoulder notes, and footnotes. See notation, reference marks, sidebar. [nb: a heading or subtitle may be arranged in the margin using a distinctive type positioned relative to the initial or drop-cap for a stylistic effect]

marketing plan:

A publisher's scheme for marketing a particular title, set, or series; including budgeting, staffing, targeting, advertising, and distribution. A marketing plan develops from the publication's design, production, and promotion. See budget, sweat equity, appropriation, venture capital.

Mark 1/Ferranti Mark I:

The first full-sized digital computer, developed in 1944 by Howard Aiken at Harvard University. See computer.

markup:

The use of delimiters to structure data for electronic or print presentation; which formatting may be specific, general, or generic. All document markups are contextual, transparent, and unambiguous. The standards and conventions used in Markup Languages are approved by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). See SGML, HTML, XHTML, XML, SMIL, CFML, DCFGML, DTD, CSS, XSL, VoxML, VoiceXML, MathML, tag, meta tag, alt tag, title tag, container tag, HTML tag, deprecated tag, SSi, image map, attribute, escape sequence, validation, webpage; compare language, program, software, graphics.

masking:

Obscuring or blocking one element or process. See knockout, Goldenrod sheet, reverse, illustration.

mass market/mass-market:

A general or varied product intended for distribution to a relatively high proportion of the population. See audience, reader profile, universe, circulation; compare crossover market, niche market.

master page:

A template that sets up certain design elements that will appear on every page of a printed document, such as headers, footers, logos, rules, or borders. See format, stripping, Snap, stylesheet.

masterpiece:

A piece, usually in miniature and incorporating all the most intricate or elaborate techniques, required to be made by a Medieval artisan aspiring to the rank of master in a craft guild. Also, an artist's or craftsman's greatest piece of work; also known as masterwork, paragon, archetype, nonpareil, soign‚/soign‚e, par excellence, epitome, quintessence, apotheosis, ne plus ultra, tour de force, crŠme de la crŠme, piŠce de r‚sistance. See mentor.

masthead:

A box or column, usually on the editorial page of a newspaper or magazine, listing staff names, publication address, ownership, volume identification, and other legal notices. Compare nameplate; see contents, colophon.

MathML:

The acronym for Mathematics Markup Language, being an XML application for including scientific expressions and mathematical equations on webpages. See markup.

matrix:

A mold for casting typefaces. Also, a multiple die or perforated block in a press or stamping machine on which the material to be formed is placed. Also, a rectangular array, in the rows and columns of which are displayed numeric, symbolic, or other assigned values, as linguistic features, statistical variables, or other data. Derived from "mother + register", a female animal kept for breeding.

matte finish:

Flat (not glossy) finish on photographic paper or coated printing paper. See paper coating.

mean line:

The imaginary horizontal line running at the height of lowercase letters, exclusive of ascenders, being intermediate between the baseline and cap line (qqv); also called x-line. See body size, set size, font, type.

measure:

The width of the line of type being set. See pica, pitch, type. [nb: the em square measure is both height and width, while the en measure is full height but half the width of em; both pica and point are linear measures, with pica of line length, and point of line height]

measured photography:

Technique of exposing original photos to place critical details within the tonal range of the printing process. See illustration.

mechanical:

A sheet of stiff paper on which artwork and type proofs have been secured for making a camera-ready printing plate; also known as a "paste-up" or "art board". Also, a person skilled in an applied art; an artisan, artificer, or craftsman.

mechanical binding:

The binding of pre-trimmed leaves by the insertion of wire or plastic through holes drilled in the binding edge; another name for spiral, coil, or comb (qqv) bindings. Compare lay-flat bind; see side binding.

media event:

A factitious event staged or exploited for its news value; a pseudo-event. See anticlimax. [v: nonevent]

mediagenic:

Having qualities or characteristics that are especially appealing or attractive when presented in the mass media. A "publicity hound" searches for media events and personalities to cover, and a "publicity whore" seeks constant coverage in the press. [v: photogenic, telegenic]

media kit:

Synonymous with press kit (qv), with the ostensible exception that a press kit does not include advertising rate information.

medium/media:

The material or technique with which an artist works, and by which creative expression is represented. Also, an intervening agency, means, or instrument by which something is conveyed or accomplished (eg: words are the medium of literature). Also, one or more of the means, modes, or channels for general dissemination of communication, information, or entertainment in any format or configuration, such as print or broadcast; also called "mass media".

melodrama:

A dramatic form that exaggerates emotion and emphasizes plot or action at the expense of characterization. Also, during the period of the 17th through the 19th centuries, a romantic drama composed with music interspersed. See bathos, comedy, pathos, tragedy, drama. [v: coup de th‚ƒtre/Grand Guignol]

mentor:

A trustworthy counselor or teacher; also known as a preceptor, adviser, consultant, paraclete. When the professors of the Socratic method were displaced by the pedagogues of the scribal culture, students created their own textbooks from the formalized lectures. Among the social changes brought about by the printing press, the ready availability of a "silent instructor" from the "commonwealth of learning" revised the method of transmitting secret "tricks of the trade" to apprentices by the guild system. Subsequently, the teacher's role evolved into tutor, to augment the accumulated knowledge, and into mentor, to guide the student's quest for knowledge. See intelligentsia, immortals, masterpiece. [cf: recourse]

MEO:

The abbreviation for Medium/Middle Earth Orbit, a satellite system used in telecommunications. MEO satellites orbit the earth between 1,000 and 22,300 miles above the planet's surface. MEOs are mainly used in geographical positioning systems and are not stationary in relation to the rotation of the earth. Compare GEO, LEO: see VSAT.

metafile/meta file:

A file that contains other files; especially a file format designed for exchanging graphical data between different program applications or different machine systems, often as a bitmap. Loanwords derive from Greek as a combining prefix with the meanings "after", "along with", "beyond", "among", "behind", and "about". See CGM, WMF, meta tag.

metafiction:

Any work of fiction that refers to its own fictitious nature, as by playfully dealing with the writing of fiction or its conventions. See story, novel, literature.

metamerism:

The phenomenon of color appearing to be different under different light sources, such that true tone is relative instead of absolute. See swatchbook.

metaphor:

The figurative application of a word or phrase to an object or concept that it does not literally denote, suggesting a comparison to that object or concept (eg: "A mighty fortress is our God." and "The soldiers advanced in wave after wave to break upon the treacherous shore of their defenses."); derived from "transfer". Compare simile; see rhetorical forms. [nb: a "mixed metaphor" is an expression that combines incongruous or inappropriate elements; such as: "If you open that Pandora's Box you never know what Trojan 'orses will jump out." by Ernest Bevin; "Mister Speaker, I smell a rat; I see him forming in the air and darkening the sky; but I'll nip him in the bud." by Boyle Roche; "Every director bites the hand that lays the golden egg." by Samuel Goldwyn]

meta tag/metatag:

A concealed header in the form of an HTML tag that identifies the contents of a webpage, including a formatted general description of the website, keywords for search engines, and copyright information. A meta tag sends "client pull" header data to the server, replacing the former "server push" process. See tag, DTD, markup, webpage, search engine, crawler, slug.

meter:

A particular rhythmic arrangement of syllabic feet in a line, or a particular rhythmic arrangement of stanzas or strophes, based upon their kind and number. There are four types of metrical systems: quantitative meter, syllabic meter, accentual meter, and accentual-syllabic meter. Quantitative meter depends on the length and number of syllables used in classical and Sanskrit verse. Syllabic meter is used in most Romance languages, in which there is a fixed number of syllables with varying accents. Accentual meter is the form of Old English and most Germanic versification, in which the number of accented syllables determines the basic metric unit. Accentual-syllabic meter is the form used in most English poetry, in which both the number of accents and the number of syllables are measured. Meter is based on units (called feet), with each foot usually being a set relationship between one accented syllable and one or two unaccented syllables. The four most common feet in English verse are the "iamb", "trochee", "anapest", and "dactyl"; with variations, such as the "spondee" and "pyrrhic", occasionally occurring. Verse lines are named according to the type of foot they contain, and the number of feet in the line. See accent, foot, scansion, prosody, rhyme, caesura, verse, poetry.

mezzotint:

A method of engraving on copper or steel by burnishing or scraping away a uniformly roughened surface, also called "brush" or "Florentine" finish; derived "middle + color"; compare stipple, tesselate, reticulate. Also, a print produced from a plate made by this method. Also, a screen printing effect that resembles a crayon drawing.

microform:

Any form of film or paper bearing a miniature photographic copy, or microreproduction, of printed or graphic matter; including microfilm, microfiche (fiche), ultrafiche, microphotography. See COLD, library. [nb: From its inception during the 1930s, the public resistance to utilizing an "apparatus" to access reading matter may have implications for e-books; but microform is principally used for scholarly research and historic preservation.]

micrographia:

Extremely small handwriting or minute engraving, usually executed with a "micrograph" instrument; also known as "micrography". See cursive, script, minuscule, font, type.

MIDI:

The abbreviation for Musical Instrument Digital/Data Interface, a standard mode for sending digitally encoded musical information, including filters and enhancers, between electronic synthesizers and computers, or other devices. See sound-clip.

midlist:

Large publishers often distinguish between their leading titles (those current titles that receive the bulk of the publishers' promotional efforts) and current or new titles for which the publishers expect lower sales volume and thus allocate less promotional push or advertising. The term "midlist author" refers to an author (often a writer of serious literary fiction) who has published to nominal sales success, but to whom a publisher is unlikely to devote the marketing dollars that would go to a possible bestseller. In recent years, some midlist authors have found it difficult to sell new projects to the commercial houses, and have turned to independent publishers with more satisfactory results. See frontlist, backlist, deadlist.

midtone:

Tones created by halftone dots, between 30 and 70 percent of coverage, intermediate between shadows and highlights; also called "middle tones". See key, illustration.

milline:

The appearance of one agate line of advertising, one column in width, published in one-million copies of a periodical. Also, the cost or charge per milline; also called "milline rate".

mill order:

Order for paper that will be filled from inventory at a mill, as distinguished from inventory at a paper merchant. See paper.

MIME:

The abbreviation for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, being the encoded format (*.MIME) that allows the transfer of multiple types of data (eg: binary, audio, video, graphics) as attachments to email messages. As a standard for multimedia mail contents (including spreadsheets and word-processor documents) in the Internet suite of protocols, non-text files can be attached to typical Internet mail messages. The MIME standard is a way of specifying both the type of file being sent and the method that should be used to turn it back into its original form. Besides e-mail software, the MIME standard is also universally used by Web Servers to identify the files they are sending to Web clients. In this way, new file formats can be accommodated simply by updating the browsers' list of pairs of MIME-types and appropriate software for handling each type. Electronic mail messages can be encrypted by a public-key protocol called Secure MIME (S/MIME/S-MIME). See e-mail.

mimeograph:

A sheet-fed printing machine, with an ink-fed rotating drum, that duplicates from a waxed cut-stencil. Like screen printing, ink passes through the openings in the stencil when copying. Also called "mimeo"; derived from "imitate/copy" + "write/draw", formerly a trademark. See typewriter, duplicator, press.

minikin:

A three-point type; see font, type.

minion:

A 7.3 point type; see font, type.

mini web:

Press using rolls 11" - 14" wide to print brochures, newsletters and other products with a flat size typically 11" X 17". See press.

minuscule:

Written in small (not capital) letters, as a lowercase letter. Also, a small cursive script developed in the 7th century AD from the uncial, which it afterward superseded. Compare majuscule; see ascender, descender. [nb: as a result of the confusion between minus (less) and mini (small), this word has often been misspelled, until "miniscule" is now accepted in edited writing as a legitimate variant]

minus leading:

Leading which is numerically less than the point size, or less than the default leading, for the font or typeface used. Compare solid leading; see leading, alignment.

mirror:

A duplicate of a busy archive website maintained on another network, which is created to speed access and to reduce the traffic load on the source site; also called "mirror site". Also, to write data to more than one storage device, as a precaution against damage, destruction, or loss; a backup.

miscellany:

A book or other assemblage of literary works by several authors on various topics; an "omnium-gatherum". See anthology, cento, garland, compilation, chapbook, oeuvre.

misnomer:

A misapplied name or inappropriate designation; the wrong word. See ghost word, counterword, polysemy, mot juste, rhetorical forms, word.

misquotation:

An inaccurate or incorrect quotation; also called "misquote". Like improper word conversions, many malapropism, spoonerism, and misquotations have acquired legitimacy; but their proper use by the knowledgeable writer is as idiom or irony. [nb: "Misquotations are the only quotations that are never misquoted." by Hesketh Pearson; "Misquotation is the pride and privilege of the learned." by Hesketh Pearson; "I live constantly in the fear of not being misunderstood." by Oscar Wilde]

mission statement:

Cites the publication's goals, focus, purpose, and subject in a concise (25-50 word) summary; also called "manifesto". Sets forth its basic function, declaring it enduring or ephemeral, and identifying its audience. This aims and scope apercu should be reviewed annually to confirm its benchmark for the relevant audience. Newspapers are timely and topical. Newsletters are topic centered periodicals with useful or accurate information. Magazines are generally diverse periodicals with topical development or featured expansion. See guideline, publication.

mock-up:

Alternate term for dummy.

modal auxiliary:

Any of a group of auxiliary verbs typically used with the base form of another verb to express distinctions of mood (eg: [in English] can, could, may, might, shall, should, ought, will, would, must); also known as "modal" or "modal auxiliary verb". See parts of speech.

modem/MoDem:

A contraction of mo(dulator)-dem(odulator), being an electronic device that makes possible the transmission of digital data to or from a computer via telephone or other communication lines. An analog telecom signal varies continuously over time (eg: sound waves), and is described in terms of frequency (Hz, cycles per second), amplitude (maximum deviation), and phase relationship. All DSL signals are modulated from digital signals at the modem to analog signals on the telephone lines. See baud rate, bandwidth.

modular make-up:

The arrangement of elements in variously sized and shaped rectangular units on a page; also called "mondrian make-up". See grid, frames, template, layout, pipeline, horizon line.

mogigraphia:

Writer's cramp; compare raster burn.

moire/moir‚:

Presenting a watery or wavelike appearance; an undesirable pattern resulting when halftones and screen tints are made with improperly aligned screens, or when the pattern of a photographic subject, such as a plaid, interferes with a halftone dot pattern. See illustration.

monarch:

The second most popular size (7.25 X 10.5 inches) of writing paper in North America after letter-size (qv); available in a wide variety of colors and finishes. See paper.

monograph:

A learned treatise on a particular subject; or a written account on a single topic. See journal, booklet, pamphlet, brochure, catalog, thesis, gray literature, hermeneutics.

monologue/monolog:

A prolonged speech or discourse presented entirely by a single speaker, character, or performer. Also, any composition, as a script or poem, in which a single person speaks alone. Compare dialogue; see soliloquy, apostrophe, runner.

monostrophe:

A poem in which all the strophes or stanzas are of the same metrical form. See strophe, stanza, foot, verse.

monotone:

Consisting of a one color uniformity, being an alternative term for halftone characteristics in computer graphics; see duotone, quadtone, illustration. Also, in typography, strokes of equal or uniform size, thickness, and weight; also called "monoline".

monotype:

The only print made from a metal or glass plate onto which a picture is painted in oil color, printing ink, or the like. Also, term for any monofont or monospaced font; see hot type, text type. Also, the trademark for a machine that casts and sets metal type; see press. A character casting machine, invented by Tolbert Lanston in 1880/9, could set characters in three different faces, up to 36 points and 60 picas per line, by employing reusable paper-tape instructional controls generated on supplementary keyboards. A semi-automatic line casting machine, invented by Washington I. Ludlow in 1888, could mix Roman and Italic faces, and mix character points (8 - 144) within the same handset matrix.

montage:

The combining of pictorial elements from different sources in a single composition. The partial superimposition or juxtaposition of a graphical sequence presents a single idea or set of interconnected ideas. This combination of disparate elements or images seemingly forms a unified whole, or a singularly representative statement. Compare collage; see pastiche, illustration. [v: assemblage]

morgue:

A reference file of old clippings, photographs, and related materials, especially in a newspaper office. Also, the room containing such reference files or materials; derived from "face bravely" (morguerto), being the entry room of a prison.

morgue day:

The day of publication; the day when a publication can no longer be amended or emended, but can only be archived. This day is often devoted to production evaluations and staff assessments, which "lessons learned" are applied to the next issue or publication. See deadline, publication date.

morph:

To alter an image by combination or animation; as to eclectically caricature or gradually transform. Many advanced animation programs support some type of morphing feature. A contraction derived from "metamorphose" or "metamorphosis"; not from morphology (either grammar or biology). See flash, svg, illustration.

morpheme:

Any of the minimal grammatical units of a language, each constituting a phrase, a word, or a meaningful part of a word (eg: prefix, infix, suffix, affix), that cannot be divided into smaller meaningful parts; existing bound (eg: raspberry morpheme) or free (eg: clip). See phoneme, syllabary, syntax, ideogram, alphabet, language. [v: morphology, allomorph, morphophoneme, etic, emic; cf: orthoepy, ultimate constituent]

mortise:

A recess, hole, notch, or cut-out made in a layout area to receive another element, such as text into an illustration, one image into another image, or a box into body copy. See inset, box, call-out, sidebar, side note, grid box, indent; compare surprint, overprint.

mot juste/mots justes:

The precise or appropriate word. See masterpiece, rhetorical forms; compare ghost word.

mottle:

A spotty or blotched appearance from uneven ink absorption on uncoated paper; also known as "sinkage" or "mealy". Compare hickey, slur, scum, setoff, picking, webpox, tessellate; see illustration. [v: marled]

mouse:

A small peripheral device that controls the movement of the pointer on a display screen; also called "mouse cursor", "mouse pointer", "e-rodent". By rolling the mouse along a flat horizontal surface (to improve traction a small piece of textured material, called a "mouse pad", is often used), a pointer correspondently moves on the display screen. All mice have at least one activation button, and may have as many as three, with a scroll wheel for reviewing long documents; the function of the mouse button varies from system to application. Invented by Douglas C. Engelbart/Englehart of Stanford Research Center in 1963, and pioneered by Xerox in the 1970s, the mouse is an ergonomic alternative to keyboarding commands. It is possible to "mouse ahead" with moves so swift that the computer's response will be delayed. In graphical user interfaces (GUI), the mouse cursor can point to options or objects and activate them by clicking a mouse button. Such "clickable" environments, known as "point-and-click", include symbols that change shape depending upon context, or change options depending upon application. System functions, like "drag-and-drop", are program independent. In graphics programs, the mouse may be used as a pen, stylus, or paintbrush to illustrate objects. There are several types of mice: (1) mechanical: has a rubber or metal ball on its underside that can roll in all directions, so the mechanical sensors (called "encoders") within the mouse will detect the direction the ball is rolling and move the screen pointer accordingly; (2) optomechanical: similar to a mechanical mouse, but uses optical sensors to detect the motion of the ball; (3) optical: uses a laser (no mechanical moving parts) to detect the mouse's movement, which is moved along a special grid mat, so that the optical mechanism has a frame of reference for rapid response. A flying mouse can be lifted off the desk, and used as a three-dimensional pointer. A mouse may be foot-operated for special circumstances. Mice connect to computers variously by: specific socket ("mouse port"), RS-232C or PS/2 serial port ("serial mouse"), expansion board ("bus mouse"), ADB [Apple Desktop Bus] port ("Macintosh mouse"). Cordless mice aren't physically connected, but rely upon infrared or radio waves to communicate with the computer. The term commonly derives from its resemblance to a long-tailed rodent scurrying across a desktop; but the word means "small". See pointer, trackball, joystick, insertion point.

MP/M:

Abbreviation for Multi-Program/Microprocessor (Monitor). Developed in 1979 by Digital Research Corporation, MP/M was the first multi-user and multitasking operating system, and derived from the 8-bit CP/M version. MP/M maintained downward compatibility with CP/M programs, provided they ran in no more than 48KB of RAM, and did not make BIOS calls. See program.

MPX:

The abbreviation for Magazine Page eXposures; an index which denotes how thoroughly consumers read magazines. See optical center, sequence, z-path, readability.

ms/mss:

The abbreviation for manuscript (qv).

MSAA:

The abbreviation for MicroSoft Active Accessibility, being a programming protocol promoted by MS and Adobe that enhances software access by adaptive devices, such as screen readers or closed captioning; also called "MicroSoft Accessibility Access". See specialized format, WAI, accessibility.

muckraker:

A person, often a journalist or "investigative reporter", who searches for and exposes allegations of corruption, scandal, or the like, especially in politics. The term, for those who expose society's ills, was popularized by Theodore Roosevelt in a 1906 speech, referring to John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress" (1678): "A man that could look no way but downwards with a muckrake in his hand.". [v: billingsgate]

multicast backbone:

A network of Internet sites that supports Internet Protocol multicasting for a limited number of users; abbreviated as "MBone". MBone provides a faster technology than the Internet for transmitting real-time audio and video programs, and for videoconferencing. The Rolling Stones made history with the first major multicast concert on the MBone. See webcast, I2, backbone.

multicolor printing:

Printing in more than one ink color, but less than four-color process; also called "polychrome printing". See illustration

multifunction:

The inherent ability to perform more than one function, either serially or simultaneously, as with multifunction circuit boards or multitasking (qv). The most common multifunction device (MFD) is a peripheral that incorporates printing, copying, scanning, and faxing features. See hardware.

multitasking:

A mode of operation offered by an operating system in which a computer works on more than one task at a time. The principal types of multitasking are "context switching", "cooperative multitasking", and "time-slice multitasking". Context switching is a very simple type of multitasking in which two or more applications are loaded at the same time, but only the foreground application is given processing time; to activate a background task, the user must bring the window or screen containing that application to the front. In cooperative multitasking, exemplified by the Macintosh operating system, background tasks are given processing time during idle times in the foreground task but only if the application allows it. In time-slice multitasking, exemplified by OS/2, each task is given the microprocessor's attention for fractions of every second. To maintain order, tasks are either assigned priority levels or processed in sequential order. Because the user's sense of time is much slower than the processing speed of the computer, time-slice multitasking operations seem to be simultaneous. See background, TSR, shell, hot-key, MP/M, task.

muse/Muse:

To meditate, contemplate, or concentrate, especially in a silent or solemn manner. Also, the inspiration that motivates an artist, writer, or thinker. Also, a poet. Also, one of the nine goddesses [Calliope (epic and heroic poetry), Clio (history), Erato (lyric poetry), Euterpe (music and lyric poetry), Melpomene (tragedy), Polyhymnia (sacred music and dance), Terpsichore (choral song and dance), Thalia (comedic and idyllic poetry), and Urania (astronomy)] who presided over the arts in ancient Greece. See afflatus, aesthetics, art, artwork, videation. [v: limen] [nb: an old pun asks: "Can Clio do more than a muse?"]

mutton:

Printer jargon, coined to differentiate the pronunciation of "em quad" from "en quad"; "mutt" is also used to designate the typeset "em space". See em, quad, dash; compare en, nuts.

M weight:

The weight of one-thousand [Roman numeral: M] sheets of paper in any specific size; abbreviated MWT. See paper.