A Glossary of Publishing Terms (N-Q)

- N -

nameplate:

The distinctive display, usually formalized or standardized for consistent public recognition, of the periodical's name. This "flag" is typically printed at the top of the magazine's cover or a tabloid's front page; and usually cites issue specific details of date and volume. Often mistakenly called a masthead (qv). See floating flag, header, initial, rubric.

narrowcast:

A neologism on the model of 'broadcast' (qv), to target a limited or restricted audience with specialized information or customized programming, as in the transmission of radio and television performances (eg: NPR, PBS, etc) for a particular age level, ethnic group, professional class, or consumer market. People prefer media which reinforces their opinions and conclusions, selecting media by its application to lifestyle, education, entertainment, or career. See medium, webcast, communique, documentary, bully pulpit, commentator, mannerism, dramatis personae, infomercial, wasteland.

native file:

A file in the application format in which it was originally created.

natural color:

The undyed light brown color of paper; may also be called antique, cream, ivory, off-white, or mellow white.

NCR paper:

Abbreviation for No Carbon Required paper, a brand name for carbonless duplicating paper. Compare flimsy, manifold; see copy, cc, paper.

near frame:

A related or similar image, such as the variant thumbnail depicted in the cover credit on the table of contents; derived from the shot sequence on a film strip. See copy, replica.

near-letter-quality/near letter quality:

A relatively good-grade print output mode available on most office machine and desktop printers for the production of working materials and internal correspondence, that generates characters and images with enough resolution clarity for most practical purposes; abbreviated "NLQ". Compare draft-quality, letter-quality.

neologism:

A new word or phrase introduced into the language, or an existing word used in a new sense; also known as "coinage". See dictionary, orthography, cacography, counterword, idiolect, alphabet. [cf: calque, proclitic, enclitic] [nb: "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." by J. Rudyard Kipling]

nested:

Signatures assembled inside one another in the proper sequence for binding; also called inset or insert (qqv). Compare quire, imposition, fold lines; see binding, wrap-fold.

NetWare:

The most widely used software for local area networks (LAN), available for DOS, Macintosh, OS/2, VAX, and UNIX systems from Novell. Ethernet, Token Ring, and other configurations can also be used with NetWare. See LAN, program, software.

neutral gray:

Gray without hue or cast. See illustration.

news:

Informative reports or media coverage of current events, as distinguished from gossip and propaganda, also known as "domestic intelligence"; derived from "novelty". Although news agencies existed during the decline of the Roman Empire in Italy and the Han Dynasty in China, town criers heralded recent activities without compensation until the implicit social stratification in the coffee house and salon subcultures of the Medieval era made commercial presentation of news profitable. The survival value of information shifts over time from the forewarned community to the knowledgeable individual, until excess exchange compels cultural reassessment. The busybody, gossip monger, tattler, hawker, crier, and herald have been displaced by the news teller, newsreader, newscaster, newsman, journalist, moderator, commentator; who fear the "Scheherazade Syndrome" of perishing if their audience ever becomes bored! Newsworthy stories are dispensed, based upon their impact, timeliness, proximity, emotion, importance, prominence, unusualness. The free flow of news has always been a threat to authority, since shared disclosures only reinforce stable societies. See newspaper, newsletter, news book, tabloid, gazette, journal, documentary, bully pulpit, expose, screed, disinformation, mediagenic, copyboy, deskman, muckraker, yellow journalism. [nb: "Slay the messenger of bad tidings!"; "History is a rebuke of news!"]

news book:

A collection of articles related by subject, time, or place; as derived from the periodic theme books gathered from published pamphlets and broadsides in early printing. A monotonic precursor of multifarious newspapers. See tabloid, gazette, newsletter, pauper press, compilation, screed, yellow journalism.

newsgroup/news group:

A discussion group on the Internet which is focused on a particular topic. Communication occurs within any of the thousands of defined newsgroups by posting messages for others to read, by sending e-mail messages to participants or subscribers, and by having interactive online conversations. In order to view and post messages to a newsgroup, a news reader program is needed to interface the user's computer with a news server on the Internet. News reader programs are text based, so even music and movies are binary downloads. Some browsers include newsgroup software, which may or may not organize by thread. Some newsgroups are moderated to audit traffic, to arbitrate disputes, to censor input, and to eliminate monopolization. See forum, thread, UseNet, chatroom, instant messaging, blog, BBS, listserve.

newsletter:

A written report, often condensed, usually issued periodically by an organization or agency to present topical information to employees, contributors, stockholders, or to the public. An internal, affiliated, parochial, or other provincial newsletter is often deemed to be a "house organ", because it only plays music approved for the choir to sing along with the preaching. References, cataloged by subject, include: "Oxbridge Directory of Newsletters", "The Newsletter on Newsletters". See tabloid, zine, pauper press, tabazine, magapaper, periodical, pamphlet, booklet, organ, feuilleton, boilerplate, news book, collateral.

newspaper:

A daily or weekly publication containing current news, features, commentary, scheduled events, and advertising. A person spends an average of thirty-minutes each day reading the newspaper. The width of the standard newspaper column is thirteen picas (6 pica = 1 inch). See folio, edition, masthead, subhead, frame, well, poster make-up, front-page, basement, story, half-life, filler, ear, squib, 30, column rule, feature, editorial, Op-Ed, feuilleton, book review, funny paper, co-op money, mission statement, boilerplate, tabloid, journal, organ, gazette, dateline, stringer, deskman, copyboy, copywriter, paragrapher, copy desk, slot, rim, privilege. [nb: during the 1863 siege of Vicksburg in the American Civil War, local newspapers were printed on the plain side of wallpaper] [v: Newspaper Preservation Act (1971)]

newsprint:

A low-grade paper, made mainly from wood pulp, used chiefly for newspapers. See paper, sheet.

news release:

A news story or noteworthy statement prepared and distributed to the press by a publicist, a public relations firm, a business, or a governmental agency; also called press release. The Four C's of a news release are: Clear, Concise, Correct, and Complete. See advance, communique, press kit.

newsstand:

A stall, booth, or other place at which periodicals are displayed for single-copy sale to the public; also called "bookstall". See kiosk, BBS, RDA, audience, audit. [nb: in a competitive display, each periodical has 2.7 seconds or less to capture the attention of potential buyers]

nib:

A segmented penpoint, used with various inks to write variable strokes; also called "quill point". Derived from "sharp point" or beak; the steel nib was invented by the Shakers, but not patented. See penpoint, ink, stroke, calligraphy.

niche market:

Tailoring subject materials to an area of particular interest or specific demand, such as topical and regional books, specialized or technical magazines; often with limited distribution or restricted availability. See audience, reader profile, universe, circulation, book, magazine; compare crossover market, mass market.

nipping:

In bookbinding, the pressing together of the text block and case (or covers) to expel air from between the leaves, and give the volume its desired shape. When done after sewing but before the covers are applied, the process is known as "smashing". See bookbinder's press, binding.

node:

A concentration point in a network where numerous trunks come together at the same switch. See hypermedia, browser.

noise:

An electric disturbance in a communications system that interferes with signal reception, or prevents information transmittal. Also, extraneous data or excessive information acquired during duplication or transmission. Also, the wrong words, tone, or channel in a semantic delivery system. See feedback, interface, digital watermark; compare type noise.

non-competition agreement:

A contract regulating the business practices of partners or employees in consideration of their privileged access to operations and techniques, which is specifically restricted by job or profession, time period, geographic location, and defined clientele, often with the inducement of financial consideration; also called "restrictive pact" or "negative covenant". See golden key, golden parachute, headhunting. [v: monopoly, unfair competition, antitrust]

non-disclosure agreement:

A contract recognizing the "authorship" of intellectual property, and a restraint for confidentiality. Similar to a trade secrets (qv) agreement, this protects ideas, concepts, designs, and formulas from infringement... all of which are excluded from both trademark and copyright protection. In consideration of the warrant of privacy, the disclosed information is open to discussion without further obligation, except against misappropriation. After learning about the confidential information, the signatory is liable for damages if any form of the idea or design is exploited for commercial development.

nonpareil:

A six-point type; see font, type. Also, a slug (qv) occupying six-points between lines; see quad, leading, furniture.

non-standard:

Usage that does not conform in pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and the like, to what is considered to be characteristic and acceptable by most educated native speakers of a language. See slang, colloquialism, vernacular, dialect, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, mannerism, language.

notation/typographic notation:

A system of graphic symbols or signs for a specialized use, and the process of annotating with such a system; including abbreviation, acronym, shorthand. Reference notations include: aka [(also known as)], c [circa (exact date)], ca [circa (about, inexact date)], cf [confer (compare)], eg [exempli gratia (for example)], et al [et alii/et alia (and others)], etc [et cetera (and so forth, and so on)], et seq/et seqq [et sequens (and following/and those following)], ff [(and following)], ibid [ibidem (in the place already cited)], ie [id est (specifically)], inter alia [(among other things)], mutatis mutandis [(the necessary changes having been made)], nb [nota bene (note well)], opcit [opere citato (in the work previously cited)], passim [(here and there; spread, extended)], qed [quod erat demonstrandum (to be shown/proven)], qv/qqv [quod vide/quae vide (which see/which things see)], re [res (regarding)], sic [(thus, precisely, unaltered)], seqq/sqq [sequentia (the following ones)], ss [scilicet/scirelicet (to wit)], v [(volume, version, verse, verso, vide, versus/vs, voice, verb, vowel)], verbatim [(exactly)], vide [(see)], viz [videlicet (namely)]. See proofreader's marks, dingbat, asterisk, ampersand, at sign, caret, obelus, ligature, footnote, shoulder note, side note, marginalia, gloss, hanging, type, typeface, typology, diacritic, punctuation, reference marks.

notch binding/knotch binding:

See burst binding; compare perfect binding.

novel:

A fictitious prose narrative of considerable length and complexity, portraying characters and usually presenting a sequential organization of action and scenes. Derived from "new kind of story". See novella, dime novel, hypernovel, dialogue, picaresque, belles-lettres, roman a clef, metafiction, classic, literature, dramatis personae.

novelization:

To put into the form of a novel, as by adapting a play or film.

novella:

A fictional prose narrative that is longer and more complex than a short story; a short novel. Also called "novelette".

number sign:

A hatch-mark symbol (#) used to denote a number, a numbered sequence, or a numbering series; and also used to signify the substitution or replacement of any numeric value. Also, the space-mark sign indicating the need to insert space, as between words or sections; see section sign, proofreader's marks. Also, a symbol for pound(s), as a unit of avoirdupois weight or mass. Also, a computer character assigned special values for various markups and encodings. [nb: sometimes called 'hash' mark by association with dice or mince, but actually a haplologic mispronunciation of "hatch", from which hash is derived]

num-pad/numpad:

A contraction of number pad, being the separate group of numeric keys arranged similar to a calculator [nb: inverse of telephone number pad] for computational coprocessing. By toggling the "num lock" selector, the num-pad can function as an auxiliary keyboard, with properties assigned by scripts, subroutines, or plug-ins. See six pack, keyboard.

nuts:

Printer jargon, coined to differentiate the pronunciation of "en quad" from "em quad". See en, quad, dash; compare em, mutton.

nybble:

Half a byte (qv), or four bits; alternate spelling of 'nibble'.

- O -

obelus:

A mark (-/÷) used in ancient manuscripts to point out questionable words or passages. See notation. [nb: not to be confused with dagger/obelisk] [cf: sic]

obituary:

A public notice of the death of a person [v: necrology] that is published in a newspaper or magazine, often with a biographical sketch. The obituaries of prominent public figures are usually researched and written in advance of the person's death, so as to be printed on short notice. Obituaries are indexed by surname of the deceased in biographical indices of most large libraries. See eulogy, elegy.

object code:

The machine code, directly executable by the computer system's central processing unit (CPU), generated by a compiler or an assembler, that was translated from the source code (qv) of a program.

Objective C:

An object-oriented C programming language released in slightly different versions by Stepstone, NeXT, and GNU. It is available for MS-DOS, Macintosh, VAX/VMS, and UNIX operating systems. See C/C++, language, program.

Objective Pascal:

An extension of Pascal which has object-oriented programming features. See Pascal, language, program.

object-oriented graphics:

Also called "object-oriented image". See vector graphics; compare bitmap graphics.

object-oriented programming:

An approach to programming in which each data item with the operations used on it is designated as an object; the routines used to operate on the data item are called methods; and objects are grouped in a hierarchy of classes, with each class inheriting characteristics from the class above it. Some uses of object-oriented programming are simulation; work with vectors and other mathematical objects; and work with graphic objects. Examples of object-oriented programming (OOP) languages are SIMULA, Smalltalk, C++, Objective C, Oblog, Object Pascal, Eiffel, ESP, ACTOR, Python, and Loops.

oblique type:

Slanting or sloping, being neither perpendicular nor parallel to a given line, as a font distorted by a computer to emulate an Italic typeface. See hint, type family.

OC:

Abbreviation for "set in small capitals"; see proofreader's marks.

Occam's Razor:

The philosophical and scientific principle that propositions or assumptions introduced to explain something must not be multiplied beyond necessity, hence the simplest of several hypotheses is always the best when accounting for unexplained facts; eponymously derived from William of Occam, and also called the "law of parsimony". When rendering problem solving designs, as in HTML or CSS, such simplicity of structure and style is preferred. [nb: not "Ockham"] [cf: Parkinson's Laws, Peter Principle]

occasional type:

Category of decorative, novelty, and miscellaneous typefaces. See type, type family, font.

OCR:

The abbreviation for Optical Character Recognition/Reader; being the process or technology of reading printed text by means of electronic scanning, and converting it into digital data. See e-pub.

octavo:

A book size of about 6 x 9 inches (16 x 23 cm), determined by printing on sheets folded to form 8 leaves or 16 pages; symbol: 8vo. See sheet.

octodecimo:

A book size of about 4 x 6 inches (10 x 16 cm), determined by printing on sheets folded to form 18 leaves or 36 pages; symbol: 18mo. Also called eighteenmo. See sheet.

oeuvre:

The works of a writer, painter, or other artist, taken as a whole, the complete body of work; derived from "operate", work. See opus, aesthetics.

offprint:

A run-on or reprinted article that originally appeared as part of another or larger publication. See one-shot, backlist, escalation, reprint permission.

offset/offset printing:

A process in which a lithographic stone, metal, or paper plate is used to make an inked impression onto a rubber blanket, that then transfers (offsets) it to the paper being printed. Every offset unit comprises cylinder, dampening, and inking systems. As a refinement of lithography innovated by Ira Rubel, offset printing commenced in 1907. Also, the impression itself, which unit cost decreases as production increases (unlike xerography). See duplicator, press.

off-shore sheet:

Term used in the United States and Canada for paper made overseas. See paper.

off the record/off-the-record:

Confidential information that is either not for publication, or is not for attribution when used as background or context in an article or essay. Journalistic ethics require that the source be aware of the reporter's intent, and that any caveats be negotiated before the interview commences. See non-disclosure agreement, copyright, intelligentsia.

OLE:

The abbreviation for Object Linking and Embedding, being a way of connecting a file with objects from other applications; such as a page layout file with a spreadsheet chart, a word processing file, and a graphics file included. An embedded object becomes part of the document into which it is embedded, and is no longer linked to the source document. A linked object is displayed in the destination document but remains in the source document; when a change is made in a linked object, all files connected with it are automatically updated. See link, hotlink.

one sheet:

Posters advertising movies or films, sized about 27" wide by 40" high to fit into standard theater display boxes. This very collectible memorabilia is now illustrated on both sides so the image seems to alter when backlit, and may be printed on material other than paper. See poster, broadside, bill, banner, blanket sheet, advertising.

one-shot:

A slang expression for a periodical which only produced a single issue. Also, slang for a special edition of a regularly published magazine. Also, refers to a full text reprint, or a single volume abridgement, of a complete periodical serialization or of an entire book; see offprint. Also, a slang reference to the hot melt adhesive used to bind a book in a single application. Also, a slang term for condensed training or concentrated instruction, especially computer usage in a single formalized short-course; as opposed to multiple classes or incremental sessions.

onionskin:

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

onomatopoeia:

The formation of a word by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent (eg: cuckoo, boom, etc); derived from "making of words". Words imitating violence (eg: crash, whack, etc) tend to have double or triple consonants. See cliche, morpheme, phoneme, rhetorical forms.

opacity:

Characteristic of paper that prevents printing on one side from showing through to the other side[nb: recycled 2% more opaque than virgin]; see paper, paper coating. Also, characteristic of ink that prevents the substance from showing through, color hold-out; see strike-through. Also, the proportion of light absorbed by the emulsion on an area of a photographic film or plate; see illustration.

opaque paper:

A grade of improved offset paper that allows relatively little light to pass, which prevents show-through (qv) on double-sided printing. See paper.

Op-Ed:

A newspaper section or page devoted to signed articles by commentators, essayists, and selected letters from readers. Although this public forum of propositions and rebuttals is believed to represent a platform for the "loyal opposition", as in "opposed to the editor"; it actually derived from "OPposite [the] EDitorial [page]". See think piece, editorial.

open-source:

The preferred term of reference for non-commercial software that retains copyright, but is freely distributed under single user licensure; it attempts to remedy confusion over meaning of 'free' as "without charge" as opposed to "without restriction". Compare public domain software; see shareware, freeware, software.

OpenType:

The trademarked name for scalable fonts specifically designed for enhanced clarity on the internet, as the successor to both TrueType and Type 1 PostScript libraries, with multi-lingual typesetting features, under a collaborative project by Adobe, Apple, and Microsoft. See scalable font, font.

optical center:

A point approximately 10% higher than the geometric center of a page, being the point of natural focus, when no more prominent feature captures the viewer's attention; also called "primary optical spot". If nothing captures the viewer's attention at the optical center of the page, the viewer's attention will then be directed to the upper-left quadrant. When scanning, most people (being right-handed) tend to notice the contents of recto pages first. Layout position should utilize these tendencies when attempting to capture or direct the viewer's attention. See MPX, attic, sinkage, horizon line, sequence, z-path, readability.

opus/opuses/opera:

A literary work or other composition, usually numbered in order of publication; derived from "work", with the plural derived from "service" or 'willing work' (ie: a labor of love). A "magnum opus" is the retrospective designation for the greatest or chief work of an artist. See desideratum, oeuvre, recast, book, drama, literature.

orality:

The pre-literate and non-literate rhetorical convention of spoken communication, oral tradition, and verbal legacy (eg: Hawaiian); which is probably the source of word games and poetic rhythms. Contrary to conventional wisdom, illiterate is not synonymous with ignorant. See vernacular, colloquialism, prose, prosody, verse, language, rhetorical forms, literature, intelligentsia. [nb: derivative distinction: oral from "mouth", verbal from "word"] [v: cantor, precentor, lector] [cf: aphasia]

organ:

A means of communicating information, thoughts, or opinions on behalf of some organization or group, such as a political newspaper, a trade magazine, an academic journal, or an association newsletter. Also, an instrument or means, as of action.

ornament:

An object or feature intended to beautify the appearance of that to which it is added or of which it is a part, as embellishment, decoration, adornment, filigree, tracery, including borders, panels, tool lines, midlines, crests, cameos, cartouches, cornerpieces, corner motifs, rules, separators, flourishes, vignettes, foils, bullets, dingbats, end devices; also called "calligraphic ornament".

oronym:

Speech resembling strings of sound that can result in more than one interpretation of its content (eg: stuffy nose vs stuff he knows; pull it surprise vs Pulitzer prize; smothers vs some others; good can decay many ways vs good candy came anyways), which is most apparent in second languages or non-native tongues. Often used creatively in puns, doggerel, and other wordplay. See accent, diction, dialect, idiolect, vocabulary, word, homonym, heteronym, language. [see Confusing Words]

orphan:

In written composition or word processing, the first line of a paragraph when it appears alone or abandoned at the bottom of a page; derived from "destitute", as devoid or deprived. Compare widow; see copyedit, stylesheet, stylebook, word processor, DTP, text editor.

orthographic projection:

A two-dimensional image drawn to simulate a three-dimensional perspective, including exploded and cutaway views; also called "orthogonal projection". Compare isometric projection.

orthography:

The art of writing words with the proper letters, according to the accepted usage of language study. Also, a method of spelling, as by the use of an alphabet or other system of symbols. See punctuation, syllabary, dictionary, neologism, typology, semiotics, alphabet; compare cacography.

OULIPO/Oulipo:

The abbreviation for Ouvroir de Littérature Potentielle, which is generally translated as the Workshop for Potential Literature, was founded in 1960 as a laboratory to study the rules and constraints of story construction, of prose types, and poetic forms, including experimental characterization, plot catalogues, and media/hypermedia structures. The OULIPO sponsors symposia and publications, as well as Oulipian Games (acrostics, ambigrams, combinatorial engines, perverbs, etc). See poetry, prose, rhetorical forms, literature, language.

outline:

An open typeface structural style in which strokes and shapes are represented by unfilled outlines. Formerly, type or font character glyphs either existed as solid "inline" letterforms, or as unfilled "outline" letterforms. With modern font technology, letterform shapes are described by resolution-independent outlines; and these outlines can be filled by paint or halftone, or outlined by adjustable lines. Because of this capability, very few modern fonts are available in outline styles. See reverse, cameo, knockout, cutout; compare silhouette, drop out.

out of print:

An out of print (OP) title is one that will never be reprinted with the same ISBN. A book that will be replaced by a new edition is declared to be out of print. Also called deadlist.

outsource:

To subcontract for procedures or processes with specialized vendors outside the printing house, especially non-union outlets or foreign resources; also called "farm-out", "out-of-house", or "buy-out"/"bought-out". See freelance, work for hire.

overhang:

A cover that protrudes, juts, or extends beyond the trimmed signatures it contains; a projecting cover. Compare cut flush; see cover paper, separate cover, self-cover, binding, crop, trim, finish, post-press.

overlay:

To overlap transparent colors to form a new color; also called a color build or "build". Compare knockout; see illustration.

overlay proof:

Color proof consisting of clear plastic sheets laid on top of each other, with their images in register; also called "layered proof". See proof, illustration.

overprint:

To print additional material over something already printed, or onto an existing template or format. Also, an alteration that denotes a changed function or a new authority. Also called surprint (qv). Compare ink-trap, pre-print, mortise; see illustration.

overrun:

A pressrun or production run beyond the quantity ordered; to receive more copies than requested, due to flawless printing, which permissible variant should be factored into the purchase order agreement. Also, an instance of unanticipated extra, additional, or excessive cost, which estimate contingency should be factored into the contract.

over-set:

Material that exceeds the allocated space, which allotment must be adjusted to fit. Compare cast off; see edit, layout, grid, template, modular make-up, pre-press.

over the transom:

See slush pile, manuscript.

Oxford comma:

The placement of a comma between each item in a series to prevent confusion about inclusive meaning or exclusive intent; seemingly derived from an inheritance case in England. See comma, British quotation, punctuation, stylebook.

Oxford rule:

Printed parallel lines, being thick and thin or heavy and light; which are reversed when paired in separators (eg: end device, midline) or borders. See ornament.

oxymoron/oxymora:

A figure of speech that entails contradiction (eg: just about, conspicuously absent, thunderous silence, to make haste slowly); derived from "pointedly foolish". See contranym, euphemism, balderdash, pap, rhetorical forms.

- P -

page:

One side of a leaf of something printed or written, such as a book, manuscript, or letter; see sheet. Also, a block of computer memory, up to 4,096 bytes long; or a portion of a program that can be moved to a computer's internal memory from external storage. Derived from a "column of writing".

page count:

The total number of pages contained in a publication; also called "extent". Compare pagination.

page marker:

A visual cue, such as an ornament, which informs the reader of the continuation of a story or article, or signals the viewer of a queued or concatenated presentation; used in lieu of an oral or verbal notification. See dingbat, bullet, guillemet, fist, continue line, read through, end sign.

page printer:

The general (and more accurate) name used to describe non-impact printers which produce a completed page in one action, such as laser, ion deposition, LED and LCD shutter xerographic printers, electro-erosion and electro-photographic printers. See printer.

page proof:

Proof of type and graphics as they will look on the finished page, complete with elements such as headings, rules, and folios. See illustration.

page spread:

The layout of facing pages for checking continuity, format, style, etc. See folio, backup, crossover.

pagination:

The figures by which the leaves of a book, manuscript, or the like are marked to indicate their sequence; see contents, headword. Also, to subdivide an electronic document into pages for printing. [nb: the body of a book is usually numbered in a different sequence from front/back matter in the same volume; although the frontispiece, title page, and flyleaves are counted, their numerals are not displayed]

palette:

The set of colors mixed for use and held in readiness on a board or tablet; derived from "small shovel". Also, the full range of colors made available by a computer graphics card, from which a user may choose those program hues, patterns, and tools most appropriate for display; see transparent palette, graphics, illustration. Also, a set of predefined colors that ensures a unanimity of brand from issue to issue for periodicals, and consistency of style for publications under the same imprint.

pallet:

A small, low, portable platform for storing or moving goods; see skid. Also, a painter's palette (qv).

pamphlet:

A short treatise or disquisition, often on a contemporary or controversial subject, published informally, variously sized and illustrated, and bound by staples or stitching. See brochure, booklet, chapbook, monograph, tabloid, newsletter, leaflet, journal, catalog, news book, collateral. [nb: Daniel Defoe is recognized as the "Father of Pamphleteering"]

PAN:

The abbreviation for Personal Area Network, being a wireless data link among computers and communications equipment within a single office or building for autonomous individuals or independent professionals using cordless integration; such systems are convenient for remote access to information and resources, but compound the security issues extant with cable devices. See intranet, MAN, WAN, LAN.

panel:

A distinct section that is sunk below or raised above the surface, or enclosed by a frame or border; see tool line, emboss. Also, one page of a brochure, such as one panel of a rack flier. One panel is on one side of the paper; and a letter-folded sheet has six panels.

pantograph:

An instrument for the mechanical copying of maps, diagrams, line drawings, or letterforms on any desired scale. See plotter, Benton pantograph; compare hint.

pantomime:

The representational art of conveying actions, emotions, and thoughts by gesture without speech, as practiced by a "mime" or "pantomimist". Also, a play or entertainment in which the performers express themselves by gesture, often to the accompaniment of music, as a common theatrical spectacle in England at Christmastime. Also, a dramatic performance by a masked dancer accompanied by a chorus in ancient Roman times. ["Pantomime: A play in which the story is told without violence to the language. The least disagreeable form of dramatic action." by Ambrose G. Bierce]

pap:

Words, writings, or ideas that lack substance or real value; derived from "nipple". See euphemism, ad diction, puffery, balderdash, boilerplate, oxymoron, jingle, doggerel. [nb: "bunkum": after 16th Congress (1819-21) speech by F. Walker, who said he was bound to speak for Buncombe (county in NC district he represented), insincere political speechmaking became the paradigm for all claptrap and humbug, prate and twaddle. Also called "wish-wash" and "eyewash" by Jack London, and "wind music" and "crooning by H.L. Mencken. Compare origin of 'dunce' from John Duns Scotus.]

paper:

An absorbent material made from plant pulp or fibrous substances, usually in thin sheets or leaves, dyed or bleached to a desired hue, pressed or polished into a desired texture, and variously sized for writing or printing. Paper quality is determined by content (eg: cotton rag, wood pulp, or recycled paper), with acid-free archival stock being the most enduring. The standard estimate for calculating the average thickness of paper is: 100 pages = 1 centimeter. Paper thickness is a factor of the basis weight on a ream of identical pages; but dissimilar types of paper (eg: bond vs newsprint) are not easily compared. The word 'paper' derives from "papyrus", which was formerly used as a writing surface; despite the papermaking process having been invented in First Century China. Types of paper include: art paper, bible paper, bank, board paper, body stock, bond paper, dual-purpose bond paper, book paper, Bristol board, Bristol paper, cardboard, cartridge, catalog paper, chipboard, corrugated board, cover paper, demy, duplex paper, equivalent paper, fine papers, flimsy, foolscap, form bond, free sheet, glassine, groundwood paper, house sheet, ivory board, job lot paper, kraft paper, laser bond, ledger paper, legal paper, letter paper, lightweight paper, manila, manifold, monarch, NCR paper, onionskin, opaque paper, parchment, pasteboard, publishing paper, recycled paper, royal, strawboard, supercalendered paper, vellum. Paper sizes include: A sizes, A4 paper, B sizes, basic size, caliper, C sizes, cut sizes, ISO sizes, JIS sizes, legal-size, letter-size, parent sheet, P sizes. See sheet, quire, ream, basis weight, substance weight, grammage, CWT, hundredweight, M weight, ruleup, recto, verso, backtrack, opacity, grain direction, grain long/short paper, cross grain, with the grain, felt side, wire side, grade, condition, pulp, swatchbook, off-shore sheet, mill order, making order, make-ready, carton, carload, pre-consumer waste, broke, post-consumer waste, waste, spoilage. [nb: papyrus was displaced by parchment for economic reasons before paper, which had been traded through the Middle East, was finally established in Europe during the 12th century]

paperback:

A paperbound book, also called "softcover". Paperbacks come in two types: trade and mass market. Trade paperbacks are the higher end model, printed on better quality paper and larger in size. A common trim size for trade paperbacks is 6" X 9". Mass market books are smaller, generally around 4" X 7", and are often printed on lower grade stock. While large commercial trade presses usually release their books in hardcover first, independents increasingly go straight to paperback because they tie up less capital in inventory. However, going straight to paperback has its downsides: It is often harder to attract review attention for a paperback original; and you cut out the option of later selling the right to reprint the book in a paperback edition. See split edition, trade edition, fillet, separate cover, self-cover, binding, perfect binding, dime novel.

paperclip/paper clip:

The temporary fastening of papers has been accomplished by 13th Century ribbon attachments [v: "red tape"], by the 1835 John Ireland Howe design of solid-head straight-pins, and by the 1899 Johan Vaaler paperclip invention. Vaaler, of Aurskog Norway, patented several paperclip pattern variations in Germany. The "Konaclip" was patented by Cornelius J. Brosnan of Springfield Massachusetts in 1900. The "Gem Clip", a double-oval shape, was then produced by Gem Manufacturing Limited of England. In addition to the standard double-oblong design, paperclips are triangular and owl-eye shaped, ribbed and coated. The paperclip is used in a variety of ways, including: bookmark, picture hanger, money clip, staple remover, sewing aid, curtain hook, and cord guide. [nb: during its WW2 occupation, Norway was prohibited from displaying traditional national signs, so Norwegians resisted by wearing paperclips as symbols of solidarity and patriotism]

paper coating:

Paper is finished wet or dry to obtain surfaces from dull to premium gloss, and is coated with clay and other substances that improves reflectivity and ink holdout. See anti-offset powder, antique finish, aqueous coating, art paper, blade coating, book paper, bronzing, C1S/C2S, calender, cast-coated paper, chalking, coated paper, cockle finish, dandy roll, deboss, dull finish, English finish, felt finish, film coating, finish, flood, genuine finish, gloss finish, grade, ink holdout, laid finish, linen finish, machine glazed, matte finish, opacity, parchment, satin finish, scent, slick, text paper, uncoated paper, UV coating, varnish, vellum finish, wove finish.

PaperNet:

Computer slang for the communications system employed by the electronically challenged, who are resistant to the "paperless office" concept, especially referring to written correspondence conveyed by "snail mail" ("USnail"). See hard copy; compare e-mail, UseNet, internet.

papier-mache/papier-mƒch‚:

Moistened paper pulp, mixed with glue and other materials, or layers of paper glued and pressed together, then molded to form various articles, and becoming hard when dry. Literally derived from "chewed paper"; see pulp. Also, something false or illusory that may be easily destroyed or discredited. [cf: papier coll‚]

paragon:

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

paragraph:

A distinct portion of written or printed matter dealing with a particular idea, beginning on a new line that is usually indented. Paragraphs are used where there's a greater break in the subject than between sentences. Stylistically, paragraphs of copy should either be indented or line separated, but not both. See punctuation, syntax. Also, a brief article or notice, as in a newspaper; see paragrapher, squib, snippet, filler, bite. Also, in microprocessor parlance, a 16-byte section of computer memory beginning at an address that is evenly divisible by 16 (hexadecimal 10); such that a new paragraph begins at every hexadecimal address ending in 0/zero.

paragrapher:

A person who writes very short pieces or fillers for a newspaper. See squib, snippet, filler, bite.

paragraph sign:

The special symbol (pilcrow/) indicating the need to edit or reform the text into one or more paragraphs; also called "paragraph mark". Also, the same sign used to demarcate unindented block-style text. See bullet, dingbat, hanging, proofreader's marks.

parallel-fold:

A folding method, in which two parallel folds will produce a six page sheet. To improve appearance and durability, materials to be parallel-folded should always be laid-out with the grain of the paper. Compare French fold; see foldout, accordian-fold, concertina-fold, wrap-fold.

parameter:

A variable, such as a number or text, that must be given a specific or constant value during the execution of a computer program, or a routine/subroutine procedure within a program. Also, a variable entering into the mathematical form of any statistical distribution, such that the possible values of the variable correspond to different distributions. See algorithm, subroutine, switch.

paraph:

An ornamental flourish added to a signature or autograph, used especially by notaries to protect official documents against forgery.

parchment:

A stiff off-white paper that has been treated to resemble the original animal skins (ie: sheepskin, goatskin, etc) prepared for writing, and used for manuscripts and other documents. See vellum, paper.

parent sheet:

Any sheet larger than 11" X 17" or A3. See sheet, paper.

parse:

To grammatically analyze and describe a word or sentence, identifying the parts of speech, inflectional forms, syntactic functions, and so forth. See syntax, punctuation.

Parthian shot:

A sharp but telling remark or gesture made in closing or when departing, that's used as a literary or theatrical device; also called "parting shot", from the arrows (dart) cast in retreat by the Parthian cavalry. See rhetorical forms, imagery, editorial, Op-Ed.

parts of speech:

Of the eight parts of speech in English, the class of form words (ie: noun, verb, adjective, adverb) is dynamic, and the class of function words (ie: preposition, article, pronoun, conjunction) is static. The two tenses in English are past and present, with all other forms being inflected. Although the derivation of loanwords tends to instill exceptions, language attempts to evolve anomalies toward standardization. See modal auxiliary, clause, phrase, elliptical sentence, appositive, copula, verbal, constituent, parse, gender, form class, word class, grammar, punctuation, syntax, language, stylebook.

Pascal:

A high-level computer language designed to facilitate structured programming. It is named after Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, who developed a calculating machine in 1642. Pascal, known for its highly structured simplicity, was designed for teaching programming. Its restrictive nature makes it a safe tool for students, but can be a handicap in general-purpose programming. Nevertheless, Pascal became a widely used programming language, and was the basis for many later languages including Modula-2, Ada, dBASE, and PAL. A descendant simplification of ALGOL, Pascal was designed by Niklaus Wirth in the early 1970s. See Objective Pascal, language.

pass:

One complete sequence of activities, such as a pass through a manuscript to check spelling, or a pass through a press to lay down varnish.

pass-along:

The informal sharing of publications among non-paying readers, such as friends and associates, forming an incalculable secondary audience (as distinguished from lending library borrowers). See universe, audience. [nb: free distribution of photocopied materials in academic or research settings is a form of pass-along that violates copyright]

password:

A secret sequence of alphanumeric characters and other symbols used for necessary authentication prior to log-in onto a computer system. Password protection allows a system to assign log-in names to users for file or program access. The Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) is a means of restricting access to authorized users by validating their input code during log-in; this is often called a "handshake". Most log-in environments display bullets or asterisks instead of the password, and leave the field uncalibrated so crackers cannot predict the code count. A computer account whose password is the user's name, called a "Joe account", is easily invaded by crackers, because the security access code can be readily guessed. Password accountability can also trace user activity, since each increment of access is recorded; this demonstrable trail is often called a "footprint". See RSA, PGP, Secure MIME @MIME, SSL, firewall, proxy, trap door, escrow key, Clipper.

pasteboard:

A stiff board made of sheets of paper pasted together, or layers of paper pulp pressed together. See cardboard, paper.

paste-up:

To mount copy to art boards and, if necessary, to overlays so it is assembled into a camera-ready mechanical. See mechanical, art board, artwork.

pastiche/pasticcio:

A literary or artistic piece consisting wholly or chiefly of motifs or techniques from borrowed sources, as a hodgepodge assemblage; derived from "paste", to strew or sprinkle. See compilation, collage, montage. [v: omnium-gatherum; cf: satire, burlesque, harlequinade]

patch:

An interim modification of a program, designed to repair a bug or glitch on the current version, so as to prevent a software recall, and show manufacturing responsiveness to customer satisfaction. The revised version of the patched program will improve and incorporate the repair, but new and different bugs will probably occur in the upgrade. See kludge, debug, plug-in.

patent:

The exclusive ownership of an invention or process, and the protected right to manufacture, license, or sell said invention or process for a specified period of time; as manifest by the "letters patent", being the legal instrument issued by government authorization to the patentee. See intellectual property; compare copyright, trademark.

path:

A route from one point to another. The logical route listing through a computer's hierarchy of structured files and subdirectories that locates specific data within a particular system; also known as "pathway", "pathname", "access", or "address". Also, a link between two nodes or stations in a communications network. Also, in graphics, the accumulated segments that will be overwritten by a stream of text. See internet address, filename, slash, backslash, pipe.

pathos:

The power in life or the quality in art of evoking a feeling of compassion or pity; derived "suffering". Compare bathos; see tragedy, drama.

pauper press:

Cheap and unofficial newsletters with popular support, which were inspired by the dynamic and voluble American Revolutionary War press. These unregistered and tax-resistant "penny dreadfuls" sought high circulation, rather than the high advertising of conventional newsletters; and were the precursor of the sensational tabloid. This periodical form disappeared when the Stamp Act (1765 - 1855) was repealed. See newsletter, news book, tabloid, pulp, rag, zine, newspaper. [nb: one ingenious evader printed on plain calico, and entitled it the "Political Handkerchief"... possible origin of "the rag"?!]

PCI:

The abbreviation for Per Column Inch, as used to compute advertising rates; see fractional ad, advertising,.

PCL:

The abbreviation for Printer Control Language; being the control language for HP LaserJet printers, and supported by many other printers and typesetting machines. PCL tells the printer how to print a page, as does a Page Description Language. See printer driver.

PDF:

The abbreviation for Portable Document Format, being a cross-platform publishing protocol for both pre-press/print and electronic media output devices; also called "page description format". Although any configuration can be imported into PDF, the graphical output can only be viewed with Acrobat Reader, an application freely distributed by Adobe Systems. If a document is reconverted through the Acrobat exchange interpreter to/from its original source, it will probably develop translation glitches. In conformity with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, PDF can also be converted to HTML or ASCII formats for access by adaptive devices.

PDL:

The abbreviation for Page Description Language; being a high-level programming language for determining the output of a page printer designed to work with it, independent of the printer's internal codes. The applications software is independent of the physical printing device, as with imPress, Interpress, PostScript, and DDL. See printer driver.

PE:

Abbreviation for printer error, which correction is not accountable to editorial expenses; see typographical error, AA, proofread, underrun. Also, abbreviation for Percent Enlargement of images, used when a size or density conversion must be proportional.

pearl:

A five-point type; sometimes classified as agate (qv). See font, type.

pen:

Any of various instruments for writing or drawing with ink or a similar substance; term derived from 'feather'. See fountain pen, ballpoint, pencil, quill, writing instrument; compare puck. Also, a penpoint, integral or detachable, with or without penholder handle or shaft; see nib, penpoint, ink. Also, Also, metonym or symbol for a writer or author. Also, organizational abbreviation for the International Association of Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists (P.E.N.).

pencil:

A slender stick of wood or tube of metal containing a core of a solid coloring material, such as graphite or the like, used for writing or drawing. Also, an artist's paintbrush (archaic) used for fine or detail work; derived from "little tail" (penicillus). See pen, writing instrument.

pen name:

See allonym, samizdatchik, ghostwriter. [nb: "I name no one; it is enough to point out the kind." by Publius Cornelius Tacitus (neminem nominabo, genus hominum significasse contentus)]

penpoint:

The tip of a ballpoint pen or the split point of any other writing instrument (qv), being a small tapered end for the controlled dispensing of ink. See nib, ink, stroke, calligraphy.

perf:

Abridgement of perforation, being a hole or series of holes made by (or as if by) boring, punching, or piercing through paper or some other material, and used as a border or divider, or an aid to partition; derived from "drill".

perfect binding:

A method of binding books in which the backs of the sections are ground off (resulting in textured surface for adhesion), and the leaves glued to a cloth backing or wrapped paper cover; also called "adhesive bind", "cut-back bind", "glue bind", "drawn-on binding", "paper bind", "patent bind", "soft bind", and "softcover". Compare burst binding; see binding, burst binding, paperback.

perfecting:

The process of printing on both sides of the paper during a single pressrun on either a sheet-fed or web press; especially useful on uncoated text-weight paper printing long copy with few illustrations, such as books. Compare work and turn, work and tumble; see duplex.

perfect press:

Sheet-fed or web press capable of printing both sides of the paper during a single pass; also called "duplex press" and "perfector", as invented by Friedrich Koenig/Konig. See press.

perfect rhyme:

The rhyme of two words which are pronounced identically but differ in meaning (eg: rain/reign, soul/sole); also called "rime riche". Also, rhyme in which the stressed vowels and all following consonants and vowels are identical, but the preceding consonants are different (eg: chain/brain, dole/pole); also called "full rhyme". See rhyme, meter, foot, scansion, prosody, verse, poetry.

period:

The point, dot, or character (.) used to mark the end of a declarative sentence, or to indicate an abbreviation; also called "full point" or "full stop". Also, a well-balanced or impressive sentence. Also, a group of two or more cola. Also, the same mark used as a decimal point when fractionating numbers for mathematical calculations or monetary computations. Compare comma; see foot, ellipsis, elliptical sentence, sentence, punctuation, stylebook.

periodical:

A publication, such as a journal or newsletter, that is issued under the same title at regular intervals. See magazine, e-mag, e-pub, little magazine, regional edition, newsletter, trade journal, public relations magazine, gazette, journal, organ, zine, tabloid, tabazine, magapaper, newspaper, series, feature, violin piece, department, umbrella, constant, running head, running foot, dateline, publication date, volume number, back issue, key title, ISSN, Gresham's Law.

PERL:

The abbreviation for Practical Extraction and Reporting Language; see UNIX, language.

PGP:

The abbreviation for Pretty Good Privacy, which was developed by Philip Zimmermann, and is distributed in both freeware and commercial versions. PGP is an encryption program based on RSA (qv) public-key cryptography. PGP allows users to exchange files and messages, with both privacy and authentication, over all kinds of networks. The messages are unreadable unless the receiver has an encryption key. PGP encrypts data using the International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA) with a randomly generated key, then encrypts the key using the receiver's public key. After the message is transmitted, PGP uses the receiver's private RSA key to decrypt the IDEA key, then decrypts the message using that key. PGP features keys longer than 128 bits, and can be used with UNIX, MS-DOS, Windows, and Macintosh. Because PGP is based on public-key cryptography, no secure channels (cf: SSL) are needed to exchange keys between users. PGP can also provide digital signatures for files or messages. Because of its effectiveness and access, it is illegal to use PGP in many countries outside the USA. See proxy, firewall, password, escrow key, Clipper, steganography.

phoneme:

Any of the minimal units of speech sound in a language that can serve to distinguish one word from another, by the relationship between sounds and letters. Any combination of phonemes which regularly occur together and which, as a group, are associated with some point in the content structure is a morpheme. See digraph, morpheme, syllabary, syntax, language, alphabet. [v: phonology, toneme, etic, emic; cf: allophone]

photocopy:

A photographic reproduction of a document, print, or the like, including photostat. See reprography, xerography.

photogenic:

An appealing subject or attractive feature for photography; see mediagenic. Also, causing, producing, or emitting light, as luminiferous or phosphorescent.

photography:

The process of producing images of objects on sensitized surfaces by the chemical action of light or by other forms of radiant energy. This process, originated by J. Nicephore Niepce, was made practical in 1837/9 by Louis J.M. Daguerre, inventor of the "daguerreotype"; by developing a picture onto a sensitized silver iodide surface through exposure to mercury vapor. Louis Ducos du Hauron advanced the principle of color photography in 1862 by the superimposition of three basic colors (ie: red, yellow, blue) that would be combined in different proportions to give an infinite variety of shades and tints; then designed a camera to take three separate impressions of the same image [v: progressives] to implement this theory by 1869. See bromide, cinematography, film, gamma, illustration. [nb: the first authentic photograph was a still-life, the second was a landscape, and there is considerable evidence that the third was of a nude model!]

photogravure:

A process, based on photography, by which an intaglio engraving is formed on a metal plate, from which ink reproductions are made. This method, which requires screens for both text and image copy, has the advantage of high speed and long run capability needed in publishing. See gravure, gravure press.

phototypesetter:

Since 1946, a high-resolution printing plate with a relief printing surface produced by photography. See Imagesetter, typesetter.

phrase:

Any sequential arrangement of two or more words, lacking the characteristics of a clause, usually serving as a construction in a grammatical unit. Compare clause; see catch-phrase, appositive, elliptical sentence, sentence, parts of speech.

phreak:

A person, also called a "phone phreak", who uses computers or other electronic devices to tamper with telecommunications systems, and to place long-distance telephone calls without paying toll charges. See hacker, cracker, script kiddie, turist, software.

Pi fonts:

Special characters, such as scientific symbols and mathematical signs, not usually included in a font, but which are added as coordinated supplements. See dingbat, wingding, font.

pica:

The Anglo-American unit of typographic measure, equal to 0.166 inch (4.218mm) or 12/12.2 points, used as a linear gauge for type, pages containing type, and so forth; see measure, pitch, compare point. Also, a 12-point type, widely used for typewriters, having 10 characters to the inch, sized between small pica and English; compare elite, see typeface, font. [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]

picaresque:

A form of prose fiction that describes a series of humorous or satiric episodes of a roguish adventurer; derived from "rogue" or "vagabond" (picaro). See prose, novel, literature. [nb: not 'picturesque']

picking:

The lifting of fibres out from the paper as a result of ink being too tacky, which shows as small white dots on areas of solid color. Compare hickey, slur, mottle, scum, setoff.

PICT:

A Macintosh format for defining images. See graphics, illustration.

pictography:

A method or system of recording events or expressing ideas by pictures or pictorial symbols; also called "picture writing". Also, any diagrammatic record consisting of pictorial symbols. See ideogram, hieroglyphics, rebus, semiotics, alphabet, typology.

pidgin:

An auxiliary non-native language, that has developed from the need of speakers of different languages to communicate, and is essentially a simplified and short-lived form of a prominent language, with a reduced vocabulary and grammatical structure; origin may be a variant of "business talk" in Chinese pidgin English. A pidgin evolves into a creole when it acquires syntax (eg: Krio). Both "baby talk" (preconstructive) and "telegraph speech" (deconstructive) may be classified as pidgin due to their discordance. See creole, lingua franca, jargon, vernacular, pig Latin, language.

pig Latin:

An informal or juvenile language derived from ordinary English by moving the first consonant or consonant cluster of each word to the end of the same word, and adding the sound (long-a) [eg: Eakspay Igpay Atinlay = Speak Pig Latin]. See pidgin, creole, vernacular, language.

pigment:

An insoluble dry substance, usually pulverized, that becomes a paint, ink, dye, or stain when suspended in a liquid vehicle. Also, a coloring matter or substance. See carbon black, ink, dye, hue, tint.

pipe:

A portion of memory that can be used by one process to pass information along to another; also called "pipelining". Two computer processes are connected so that the output of one can be used as the input to the other. Pipelining refers to the use of pipes in passing the output of one task as input to another until a desired sequence of tasks has been carried out. Pipes are symbolized in the MS-DOS and OS/2 operating systems by the vertical-bar or stem (|) character, as in the command: DIR | SORT | MORE, which calls for a directory listing, pipes the output to the sort command, and then pipes the results of the sort command to the more command, which displays its output one screenful at a time. See slash, backslash, path, filename.

pipeline:

A developmental process or delivery channel, such as directing or re-directing the flow of data automatically into jumps or templates. Compare pipe, stream; see layout, grid, template, read through, text editor.

pitch:

A unit of typographic measurement indicating the number of characters to a horizontal inch; as based upon the regular distance between any two adjacent things in a series. See pica, point, em, en, measure, typeface, font.

pixel:

The smallest element of an image that can be individually processed in a video display system; abbreviated "px", as derived from "picture + element" or "picture + cell". Compare vector, lpi/lpcm; see ppi/ppcm, bitmap, interpolation, illustration.

pixelated/pixellated:

Visible as a pattern of pixels, such that the details of the bitmapped image are distorted, and the presentation detracts from the effect of the created impression. Pixelation most often occurs as a result of over-enlargement, but is also affected by software format and screen interlacing. See pixel, moire, mottle, dithering, web pox, illustration.

pixel map:

A three-dimensional array of bits represented as a two-dimensional array of pixels, in which each pixel has a depth of a certain number of bits.

plagiarism/plagiary:

The unauthorized use of the language and thoughts of another author, and the representation of them as one's own; derived from "to snare", as kidnapping. See fair use, public domain, non-disclosure agreement, credit line, byline, ghostwriter, copyright, appropriation. [nb: "If you steal from one author, it's plagiarism; but if you steal from many, it's research." attributed to Wilson Mizner. Attribution also depends upon the identity of the thief; as Daniel Defoe hired hacks to counterfeit works pseudonymously, and as Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) has been "excused" for stealing from Washington Irving, Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw), Samuel Butler, Robert Richardson, Alexandre Dumas, Andrew Carnegie, and Oliver Wendell Holmes. Plagiarism is not the same as misquotation (qv), especially when credit is disclaimed, as by Greeley for Soule.]

planography:

The art or technique of printing directly from a flat surface or by offset. [nb: not "planigraph"] See press.

plate:

Piece of paper, metal, plastic, or rubber carrying an image to be reproduced using a printing press. See digital plate, flat, burn, emulsion, fountain solution, screen, halftone, intaglio, flexography, lithography, offset, gravure press, hologram, register marks, strip, sheetwise, step and repeat, opacity, hickey, film.

platen:

A cylinder or flat plate in a printing press for pressing the paper against an inked surface to produce an impression; compare bed. Also, the roller of a typewriter or impact printer used for guiding paper through the device.

plate-ready film:

Stripped negatives or positives fully prepared for platemaking. See working film, flat, illustration.

platform:

A threshold level of computer environment, such as an operating system or a data base, which enables software applications to function; see program. Also, any group of compatible computers that can run similar software, therefore, "cross-platform" is software compatible with any computer system or hardware; see POSIX.

play:

Dramatic performance; see drama, pantomime, dramtis personae, broadcast, script, dramaturgy, recast, writer. Also, attention or coverage; see feature, story. Also, a pun. Also, enterprise or venture (qv).

pleasing color:

Any color that the customer considers satisfactory, even if it may not match the samples or originals. See contract proof.

pleonasm:

The use of more words than are necessary to express an idea, a circumlocution; a redundancy (eg: for free, free gift, true fact, false fabrication, terrible tragedy, concede defeat, ways and means, close proximity, now pending, just exactly, near approximation, revert back, more perfect, advance registration, in order to, at the present time, numerous myriad, few in number, in the course of, consensus of opinion, possible suspect, minimize as far as possible, with the exception of, with the result that). See puffery, balderdash, prolixity, sesquipedalism, tautology, rhetorical forms. ["Pleonasm: An army of words escorting a corporal of thought." by Ambrose G. Bierce]

plot:

The main story or principal theme of a literary or dramatic work; also called "motif". See story line, deus ex machina, foreshadowing, denouement. [v: leitmotif]

plot summary:

Synopsis. See scenario, story line, storyboard.

plotter:

A device or instrument for calculating lines and measuring angles on a chart. Also, a type of computer printer that draws a graphical representation on paper with one or more attached pens. See graph plotter, pantograph.

plug:

A slang term used in publishing to refer to a new book that is not selling well, hence the use of promotion in an attempt to boost readership. Compare puff, see rums.

plug-in/plugin:

An accessory program that augments a main application with extended features or special capabilities, especially for multimedia environments. Plug-ins are sometimes distributed by a software manufacturer as an interim upgrade of primary programs. The advantage of plug-ins, most of which are made by third-party vendors, is that the user only needs to install a small piece of software to a larger program in order to obtain a new feature. The pool of possible derivatives is usually too large for the original program publisher to incorporate all of the plug-in options into each revision. See patch, program, software. [nb: a plug-in is known as a "Java Bean" by Java and an "Xtension" by Quark]

pluralia pantum:

Irregular nouns that are always plural; are not derived from a singular affect (eg: amends, annals, jitters, shenanigans, doldrums, delirium tremens, etc). See word, vocabulary.

PMS/PMS Colors:

The obsolete abbreviation for Pantone Matching System, being a set of standard colors, with each color designated by a number. Printers use PMS sample books to pick colors and then mix the inks to the exact specifications. On the computer, many graphics programs allow the user to pick colors by PMS number and display the chosen colors (or their nearest calibrated monitor approximation) on the VDT screen. The correct tradename for the colors in the Pantone Matching System is PANTONE Colors. Other suppliers, such as Toyo, compete with PMS, but availability is a cost factor in production. See four-color process, swatchbook, illustration.

PNG:

The abbreviation for Portable Network Graphics; a low-loss compression bitmap graphics file (*.PNG) format, offering both partial and fully transparent palettes, gray scale template, but no animation. As approved by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in 1996, PNG is patent- and license-free, and is therefore a good substitute for *.GIF format, which utilizes the proprietary LZW data compression algorithm. PNG is widely supported by the latest graphics software and current browsers. Compare GIF; see graphics, illustration.

pochoir:

A method of hand illustration, used primarily in deluxe editions, in which color is applied by dabbing ink or paint through a stencil made of paper, metal, or celluloid to produce a handcrafted effect. This same technique may be used to add color to a preprinted design; derived from "stencil". See illustration.

poet:

See writer, muse.

poetic license:

Liberty or latitude, especially as taken by a poet or other writer, in deviating from conventional form, logic, fact, or the like, to produce a desired effect. Also called "literary license"; see anachronism, grammar.

poet laureate:

An eminent poet whose work has been recognized and proclaimed as notable or representative of a people or region; which in Great Britain is a lifelong appointment, and in the U.S.A. (since 1985) is an annual term of office. A Medieval Italian scholar named Petrarch (Francesco Petrarca) was the first poet to be crowned with a laurel wreath since Virgil. See literati, intelligentsia, immortals.

poetry:

Literary work in metrical form, as poetic works, poems, and verse; also known as poesy. Also, prose with poetic qualities. See prosody, verse, rhetorical forms, OULIPO.

point:

A unit of type measurement equal to 0.013875 inch (1/72 inch), or 1/12 pica (0.351mm); see pica, pitch, em, en. Also, a diacritic, as a dot or line, indicating a vowel or the modification of a sound in a writing system; see accent. Also, a unit of measure of paper or card thickness, equal to 1/1000 of an inch (0.001"). See typeface, font. [nb: letters over 72-points are always sized by inches or centimeters]

pointer:

A pointing device that enables the user to select menu items or command options on a display screen for input or output; examples include mouse, trackball, joystick, touchpad, puck, stylus, and light pen. A pointer may be variously represented as an arrow, cross, I-beam, hand, or other object, depending upon the content and application; and may also be known as a "mouse cursor". See image map, insertion point, console. Also, a programming variable that contains the encoded instruction or memory address to jump processing into another part of the data structure. Also, a hypertext link or cue on a webpage; see link.

pointillism:

The application of primary colors painted in small dots and brush strokes laid proportionately on a neutral field, employed as a Neo-/Post-Impressionist technique. See stipple, color build, color shift, hue, tint, value; compare mezzotint, tesselate, reticulate.

point of view:

The specified manner of presentation, or the perspective of appraisal for a literary or dramatic work; the position of the character or standpoint of the narrator in relation to the story. [v: mood, tone]

poison-pen:

An acrimonious or malicious composition, usually sent or posted anonymously. See flame-bait, flame, screed; compare euphemism.

polyglot:

A book containing the same text composed in several languages, as a bilingual edition or scholarly translation, as derived from "many + tongued"; see edition, vulgate. Also, facility or fluency in several languages, being multilingual; see creole. Also, a mixture or confusion of several languages; see pidgin.

polysemy:

Words with several or multiple meanings, as having a diversity of meaning rather than a vague ambiguity of intent; derived from "many + signs". See word, vocabulary, counterword, pleonasm, tautology, puffery, prolixity, sesquipedalism.

POP/P.O.P.:

The abbreviation for Post Office Protocol; being a protocol used by mail clients to download messages from a mail server on the Internet. The older version, POP2, a standard since the mid-1980's, requires SMTP to send messages. The newer version, POP3, can be used with or without SMTP. Some e-mail applications can use the newer Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP). Also, the abbreviation for Point of Presence; being the closest site where a user can connect to an Internet server or other remote server; or, the location where a line from a long-distance telephone carrier makes a local connection. Also, a slang term meaning to remove or retrieve data from a stack of work in progress; the opposite of "push", for adding to the data stack. Also, the abbreviation for Point of Purchase; being a computer terminal or vending machine situated in a store or shopping mall where a customer can view products with their prices and select items to buy. See e-mail.

pop-up:

A type of child-sized window that appears on top of (over or above) the browser display of a visited webpage. This overlay window pane frequently advertises a product or service, but may contain accessibility specifications or important announcements regarding the visited website. The pop-up box covers a portion of the primary display, necessitating a "click through", which intrusion and delay annoys many visitors, and can alienate potential clients or customers. A similar "pop-under" box, which appears in back of (behind or under) the browser window, will only be revealed during the sequential disconnection from the Internet. Blocking software can eliminate pop-ups (and pop-unders), but loading of a webpage can be delayed due to suppression of a necessary dialog box; furthermore, some child windows will not display if pop-up blocking is active. See box, adware, spyware, spam.

pop-up utility:

A program installed as memory resident, and launched during start-up or coincident with another application, so as to be immediately available whenever a "hot key" keyboard combination is executed. When activated, the pop-up utility overlays any other application until closed for later recall. It differs from task-switching in that the primary program remains displayed, and the pop-up utility often interacts with that program, such as in a dictionary or search procedure. In MS-DOS systems, this utility is known as a "terminate and stay resident" (TSR) program.

pore:

To steadily read or attentively study some subject or material. Also, to meditate upon or ponder over intently. Also, to earnestly or steadily gaze. See edit, redact, recension, blue-/red-pencil, proofread, copyedit, rewrite, stylebook.

pornography:

Pictorial or verbal depictions intended to arouse sexual excitement, or tending to deprave or corrupt; also known as "porn", as derived from "writing about harlots". Pornography is generally considered to be venery or obscenity that panders to lewd, lascivious, salacious, or prurient interest without artistic merit or other redeeming value. See curiosa, photography, expurgate, censorship. [cf: eros, erotica, exhibitionism, masturbation, onanism, exotica; v: nihil obstat, bowdlerize, vulgarity, smut, dirty, hot stuff, adult, soft-/hard-core, X-/XXX-rated, blue movie, skin mag/flick, snuff film, stripper, stag show, striptease, girlie mag/show, burlesque, "burley-cue" (with "girlie-cue"), bawdyhouse, brothel, bordel/bordello, bagnio, house of ill repute, house of ill fame, cathouse, stews, maison de passe, maison close]

portal/portal website/web portal:

A website serving as an entrance to the internet or as a starting point for "web surfing", usually offering a broad array of resources and services, such as e-mail, e-pubs, forums, search engines, and on-line shopping malls; derived from "gateway", especially an impressive or imposing one, or one leading into a tunnel or mine. Compare homepage; see website.

portfolio:

A flat portable case for stowing loose pages, as a manuscript, documents, illustrations, or other work product. See slipcase, loose-leaf, jacket, boustrophedon.

POSIX:

An acronym created from the phrase Portable Operating System Interface, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard that defines a set of operating system services. Programs that adhere to the POSIX standard can be easily ported from one system to another. POSIX was based on UNIX system services, but was created in a way that allows it to be implemented by other operating systems. See file system, program, platform, computer.

post-consumer waste:

Paper that has been printed and returned to a paper mill for recycling, instead of disposal into a landfill. Compare pre-consumer waste, spoilage.

poster:

A broadsheet or placard designed for display in a public place, as for advertising or propagandizing; see one sheet, broadside, eight sheet, bill, blanket sheet, banner, fly sheet, leaflet, handbill, advertising.

poster make-up:

A newspaper or tabloid layout pattern, with large headings, short articles, and numerous pictures. Compare well, frame; see news.

post-press/postpress:

The necessary assembly, trimming, binding, and packaging of a publication preliminary to distribution; compare pre-press, see finish.

PostScript:

A page description language from Adobe Systems that controls desktop printers and imagesetters. PostScript translates the text and graphic images that appear on the computer screen via Display PostScript into instructions for the printer. PostScript must be used with a printer that can interpret it using a PPD file. See PostScript Level 2, EPS, streambedding, preflight, GhostScript, illustration.

PostScript Level 2:

An enhanced version of PostScript which has improvements in color halftone screening, color matching, and memory management, built-in image file decompression, and the ability to work with extended character sets.

potboiler:

A mediocre work of literature, or any other art, produced merely for financial gain. See dime novel, yellow journalism, writer.

pounce:

A fine powder, as of cuttlebone, formerly used to prevent ink from spreading in writing, or to prepare parchment for writing. Also, a fine powder, often of charcoal, used in transferring a design through a perforated pattern. Derived from pumice. See anti-offset powder.

PPD file:

The abbreviation for PostScript Printer Description file, being a file that gives the PostScript driver information about a printer. Compare EPS; see printer driver.

ppi/ppcm:

The abbreviation for pixels per inch/centimeter, being a unit of measurement for input resolution and display on monitors; compare lpi/lpcm. Also, the abbreviation for pages per inch, being the relative thickness of a book, as a volume prepared for sale in competition with similar treatments or to a select audience giving the impression of increased content.

PPP:

The abbreviation for Point-to-Point Protocol; being a protocol for communication between computers using TCP/IP, over standard telephone lines, ISDN, and other high-speed connections. PPP was developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and is defined with graphical fronts (like Mosaic and Netscape) in RFC 1171. It can be used to connect a computer to the Internet, for services such as the World Wide Web and e-mail. PPP is faster than SLIP, includes error detection and data compression; it can be used for router-to-router and host-to-network connections with both synchronous and asynchronous transmission. A Macintosh control panel, called "Config PPP", is opened by the user to establish a connection containing PPP instructions, such as port speed, modem string, telephone number, server identity, and the like. See SLIP, TCP/IP.

PR:

A UNIX text formatter, which is defaulted to produce documents headed with the file name, date, and page number. Multi-column output is among the available options; and PR can run within a screen-oriented editor, such as "Vi". See text editor.

pre-consumer waste:

Paper that has not been printed, including trimmings leftover from converting paper into products (such as envelopes), from roll ends, from unusable damaged paper, and from mill waste. See broke; compare post-consumer waste, spoilage.

preface:

A preliminary statement, especially by the author or editor of a book, setting forth the purpose, establishing the perspective, and acknowledging contributions or assistance. A preface usually follows a foreword, if both are used. Derived from "to say beforehand"; may also be known as "prolegomenon". See front matter.

preflight:

The initial print job in-take process, often performed by preflight utility software, which determines the completeness of documents or files before any actual work begins; also called a "flight check". The utility analysis program detects problems (eg: missing images) or omissions (eg: absent fonts) prior to being sent to a PostScript RIP; and such a utility may also contain a previewer. See pre-press.

preliminary proof:

Any proof examined prior to making a contract proof. See composite proof, integral proof, galley proof, bombproof.

premium:

An added incentive to subscribe, renew, or donate; it's always something concrete like a special issue, tote bag, or t-shirt. Promotions to increase patronage based upon discounts and premiums usually attract short-term clientele, alienate or annoy regular subscribers subjected to the price disparity or frequency of solicitation, and fail to garner high subscription renewals. See testing, blow-in card, reply coupon, self-mailer.

pre-press/prepress:

The setup and checking of print design before production to ensure that text and illustrations are camera-ready; functions performed by the printer or pre-press service prior to printing may include: color correcting and separating, stripping, and platemaking. With mixed media production, this term is evolving into "electronic pre-press" (EPP) or "pre-media" for spectrum coverage. Compare post-press, preflight.

pre-print:

To print portions of sheets that will be used for later imprinting. Compare overprint, surprint.

prequel:

A sequel to a film, play, or piece of fiction that prefigures or foreshadows the original. See series; compare sequel.

press:

All presses are composed of the following units: feeding, registration, printing, delivery. See bed, chase, cold-set web, cylinder press, demand printing, duplicator, feeding unit, flexography, form web, frisket, full web, galley, gravure press, guide edge, half web, head stop, heat-set web, impression cylinder, ink fountain, ink-jet printing, letterpress, linotype, lithography, mimeograph, mini web, monotype, offset, perfect press, planography, platen, quick printing, reprography, rotary press, sheet-fed press, three-quarter web, tympan, web press, xerography; anti-offset powder, pounce. [nb: "Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end." by Henry David Thoreau]

press check:

Event at which makeready sheets from the press are examined before authorizing production to begin; also called "on-site inspection". Optional press checks may include determinations of specific materials, true color, separation quality, image consistency, registration accuracy, fold sequences, trim measurements, and physical flaws. Press check sheets should be compared with marked proofs to ensure that corrections were made.

press kit:

An information packet compiled on a specific subject, person, or event, which is also called a media kit; and usually contains a news release, a story summary, background details (eg: resume/r‚sum‚, biography, statistics), and any related materials (eg: jacket illustration, white paper). See advance, publicist, blad, advertising.

press proof:

Proof made on production press, using the plates, ink, and paper specified for the job; also called "strike-off". See proof.

pressrun:

The quantity from a printing press for a specified job; also called "run". See long run, short run, gang, overrun, underrun, tail-in.

preview:

A feature in text-based or command line (non-WYSIWYG) DTP and word processing software that simulates (or approximates) the appearance of a document before printing. See GUI, graphics.

price break:

Quantity at which unit cost of paper or printing drops. In the United States and Canada, price breaks for paper are typically at 4 cartons, 16 cartons, 5,000 pounds, and 20,000 pounds.

printer:

A person or firm engaged in the business of printing; see tramp printer, printery. Also, a machine used for printing; see press. Also, a computer peripheral or output device that produces a paper copy of data or graphics; see page printer, printer driver, plotter.

printer driver:

A software routine that describes the physical characteristics of a particular printer, and converts output data for printing into a form that the printer command controls can utilize. Most modern operating systems come with printer drivers for the most common types of printers, but they must be installed before the printer can be used. Updated drivers can also be downloaded from the printer manufacturer's Web site. See PCL, PDL, PPD, Epson emulation, Express, escape sequence.

printer font:

Font converted from display device and produced by software in an output device. Compare screen font; see font.

printer's devil:

A young or inexperienced worker in a printing shop, ranked below the level of apprentice. See demon letters.

printer's pi:

The jumbled disarray of type spilled from its case, or unsorted from disassembled chases; hodgepodge, m‚lange. See demon letters, type case.

printer spreads:

Files prepared so they are imposed for printing. See crossover, spread.

printery:

An establishment for the production of printing; a print shop.

printing:

Any process that transfers to paper, or another substrate, an image from an original, such as a film negative or positive, electronic memory, stencil, die, or plate. The three types of printing are: relief or block (letterpress); recessed or intaglio (gravure); flat or offset (planography). The six steps of printing are: design, image assembly, image conversion, image carrier preparation, image transfer, finishing. Quality is usually classified: basic, good, premium, showcase (qv).

printing plate:

The surface carrying an image to be printed. See cliche.

printing unit:

Assembly of fountain, rollers and cylinders that will print one ink color; also called deck, tower, color station, ink station, and printer station.

privilege:

A right, immunity, defense, benefit, or exemption granted to special group of people, especially persons in authority or office, to free them from certain obligations or liabilities; notably including: "absolute" (public official), "congressional speech and debate" (constitutional exemption), "public personage/figure" (no shield beyond specific area), "practitioner's" (physician, psychologist, chaplain, etc), "employer's" (to communicate with employees about work), "whistleblower's" (expose corruption without trespass or intrusion), "qualified" (opinion clause beyond profession or issue). In publishing, "comparative advertising" (contrast recognizable products, not opinion), "reporter's" (fair comment immunity), "editor's" (alter grammar and quotes without changing meaning; no defamation or infringement). The Supreme Court (Pittsburgh Press Co. v. Human Rel. Comm'n, 1973) emphasized the importance of independent editorial judgment. It prohibited "any restriction whatever, whether of context or layout, on stories or commentary originated by [the press], its columnists, or its contributors." The Court reaffirmed "unequivocally the protection afforded to editorial judgment and to the free expression of views on these and other issues, however controversial." The judicial decision (Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 1974) averred that "[t]he choice of material to go into a newspaper, and the decisions made as to limitations on the size and content of the paper, and treatment of public issues and public officials -- whether fair or unfair -- constitute the exercise of editorial control and judgment." See edit, freedom of speech.

PRO:

Abbreviation for Public Relations Official, a publicist; also known as Public Affairs Officer (PAO) or Public Information Officer (PIO).

process colors:

The colors used for four-color process printing: magenta (or "process red"), cyan (or "process blue"), yellow (or "process yellow"), and black (or "process black"). See CMYK, PMS, four-color process, subtractive primary colors, target ink densities, undercolor removal, swatchbook, illustration.

procurement cost:

Total cost of a printing job, including staff time, storage, and overhead.

production advance:

A publisher's payment to a writer to help defray the cost of producing the manuscript, including illustrations, indexing, and special features. The production advance is deducted from amortized royalty payments. A production grant will not be recouped by the publisher. See advance.

product mark:

A trademark (qv) used on only one product; see imprint, brand, collective mark.

program:

A performance or production, usually in broadcast media. Also, a list, prospectus, or syllabus: see catalog. Also, a sequence of coded instructions enabling a computer to perform tasks; see control character, algorithm, subroutine, macro, batch file, script, parameter, meta tag, search engine, plug-in, suite, interface, Linux, NetWare, UNIX, VMS, BeOS, Windows, DOS, CP/M, MP/M, POSIX; compare software, language, markup, database, graphics. [nb: derived from "a written public notice"; compare etymology of 'publish']

progressives:

Color proofs for each stage of printing, showing each color printed singly and then superimposed on the preceding color; also called "progressive proofs". See du Hauron's color theory @ photography.

prolixity:

Writing or speaking extended to an unnecessary or tedious length, as wordy, bombastic, periphrastic, or verbose. See pleonasm, tautology, puffery, sesquipedalism.

prologue:

An introductory part of a publication or production; any preface or preamble. Compare epilogue; see front matter.

prompt:

The symbol on a computer screen indicating readiness to accept input or instructions, or the point of focus in a message box requesting more information or a response. See cursor, mouse, pointer, insertion point, keyboard, box.

proof:

Test sheet made to reveal errors or flaws, adjust settings, predict press results, and record trial as standard of comparison for finished print job. Proof images will fade from overexposure, and actual colors cannot be shown, but all defects, mistakes, and questions should be noted directly on the example. A contact print becomes a "color break proof" when varnish and colors are marked-up, and a "color proof" when builds are revealed. Since proofs are printed on coated paper, fluorescence must be added to simulate appearance on uncoated paper. Digital proofs only generate film or plates after corrections are ready to print. See blueline, Dylux, composite proof, integral proof, overlay proof, press proof, reproduction proof, galley proof, bombproof, proofread, DTP, samples; compare die strike.

proofread:

Reading of text after typesetting but before printing. A proofreader compares the compositor's typeset pages to the original manuscript -- which is always a smart practice even when an author supplies the manuscript on disk, since anomalous coding errors often occur. (nb: One annoying thing about QuarkXpress is that it strips out formatting when you flow in text.) Editors and authors read for stray typographical errors, and sometimes make more substantive changes. Compositors generally charge a fee for "author's alterations" (AA) or any editorial changes. However, in this age of desktop publishing, many publishers are setting their own pages, making it cheap and easy to produce round after round of page proofs. If you can't do your own typesetting, see if you can make a deal with your typesetter that includes one round of corrections. Some typesetters are willing to give you the computer file with your page proofs so that you can enter the corrections yourself. It is wise to give your authors only one crack at page proofs and give them a strict, tight deadline (a week should be enough); authors can get cold feet at the end and make disastrous last minute changes. For the publisher who has typeset her own book, the first time changes will cost money is after the disk has been sent to the printer or service bureau to be made into film. When you make changes on the blueline proof (that aren't correction of printer's errors), you will be charged for a new piece of film on each page you make an author's alteration (or AA). Therefore, make sure to mark any printer's errors clearly with the letters "PE". In the digital age, broken type and weird blots are becoming a thing of the past, but check carefully for them anyway, as well as cropping problems and anything else that diverges from your vision of the book. See copyedit, redact, change order, typographical error, bombproof, sandwich, strike-through, proof, recension, pore, edit.

proofreader's marks:

With more editing and typesetting being performed on computers, the esoteric proofreader's marks are falling into disuse, but their principles still apply to blueline and galley proofs. Unlike corrections on manuscripts, corrections on proofs must always be put in the margin, left or right, next to the line of type in which the correction is to be made. A mark within the line -- a caret for an addition, a line through a letter or word to be deleted -- will indicate where the correction is to be made. A correction or addition should never be written above a line of type. The typesetters, who are responsible for making the corrections, only scan the margins, and will not look for writing buried between lines of type. When more than one alteration is to be made in a line, corrections should be marked in the margin in the order they are to be made in the line, reading from left to right; with a vertical or slant line separating one correction from the next. Every mark in the margin requires a mark in the line, and vice versa. Where many corrections occur in a line or two, it is best to cross out the whole passage containing the errors, and write it all correctly in the margin. A longer correction or addition should be typed onto a separate slip, and fastened to one end of the proof. A circled note in the margin reading "insert attached", with a caret in the line to show where it goes, will alert the typesetter. When correcting proofs, authors and editors should use an ink or pencil color (see blue-/red-pencil) different from that used by the proofreader. See AA, ALL CAPS, BF, C&IC, CAP, CAP&LC, CAP&SC, caret, end sign, H&J, ITAL, LC, ms, number sign, OC, paragraph sign, PE, ROM, section sign, SP, STET, (TK), TR, U&LC, WF, (00), typographical error, notation.

propaganda:

The deliberate and methodical spreading of ideas or information to promote or injure a cause, movement, policy, nation, or other entity. Derived from propagate ("to increase or enlarge by transmission or reproduction"), as an abridgment of the Congregation for Propagating the Faith ("congregatio de propaganda fide"), a committee of cardinals established by Pope Gregory XV in 1622. See freedom of speech, advertising, PSA, flackery, censorship, counterfactual, factoid, disinformation. [nb: the eponymous "dunce" was coined (ca1520) as an expression for any ignorant dolt or stupid dullard by reference to John Duns Scotus ("Doctor Subtilis"), whose writings were attacked by the humanists as foolish; hence the dunce cap, and its mark on paper. See foolscap; compare bunkum @ solecism.]

proportional font:

The characters within each set differ in width, and retain that distinctive ratio when scaled; contrasted with non-proportional fonts, having fixed widths or mono-spacing. See scalable font, raster font, font; compare en, em.

prose:

The ordinary form of spoken or written language, without metrical structure, as distinguished from poetry or verse; derived from "straight forward". In composition, the subjective form of timely and topical journalism observes the Five W's (ie: who, what, when, where, why); while the stylistic function of storytelling is patterned upon the ABCDE's (ie: action, background, consequences, development, ending) of systematic writing. See story, essay, picaresque, vernacular, novel, literature, rhetorical forms, orality, OULIPO. [nb: the closest that prose ever gets to poetry is the use of metaphor and allegory, but too often the metaphors are mixed ("mixaphors") and cliches are substituted for symbols] [v: bureaucratese, officialese, legalese, academese, journalese, computerese]

prosody:

The broad study or science of how language is handled in the composition of poetry. The term encompasses versification (meter, rhyme, traditional forms); Anglo-Saxon poetics; syllable-count methods and forms; free verse; distortion and dissonance applied to traditional methods; sprung rhythm; and any specific stylistic rules or requirements of special poetic movements. See foot, meter, verse, caesura, orality.

protasis:

The clause expressing the condition in a conditional sentence, usually beginning with 'if' in English constructions; compare apodosis, see rhetorical forms. Also, the first part of an ancient drama, in which the characters are introduced, as derived from "proposition"; see dramatis personae, drama.

protocol:

An original draft, minute, or record from which a document or annex is prepared. Also, a plan or regimen; may also be known as contents, agenda, docket, apercu, program, outline, summary. Also, a set of rules governing the format of messages that are exchanged between computers. Originally derived from a leaf or tag attached to the first sheet of a papyrus roll; see scroll.

proxy:

A mechanism allowing one system to "front" for another system when responding to protocol requests. Security applications in gateways and firewalls use proxy intermediary services to screen the secured network from external users. A proxy server provides access to files from other servers by retrieving them either from its local cache or from a remote server.

PSA:

The abbreviation for Public Service Announcement, being a notice or warning published without compensation for community benefit by the mass media as a requirement for licensure; an unpaid ad by the avuncular government for the citizen's own good. See advertising, advertorial, infomercial, censorship, propaganda.

pseudonym:

See allonym. [cf: innominate]

P sizes:

Even though the ISO A series paper size formats were introduced by the Ontario Government in 1972, the standard Canadian "Paper Sizes for Correspondence", defined by CAN 2-9.60M, were adopted in 1976. The Canadian paper sizes are essentially the US paper sizes, converted to metric numbers and sometimes rounded to the nearest half centimeter. The six formats are: P1 (560 X 860 mm), P2 (430 X 560 mm), P3 (280 X 430 mm), P4 (215 X 280 mm), P5 (140 X 215 mm), P6 (107 X 140 mm). The Canadian pseudo-ISO system suffers the two major inconveniences of the US formats: no common height/width ratio, and significant difference from worldwide usage. See ISO sizes, paper.

psycholinguistics:

The study of the relationship between language and the cognitive or behavioral characteristics of those who use it; including pragmatics. Examines the determinants which vary acquisition (or effacement) rates, lateralization, cognitive processing, and comprehension. See slang, colloquialism, vernacular, dialect, non-standard, standard, language; compare sociolinguistics. [nb: psycholinguistics has been successfully applied to criminalistics and forensics]

publication:

The act of bringing before the public a book, periodical, map, engraving, piece of music, or other tangible creation. In the Information Age, where more than 65% of workers prepare, process, or preserve communications, a publication is simply a delivery system for its contents. The ideas embodied by this mission are better able to reach their demographic target if properly designed. See publish, design, mission statement, guideline, series, periodical, copyright, Gresham's Law.

publication date:

The scheduled circulation date for a publication, usually a series issue of a periodical, intended to reach subscribers and newsstands before the cover date. Dating a publication is important for both advertisers and readers, since surveys show that undated ads are not trusted, and undated copy is presumed to be worthless and is discarded unread. Some publishers use a projected publication date on the cover of their periodicals to prevent distributors from removing "outdated" material from the newsstand before it has a chance to sell; but this false date then becomes the new standard interval, so there is no lasting advantage. See deadline, dateline, expiration date, morgue day.

publication printer:

Printing company specializing in magazines, catalogs, and other products that are typically web printed and saddle-stitched. See saddle-stitch binding, web press.

public domain:

The legal status of tangible intellectual property, such as a literary work, which has lost copyright protection, by dilution or expiration, or for which there never was any protection. See copyright, fair use, subsidiary rights, volume rights.

public domain software:

A computer program, application, or adaptation that has been freely donated for public use by its owner or developer, including unlicensed copying and unrestricted distribution. Such practices are often a philosophical expression about Free Speech in cyberspace, and are a reaction against copyright and proprietary ownership. Compare freeware, open-source, shareware; see software.

publicist:

A person who publicizes, especially a public-relations consultant or press agent; the person who customizes book advertising, and arranges interviews. Derisive or disparaging reference to a publicist or press agent as "flak" (flak) may have something to do with the difficulties they create, but probably describes their ostentatious tumult with little effect (like the same term applied to antiaircraft fire). See press kit, news release, blad, flackery, puffery.

public relations magazine:

A periodical issued by a business, institution, association, or the like, for internal distribution to its employees, or for external distribution to its customers, shareholders, and other interested parties, presenting news about the organization and its personnel; also called "internal...", "external...", "promotional...", "employee...", or "house organ". Originating with "Lowell Offering" (Lowell Cotton Mills 1840), "The Mechanic" (H.B. Smith 1847), "The Travelerer's Record" (Traveler's Insurance Co 1865; became "Protection"), "The Locomotive" (Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co 1867), until currently constituting a majority of all periodicals. Copies of public relations magazines are filed with the company's or organization's annual reports, trade catalogues, and news clippings. References include: International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE), Society of National Association of Publications. The IABC presents categorized "Golden Quill" awards for excellence in this trade publication field, including magapaper. See newsletter, magazine, periodical; compare trade journal.

publish:

The trade of issuing books, music, photographs, maps, and other material for sale to the public; which includes negotiating with authors and their literary agents, editing the author's manuscript, designing the tangible product, producing the finished product, publicizing the work, and arranging market distribution channels. The trade association of the publishing industry in the United States is the American Association of Publishers (AAP), and the industry's trade journal is "Publishers Weekly" (1872). As derived from "to make public", announce, proclaim, blaze. See publication, copyright, niche market, Gresham's Law; compare program.

publishing house:

Any of the large commercial publishers that purchase manuscripts from agents or authors, usually paying an advance on royalties before the book is released. Unless otherwise arranged in the book contract, publishing houses make all editorial decisions (eg: style, content, format), pay all development and production costs, and arrange all advertising and distribution. The author's copyright and subsidiary rights are usually purchased entire; but these options are negotiable. When the book sells, royalties earned will be deducted from the advance previously paid, and the publishing house may also charge administrative fees. The contract stipulates whether royalties are paid on the wholesale or retail price, and whether the author has the right to purchase any remaindered copies at discount for later resale. See subsidy publisher, self-publishing, assisted self-publishing, vanity press.

publishing paper:

Paper made in weights, colors, and surfaces suited to books, magazines, and catalogs. See paper.

puck:

A device used to draw on a digitizing tablet (qv); also called a "cursor pen". A puck is similar to a mouse, except that it has a window with cross hairs for pinpoint placement, and it can have as many as 16 buttons. A stylus (also called a cursor pen) looks like a simple ballpoint pen but uses an electronic head instead of ink. See pointer.

puff:

Exaggerated praise of a published work, usually written for advertising purposes by the publisher or a copywriter. A puff usually appears on the dust jacket of a book, and in review publications. Compare plug; see blurb, ad diction, puffery.

puffery:

Unduly exaggerated publicity, acclaim, or praise, as a tendency to extol fancifully by use of an "atomic flyswatter"; turgid, tumid, bombastic, hyperbolic, grandiloquent, magniloquent, verbose. See blurb, hook, banner, teaser, jargon, boilerplate, pleonasm, tautology, prolixity, balderdash, ballyhoo, pap, ad diction, flackery, publicist, advertising. [v: euphuism; cf: litotes, meiosis] [nb: Medieval alchemists were often referred to as "puffers" to distinguish their bogus propositions from the true knowledge and science of philosophers.]

Pulitzer Prize:

Any of the annual awards in journalism, literature, or music bestowed upon individuals or institutions for outstanding performance or meritorious public service. After Joseph Pulitzer endowed the Columbia School of Journalism, the trustees inaugurated the honorary Prize in 1917; which has since been expanded to include recognition for American history, biography, poetry, novel, drama, and music.

pull-quote:

Alternate term for call-out (qv); also called "pull-line" or "call-up". See sidebar, box, counterfactual, factoid.

pulp:

Any soft, moist, slightly cohering mass, as in the conversion of wood pith or other plant fibers in the making of paper. Alternatives to chipped wood and recycled waste include flax, hemp, coconut, kenaf, and bamboo; see paper, papier-mache, rag, broke, waste, remainder. Also, a magazine or book printed on low-quality paper, usually containing lurid material; see tabloid, zine, pauper press; compare slick.

pun:

The humorous use of a word or phrase, as a "play on words", so as to emphasize or suggest different meanings or applications, or the use of words that are alike or nearly alike in sound [ie: heteronym, homonym (qqv)] but different in meaning; derived from "pound", as to mistreat [words]. See double entendre, rhetorical forms. [v: paronomasia] [see Confusing Words]

punctuation:

The systematic practice, in writing or printing, of using certain conventional marks and characters in order to separate grammatical elements and clarify the meaning. Punctuation marks are the mechanical means for making the meaning of a sentence easily understood. They indicate the proper relationships between words, phrases, and clauses when word order alone is not sufficient to make these relationships clear. No attempt should be made to redeem an improperly constructed sentence with punctuation; rather, it should be rephrased or recast. Formerly, internal punctuation marks, such as the semicolon and ellipsis, were separated like words with single spaces, and external punctuation marks, such as the exclamation point and question mark, were double spaced; but several factors led to a style change in the modern era. In an effort to conserve space that could be sold to advertisers, newspapers and tabloids reduced indentations and single spaced all punctuation. Contributing to this style change were the format conventions in HTML and SGML coding, which reduces all multiple spaces to a single space. The most significant contribution to altered punctuation spacing has been the proliferation of proportional fonts in word processing and DTP programs. The more sophisticated stylebooks give different recommendations for the spacing of monotype or typewriter type (TT) and of proportional fonts; making the appearance and readability of copy more crucial than the uniformity of invariable rules. See stylebook, orthography, Oxford comma, British quotation, quotation marks, ellipsis, hyphen, dash, swung dash, tilde, apostrophe, colon, semicolon, comma, period, exclamation point, question mark, interrobang, tittle, diacritic, paragraph, copyedit, proofreader's marks, syllabary, dictionary, notation, indent, hanging, typeface, syntax, parse, alphabet.

pushcart press:

Any small publisher with direct public sales and marginal advertising; as derived from street vendors of other products distributed by handcart.

put to bed:

Catch-phrase for finishing a publication prior to production and distribution; also called "put through". See deadline.

Python:

An object-oriented interpreted programming language developed by Guido van Rossum. Python is very portable since Python interpreters are available for most operating system platforms. Although Python is copyrighted, the source code is freely available; and unlike GNU software, it can be commercially re-sold. The name is derived from the television show "Monty Python's Flying Circus", one of Guido van Rossum's favorites. See object-oriented programming, language.

- Q -

quad:

An abridgement of quadrat, being a piece of type metal of lower height than the lettered types, serving to cause a blank in printed matter, used for spacing; see slug, leading, nonpareil, furniture; compare feathering. Also, the standard spacing interval for letters, words, and sentences in printed matter as sized by font; see nuts, mutton, letter spacing, stylebook.

quadding-out:

Slang for filling or closing a line of composed type with enough spacers to finish it to the margin or end.

quadtone:

A four-color halftone. See monotone, duotone, CMYK. four-color process, process colors, illustration.

quantum/quantum computing:

First proposed in the 1970s, quantum computing relies on quantum mechanics by taking advantage of certain quantum physics properties of atoms or nuclei that allow them to work together as quantum bits, or "qubits", to be the computer's processor and memory. By interacting with each other while being isolated from the external environment, qubits can perform certain calculations exponentially faster than conventional computers. Qubits do not rely on the traditional binary nature of computing. While traditional computers encode information into bits using binary numbers, either a 0 or 1, and can only do calculations on one set of numbers at once [v: "von Neumann architecture" @ IAS], quantum computers encode information as a series of quantum-mechanical states such as spin directions of electrons or polarization orientations of a photon that might represent a 1 or a 0, might represent a combination of the two, or might represent a number expressing that the state of the qubit is somewhere between 1 and 0, or a superposition of many different numbers at once. A quantum computer can do an arbitrary reversible classical computation on all the numbers simultaneously, which a binary system cannot do, and also has some ability to produce interference between various different numbers. By doing a computation on many different numbers at once, then interfering the results to get a single answer, a quantum computer has the potential to be much more powerful than a classical computer of the same size. In using only a single processing unit, a quantum computer can naturally perform myriad operations in parallel. Quantum computing is not well suited for tasks such as word processing and e-mail, but it is ideal for tasks such as cryptography, modeling, and indexing very large databases. See analog, cybernetics, computer.

quarter binding:

A book binding in which the spine is leather and the sides are cloth or paper. See binding.

quarter tones:

Tones between shadows and midtones (3/4 tones) and between highlight and midtones (1/4 tones). See tonal range.

quarto:

A book size of about 9 x 12 inches (24 x 30 cm), determined by folding printed sheets twice to form four leaves or eight pages; symbol: 4to (qq = quartos). See sheet.

question mark:

A punctuation mark (?) indicating a question, inquiry, rhetorical investigation, hesitation, or doubt; also called "interrogation point"; see interrobang, punctuation. Also, a symbol that can substitute in DOS and UNIX for any single variable character; see wildcard.

queue:

A sequence of ordered items awaiting processing, especially for some electronic action in a computer system. See pagination, gang.

quick printing:

Printing using small sheet-fed presses and cut sizes of bond or offset paper. See duplicator, demand printing, reprography, short run, press.

quill:

The feather of a bird formed into a pen (qv) for writing; see writing instrument.

quire:

A set of 24 uniform sheets of paper; see ream. Also, a section of printed leaves in proper sequence after gathering and folding; derived from a "set of four sheets". See binding.

quoin:

Wedge-shaped pieces of wood or metal for securing type in a chase (qv), which are locked (closed or set) and unlocked (opened or released) with a "quoin key". See reglet, key.

quotation:

To cite or represent a phrase or passage, as from a speech or book, also called "quote"; see epigraph, epigram, bite, squib, snippet, call-out, ear, misquotation. Also, the current price offered by a printer to produce a specific job; see estimate, fixed costs, variable costs, formula pricing, unit cost, specifications, ticker tape.

quotation marks:

The marks (") placed at the beginning and end of cited phrases or passages to indicate attribution other than the author, to identify dialogue in print, and to denote selected words or phrases for emphasis; also known as "quotes" or "quote marks". For quotations within quotations, or "inner quotations", the enclosed citation is demarcated with "half-" or "single-quotes" (apostrophe) to distinguish it from the external citation marked with "full-" or "double-quotes". In printing, the opening and closing marks are differentiated. Compare apostrophe; see punctuation.