Chapter 3 Reflection - Stephanie Tatoiu

Chapter 3 Reflection: Syntax and Communication

Chapter three discusses the syntax and communication of typography, which is important to fully understand typographic design. The elements of design that are needed to connect typographic signs are the letter, word, line, column, and margin. They are all used together in order to make a whole in the use of the typographic form and space. I like how this chapter goes into very specific detail about all the components that are needed for the whole of typographic syntax to make sense. It begins with the definition of syntax, which is the manner in which words are put together to create phrases or sentences. In order to study typographic syntax, one must begin with the basic unit of the letter. The letter, then, progresses to the word, then to the line, and then to the column and margin.

The chapter continues to describe the letter. The letter is a well-drawn form that shows off both subtlety and precision, and it’s the one unit that is able to distinguish a family of type from another. It can come in all sorts of weights, sizes and shapes. The typographic sign is visually strong because of its relationship with the surrounding white space. After the letter comes the word. It has the ability to express an idea, object, or event. I really liked this part of the chapter specifically because of the quote from Adrian Frutiger. He says: “the material of typography is the black, and it is the designer’s task with the help of this black to capture space, to create harmonious whites inside the letters as well as between them”.  (53) I agree entirely with this quote because it really isn’t just the letters themselves, but the negative space in between the letters that really make a word effective.

The line is also important as well. Words are joined to make verbal sentences and typographic lines. The lines can be arranged in both symmetrical and asymmetrical ways. Changing the point size, weight, or line lengths can change the emphasis in a line of type. The way lines are oriented can also bring up spacing concerns, like interword spacing, interline spacing, and line-to-page relationships. Included in these concerns can also be the establishment of columns and margins. Certain variables like the proportion of column height to width, texture, and tone can make the page spatially organized, balanced, and ordered.