Italics

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Why italics are slanted towards right not left?

Is there any font which we can use in both the directions?

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Dov IsaacsCorrect answer

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True italic fonts are designed with the slant built-in. It has absolutely nothing to do with “math” or “physics” but rather tradition in type design. If a type designer wanted to design a font or a style of a font that “slanted” to the left, perhaps for a right-to-left language, it could easily be done by the type designer.

On the other hand, there are fonts that have oblique styles that are in fact a mathematical transformation. And even for fonts that don't have an italic or oblique style, some programs such as Word allow for artificial italicizing of a font (alway to the right) and others such a InDesign actually allow for arbitrary obliquing to the right or the left.

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

Dov IsaacsCorrect answer

Legend

True italic fonts are designed with the slant built-in. It has absolutely nothing to do with “math” or “physics” but rather tradition in type design. If a type designer wanted to design a font or a style of a font that “slanted” to the left, perhaps for a right-to-left language, it could easily be done by the type designer.

On the other hand, there are fonts that have oblique styles that are in fact a mathematical transformation. And even for fonts that don't have an italic or oblique style, some programs such as Word allow for artificial italicizing of a font (alway to the right) and others such a InDesign actually allow for arbitrary obliquing to the right or the left.

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- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

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Sunil ReddyAuthor

Known Participant

Glad that I have received response from Principal Scientist, Adobe. Yes, may be it has nothing to do with "math" or "physics". Out of exploration one thing I have identified is generally during handwritten calligraphy we hold pen or pencil slightly tilted and written letters are slightly tilted towards right rather left, most convenetional way of holding pen or pencil and even reader has acustomed to it. So while introducing italic font porbably they would have applied same rationale.

Thank you very much for joining this topic and has given idea to explore more to get some sort of conclusion.

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LinSims

Community Expert

In English, italics always slant towards the right. I'm not saying there isn't a font out there that slants towards the left, but if there is I expect it'll be hard to find.

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Sunil ReddyAuthor

Known Participant

Hi Lin,

I appreciate your time and infact I have looked up in google and unfortunately I couldn't find what I'm looking for. I believe there must be some interesting fact or little math or physics behind slanting towards right. Hope will someone or somewhere will find fact. Thank you!

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