Cursief

Cursief is the Dutch term for a typographic style in which letters are slanted to the right. In Dutch typography it usually refers to italic typefaces, though the term can also describe cursive handwriting. Cursief is mainly used to add emphasis in running text, to indicate foreign or technical terms, and to denote the titles of books, films and artworks within a sentence.

The word cursief derives from Latin cursivus meaning “running,” likely via French cursif or German kursiv. The typographic cursive style has its origins in the early 16th century in Venice, where the Aldine Press under Aldus Manutius published the first italic types, designed by Francesco Griffo (Francesco da Bologna) to resemble handwriting and to save space.

In typography, italics may be true italics with distinct letterforms or oblique versions that tilt the roman letters without changing their shapes. Cursief typefaces are designed to harmonize with upright text and often feature characteristic flourishes or slanted forms that differentiate them from regular (Roman) letters. They serve multiple functional and stylistic purposes, from emphasis to signaling the titles of works, to marking non-Dutch words or terms.

Usage guidelines in Dutch writing typically reserve cursief for emphasis and for the titles of works within running text, as well as for foreign terms and certain technical expressions. Overuse is discouraged, since excessive cursief can impair readability. For longer quotations or passages, normal type (Roman) is generally preferred for clarity.