Elválasztással

Elválasztással, in typographic terms, refers to hyphenation—the process of breaking words at the end of a line to improve alignment and readability. It is used in print and digital text to create even margins and reduce irregular spacing.

In Hungarian typography elválasztás follows syllabic structure: breaks are placed between syllables rather than inside them. The goal is to keep the word’s pronunciation recognizable and to avoid creating unfamiliar or confusing letter sequences at line ends. Style guides also advise not to split short words, proper names, or common abbreviations, and to avoid excessive fragmentation that hampers reading. For many words, the correct hyphenation points are stored in dictionaries and are applied by word processors and layout programs.

Practical use involves manual typesetting or automated systems. Manual hyphenation relies on typographic judgment, while automated hyphenation uses algorithms and hyphenation dictionaries tailored to Hungarian. In web design and publishing, CSS properties or publishing workflows enable Hungarian hyphenation to occur at the line level, often with options to enable or disable hyphenation for specific elements or languages.

Elválasztás is separate from punctuation and spelling concerns, and it interacts with line length, font choice, and justification. While it primarily serves typographic aesthetics, it also affects legibility and reading speed. Ongoing standardization and language tools continue to refine acceptable break points for a wide range of Hungarian words, including loanwords and technical terms.