Frakturens

Frakturens is not a standard term with a single, established meaning in English-language reference works. It may appear as a misspelling or a dialectal variant tied to German sources, where related roots appear in two main domains: typography and medicine. In German, Fraktur refers to a particular style of blackletter typeface, while Fraktur is also the word for a bone fracture, whose plural is Frakturen. The form frakturens, when seen in English texts, is typically a misusage or a mistaken attempt to create a plural or possessive.

In typography, Fraktur (also called Frakturschrift) denotes a family of blackletter typefaces developed in the early modern period and widely used in German-speaking regions for printing until the mid-20th century. Fraktur is characterized by angular, broken strokes and dense texture, producing a highly legible printout in its historical context. In the 20th century, German publishing largely shifted to Antiqua typefaces, and Fraktur is now mainly encountered in historical reproductions, formal emblems, or decorative uses. The term Frakturen is not used in typography to denote a plural of typefaces; it is the correct plural in German for the word Fraktur when referring to fractures, not to typefaces.

In medicine, Fraktur is the German word for a bone fracture, with the plural Frakturen. In English-language medical writing, the corresponding term is fracture or fractures. The construction frakturens does not conform to standard medical terminology in English and is generally regarded as erroneous in this context.

Etymology: Fraktur derives from Latin fractura via German, meaning a break or fracture. The name for the script reflects the idea of a visually “broken” letterform. See also Fraktur, Frakturschrift, Blackletter, Fracture.