Typographythat

Typographythat is a term used in design discourse to denote a typographic approach that foregrounds how typographic form can signal the function and emphasis of the word that within a sentence. It is a coined concept rather than a widely standardized theory, and its meaning can vary among practitioners.

The core idea of typographythat is to treat the typographic treatment of that-clauses as a signal within text. Practices might include varying weight, width, or contrast to highlight that-clauses, using line breaks or alignment to indicate syntactic boundaries, and applying targeted spacing to guide reading flow. The aim is to make the connective or demonstrative word more legible and contextually meaningful without disrupting overall readability.

Applications of typographythat appear most often in editorial design, instructional content, and digital interfaces. Designers may use consistent typographic cues to distinguish main clauses from that-clauses, or to clarify sentence structure in dense information. The approach emphasizes clarity, readability, and user experience, while allowing experimentation with expressive typography in controlled contexts.

History and usage of typographythat remain informal and localized to certain design communities. The term has appeared in design criticism and speculative discussions rather than as a formal field of study. As a result, guidelines are not standardized, and practitioners often define their own criteria for what constitutes an effective typographythat treatment.

See also: typography, typographic design, readability, typographic hierarchy.