Tyyppilin

Tyyppilin is a Finnish term that roughly translates to "type lead" or "lead type." It refers to a typographical element used in printing and typesetting, specifically a piece of metal type that is taller than the surrounding characters. This increased height creates a small gap or space between lines of text, effectively increasing the leading or line spacing.

Historically, tyyppilin was made of lead alloy and was precisely manufactured to specific point sizes. Typesetting involved arranging individual pieces of metal type, including letters, numbers, punctuation, and spacing elements like tyyppilin, into lines and pages. By using different thicknesses of tyyppilin, printers could control the visual density and readability of the text.

In modern digital typesetting, the concept of tyyppilin is replicated through software controls for leading. However, the term itself remains a part of printing history and may still be encountered in discussions of traditional printing techniques or in historical texts. Its primary function was to achieve desired line spacing, which is crucial for the aesthetic and legibility of printed material. The precise control offered by tyyppilin allowed for fine-tuning the appearance of a page, contributing to the overall design and readability.