kursiivinen

Kursiivinen is a Finnish word that translates to "italic" in English. It refers to a style of typeface characterized by slanted characters, often designed to mimic handwriting. This style is commonly used for emphasis within text, to denote titles of books, films, or other creative works, or to represent foreign words or phrases.

The origin of italic type can be traced back to the Italian Renaissance, specifically to the Venetian printer Aldus Manutius the Younger in the early 16th century. He commissioned a typeface based on the humanist minuscule script, which was a popular form of handwriting at the time. This new font was intended for smaller, more portable books.

In modern typography, italic is a distinct style that complements roman (upright) typefaces. It is typically employed to: highlight specific words or phrases for rhetorical effect, differentiate between different types of text such as quotations or internal thoughts, and to render titles of published works. While many fonts have an italic variant, it is not always a simple slant of the regular font; often, italic forms have unique designs and strokes. The use of kursiivinen is a stylistic choice made by authors and designers to enhance readability and convey meaning.