kursiivne

Kumsiiv is a Finnish word that translates to "italic" in English, referring to a style of typography. In written language, italic fonts are characterized by their slanted appearance, designed to set text apart from the regular, upright font. This stylistic distinction is employed for various purposes, often to emphasize words or phrases, indicating a shift in tone or focus.

Historically, italic type emerged from cursive handwriting styles. Aldus Manutius, a Venetian printer, is often credited with developing the first italic typeface in the early 16th century. His aim was to create a more compact font that could fit more text on a page, and also to emulate the fluidity of handwritten manuscripts.

In modern usage, italics serve several key functions. They are commonly used to highlight foreign words or phrases that have been incorporated into a text written in another language. Titles of books, newspapers, magazines, films, and other creative works are also typically presented in italics. Additionally, italics can be used to denote specific terminology, for emphasis, or to indicate that a word is being discussed as a word itself, rather than for its meaning. The subtle visual difference provided by italics allows readers to easily identify these specific uses of text within a larger body of content.