kursiven

Kursiven is the term used in several European languages to refer to the italic style of type. In typography, kursiven denotes letters that are slanted and often shaped differently from the roman forms. It is used to provide emphasis, to mark the titles of longer works, to indicate foreign words, and to denote variables or technical terms in academic writing. The style can be implemented by true italics, which are separate letterforms specifically designed for italic use, or by oblique type, which is simply a slanted version of the regular letters.

Origin and history: Italic type originated in Renaissance Italy in the early 16th century. The first widely used italic types were designed for the printer Aldus Manutius and cut by Francesco Griffo in Venice around 1501–1507. They were created to save space and to offer an alternative typographic voice. Over the centuries, italic styles were refined and became a standard part of most Latin type families.

Usage and conventions: In many contexts, italics (kursiven) are used for emphasis in running text, for the titles of long works, and for foreign words and phrases that have not fully assimilated into the host language. In mathematics and science, italic letters denote variables and certain symbols. Style guides vary by language and field; some advise reserving italics for emphasis or for recognizable foreign terms, and to avoid overuse.

Digital typography and markup: In digital text, italics are produced with font-style: italic in CSS or with the em element in HTML. Some fonts include true italic designs; others rely on oblique variants. The term kursiven in style guides typically corresponds to italic formatting, though usage can differ by language.