Division of Words | Page 8

XIV Never separate q from u, qu is a single sound.
XV Do not divide nothing.
XVI Do not divide words of four letters.
XVII Do not divide words of five or six letters if it can be avoided.
Good spacing, however, must be considered of first importance.
XVIII In wide measures (20 ems or more) do not divide so as to end or
begin a line with a syllable of two letters. Here again, however, good
spacing is the first consideration.
XIX Do not divide words of two syllables pronounced as one,
including past participles of short words.
heaven power prayer beamed often XX Avoid additional hyphens in
hyphenated words if possible.

_object-lesson_ _fellow-being_ _poverty-stricken_
XXI Do not separate a divisional mark (_a_), (_1_) from the matter to
which it pertains.
XXII Do not divide an amount stated in figures.
XXIII Do not divide proper names, especially those of persons, if it can
be avoided.
XXIV Do not divide initials or such combinations as _a.m._, _B.C._
XXV Do not divide the last word on a page so as to carry a part of it to
the next page.
XXVI Do not divide the last word of the last full line of a paragraph.
XXVII More than two divisions in successive lines should be avoided.
XXVIII Never divide at all if you can help it.

IMPORTANCE OF SPACING
It must always be remembered that good spacing is the first
consideration. Nothing is more offensive to the eye of a good judge of
printing than bad spacing. "Rivers" of white, dark spots, crowded black
text, are very serious blemishes to a page. An ordinary book page is a
study in color, the colors employed being black and white. Proper
combination, balance, and proportion are as important here as in places
where a variety of colors is employed. Many of the foregoing rules
must be held subject to the exigencies of proper spacing. A rigid
adherence, for example, to the rule that not more than two consecutive
lines should end with divided words will not justify a badly spaced,
unsightly line. There are many things that look worse than a hyphen at
the end of the last full line in a paragraph. Avoidance of dividing the
last word on a page, however, would justify even bad spacing, because
of the gain to the reader. In the last resort, the interests of the reader

must always have first consideration.
Division is greatly affected by the length of the measure. A long
measure, 18 or 20 ems or more, gives greater opportunity for arranging
the spacing, but, on the other hand, makes division on short syllables
conspicuous and out of proportion. Very short register, as in
two-column Bibles or in cases where illustrations are inserted in the
text, presents very great difficulties and often calls for division which
would not be allowable elsewhere. Such cases often call for the
exercise of the greatest care and ingenuity.
It often happens that the author can be of great assistance to the printer
in making a handsome page. A change of a phrase, or even of a word
will avoid a difficulty which cannot be avoided by a printer except at
the cost of bad division or bad spacing. If the author is a sensible
person he will gladly cooperate with the printer in giving his thoughts
clothing appropriate to their intrinsic beauty and value. After the printer
has exhausted his resources he should not hesitate to carry his troubles
to the author.

DIVISION IN LINES OF DISPLAY
As a rule division is never used in lines of display. In these cases the
display is the important thing. Every word long enough to be divided is
important enough to be displayed and emphasized. Divided words are
weakened words. Lines of irregular lengths are used of set purpose.
In title pages words of bold display must never be divided. In minor
lines of display, such as subtitles and summaries, words are often
divided. A subheading of two lines should never be divided in the first
line when it is possible to turn the full word over on to the next line.
The shortening of the first line is never a blemish, but a too short
second line following a hyphened first line is always a fault.
There is a school of ultra-artistic composition in book titles which
affects a solid squaring up and hesitates at no means to secure its

effects. It sets a definite measure and forces the lines into it, dividing
words arbitrarily and using no hyphen. This is a passing fancy and will
pass as eccentricities always pass. It should not be used unless the
author insists upon it. The man who pays the bills has a right to have
his work done as he pleases.