As a flat sentence, an anonymous sentence or an asymmetrical sentence, typography is a text whose lines either run out to the left, right or left and right, and the word spaces are always the same. One distinguishes between left-aligned and right-aligned flatter sets as well as the center axis set (text lines are centered here), whereby the free set must also be described as fluttering. The flatter set is especially characteristic of poems and, moreover, common in informal writing.
The term is derived from the text image that is generated during writing. Because the individual lines of a text are not driven on line width, each line ends at another point. When a word reaches the column edge, it is wrapped into the next line, resulting in a stair-like structure on the right or left edge of the line, which can appear quite uneasy on the reader. Example for the flush sentence (left flush and right flush)
The above example illustrates the basic principle. On the left, the text is aligned to the left. This means that he is oriented on an axis on the left side, but flutters on the right. On the other hand, it is different: the text is oriented to the right of an axis, so it is flush and fluttering to the left. The stair structure, which results from the flat rate set, is indicated.
It can be seen that the individual words, when they have reached the end of the given column, are simply broken. As a result, the distance between the individual words is basically uniform, whereby gaps can occur at the end of the column. For example, sadipscing in the above example jumps from the second to the third line. In the second column, a gap is created at the end of the line.
In the German language, which has numerous composites, ie words composed of several words, a textual arrangement in the flatter set is rather unusual, because of the long words there would often be gaps in the text. Consequently, this variant is used more in the English-speaking world and is therefore also referred to as an English flat sentence. In German, therefore, the rough block or block set is usually used. The Rauhsatz, also Rausatz, is a variant of the Flattersatzes.
The Rauhsatz, which represents a variant of the Flattersatz, separates words at the end of the column. Thus the Rauhsatz is likewise flush on one side and fluttering on the other, but by the firm chatter zone, in which the words are separated, can not arise as large gaps as in the above example. In this example, the word separation is arbitrary, but in German there are fixed rules.
Another possibility to drive the individual lines of a text to column width is the block set. This is not a form of the flat sentence. Here the individual lines are trimmed to the same width, regardless of the gaps that arise between the words. This can lead to large, unsightly gaps, especially in the case of a small column width, and is therefore rarely recommended. The block sentence can create gaps between the words
As can be seen in the example above, the block set is flush on both sides and is therefore not fluttering. However, gaps arise between the individual words of the respective lines, which is mainly due to the small column width. If the width of the column is generous, the gaps that result are less conspicuous. In the case of very narrow gaps, therefore, the flat rate theorem is preferable or its special form: the rough sentence, which is based on word separations.
Overview: Variants of the Flattersatz
The individual variants of the flatter set have already been shown in the article. However, the so-called center axis theorem was omitted, whereby the text was oriented at the center of the respective column and the free case was omitted. The following overview summarizes the individual variants.
Left flush flatter: The text is flush left and fluttering to the right. As a result, the initial letters of a line are indistinguishable from the indentation on the left side.
Right-justified flatter set: The text is right-aligned and fluttering on the left-hand side. As a result, the last characters of a row are always interrelated. This form contradicts the reading habits.
Free set: The lines that are interrelated are aligned manually, ie manually, on an axis. The text flutters, even if this is sometimes not perceptible.
Center axis set: The text flutters left and right, but not free, as it is centered and therefore centered. Sometimes poems are presented in this form.
Rauhsatz: Above all, in German, an alternative to the left-flush flatter set. Such a text is flush on one side – usually left – and flutters on the other. However, large gaps at the end of the line are avoided by a break in the chatter zone (word separation)
Lyrical flatter sentence: The change is dictated by the poet.
Dramaturgical flat sentence: The line break is dramatic. For example in dialogues. Sometimes, on the level of the lyrics, what is said is additionally underlined.
Application of flatter set
The flat rate set is usually the basic setting of each text program, so it occurs wherever a user is required to enter texts, such as in e-mails, text documents and other input fields. It is also characteristic of letters, as well as informal letters and also for the poem or the presentation of dialogues in all genres.
In English, the flat rate is also found in books. In German, as our language is characterized by numerous composites, ie composed words, this is not the case as a rule. In this case, the rough-set is generally used, in which a certain fluency is suggested by word separations and is partially achieved by means of additional text joins.
An ideal flatter set, however, also leaves no unrest in the text. The text image is harmonious, so that the lengths and shortenings of the individual lines are alternated or arranged like a waterfall. Again, this can be corrected by changing the text size as well as the line spacing.
Short overview: The most important overview
As a flat sentence, an anonymous sentence or an asymmetrical sentence, typography uses a text whose lines either run out to the left, right or left and right, and the word spaces are always the same.
A special form of the flatter set is represented by the Rauhsatz, also Rausatz, where words are separated in the so-called flutter zone, whereby the fluttering side appears almost flush. This form is found, for example, in most of the printed products.
Note: The Flattersatz is also mostly used in the Internet. Because of the different end devices, it is not possible to guarantee that the words at the end of the line are wrapped optimally on all devices, which is why the display in the block set is not recommended in any case since large gaps can occur on small displays.