Page:The practice of typography; correct composition; a treatise on spelling, abbreviations, the compounding and division of words, the proper use of figures and nummerals by De Vinne, Theodore Low, 1828-1914.djvu/146



To the young compositor these vagaries of practice in division are confusing. The only clear impression left on his mind after a study of the proofreader's marking is that the divisions should be made at the ends of syllables only. But what are correct syllables? One proof-reader may divide a long word on a vowel to show its derivation, and another on the emphasized syllable to indicate its pronunciation. The proof-reader must be obeyed, especially so when his ruling has been approved.

Sometimes the proof-reader is overruled by the author, editor, or publisher. In a reading over of the composition of a morning newspaper or of hurried job-work the proof-reader refrains from changing any division that is not flagrantly bad. A division of doubtful propriety that could be changed in movable types at moderate expense cannot be changed in the solid lines of linotype composition without a serious loss of time and greatly increased expense. The questionable division is allowed, for it is well understood by the publisher that not one reader in a hundred will find fault with it or will accept any change as a betterment.

A very long word of one syllable like through is indivisible even in a narrow measure, and there