Chomsky: a blackletter typeface inspired by The New York Times' nameplate

[beschizza]

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/12/19/chomsky-a-blackletter-typefac.html

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[Pensketch]

@beschizza

Either way, I do believe that I am the first.

Well then, it’s about Times.

[GulliverFoyle]

When I think Noam, I think establishment neoliberals. /s

[MrShiv]

@beschizza

the New York Times masthead

The “masthead” of a publication is the box that lists its staff, editor, etc., NOT the title on the front page, which is properly referred to as the “banner” (or sometimes “flag”).

This is a common mistake that I will fight to my last day.

[jerwin]

@MrShiv

This is a common mistake that I will fight to my last day.

What’s your position on the diaeresis?

[MrShiv]

I kind of like the diaeresis. You don’t see it much anymore.

One variation I particularly like is the Catalan “punt volat” (middot), used in similar fashion to split up the double L, as in Avenida Paral·lel in Barcelona

[jerwin]

@MrShiv

You don’t see it much anymore.

It’s part of the New Yorker’s house style.

[MrShiv]

Also wonderful, although it never caught on: The interrobang.

[nungesser]

@beschizza

Perhaps it was the difficulty of creating the extra letters in a blackletter face that scared away would be font authors.

I would say that’s accurate. Florid blackletter caps are tiny works of art.

[Archisonic]

Yay Fontographer shout out! Loved tweaking fonts to add inline icons and buttons art-directing a raver mag in the 90’s. Quark FTW!

[MadLibrarian]

The ‘Whiskey Tango Foxtrot’ of punctuation.

[GulliverFoyle]

@MrShiv

The interrobang.

Viva la ‽…

Interrobang | Entering and display

[tekna2007]

@jerwin

What’s your position on the diaeresis?

I’m

it.

[beschizza]

@MrShiv

The “masthead” of a publication is the box that lists its staff, editor, etc., NOT the title on the front page, which is properly referred to as the “banner” (or sometimes “flag”).

In Britain, where I started my career in journalism, masthead refers to the title on the front page. In the UK, the box listing staff and such is known as the imprint (or the colophon, for bound volumes). The formal American term for the title on the front page is “nameplate” but as you say banner and flag are trade vernacular.

I used both masthead and nameplate interchangeably in my post to ensure everyone was in some way annoyed by it.

[Wanderfound]

@beschizza

The New York Times’

@beschizza

Chomsky

The juxtaposition of those two things reveals either biting satire or extreme delusion, and I’m not sure which it is.

The Role of the New York Times according to Noam Chomsky

[beschizza]

Given that this typeface was cut by the founder of 8chan, I’m quite certain its filed under “satire, biting.”

[Roy_Brander]

I think that’s the joke/burn in the name…? I know Chomsky was ‘officially’ banned from the NYT by Abe Rosenthal, for 25 years. It’s got to be sarcastic.

[copypaste]

I’m the author of this font—thank you all for your comments.

The original name of this font was going to be «Consent Manufacturer». I decided that was too heavy handed, and thus chose «Chomsky». Make of that what you will.