Re: Name of | symbol

[Karel van der Waarde <waarde -at- GLO -dot- BE>]

Percy Balemans asked:
>Is there a name for the | symbol (the vertical line)? One of my colleagues
>suggested 'pipe symbol'.

Robert Bringhurst (The elements of typographic style, second edition.
Hartley & Marks, 1996. ISBN: 0 88179 132 6) states (p 272-273):

| Bar. The vertical bar is used in mathematics as a sign of absolute value,
in prosodical studies to mark a caesura, and in proportional calculus
(where it is called *Sheffer's stroke*) as a sign of nonconjunction. In
bibliographical work, both single and double bars are used. Also called
*caesura*.

About a 'pipe symbol' Bringhursts states (p 283): Despite its importance to
programmers and its presence on the standard ASCII keyboard, the pipe has
no set function in typography. For drawing broken rules and boxes, a
separate character from a specialized ruoing font is commonly used. Also
called *broken bar* or *parter rule*.

In Dutch, it might be called: *cesuur*, or *caesuur*.

Kind regards,
Karel van der Waarde
waarde -at- glo -dot- be

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