Article published In:
Information Design JournalVol. 21:1 (2014) ► pp.18–33
Arabic sign design
Right to left and left to right multi-script wayshowing systems and sign design
In the Middle East, the Arabic script is omnipresent and has an ample impact on the built environment. The calligraphic Arabic script is extremely flexible, making its text representation economic. However, in physical signs, calligraphy is replaced by Arabic typography, whose type choices may not capture the full flexibility of the Arabic script. Additionally, the graphic logic of dual language sign systems is not as straightforward when applied in Arabic, since the Arabic reads in two directions: right to left for the script and left to right for the numerals. Multi-script signage involving Arabic requires a heightened sensitivity regarding the information sequence.
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Cited by (2)
Cited by two other publications
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2024. Typography and meaning-making in Arabic children’s literature: the covert communication!. Text & Talk 44:3 ► pp. 293 ff. 
Zhang, Yuchan & Jeanne-Louise Moys
2022. Effects of changes in spacing on dual-script sign
legibility. Information Design Journal 27:2 ► pp. 213 ff.
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