In historic letterpress printing, this specific body size equals exactly twice the height of standard English type. Founders primarily cast it for chapter headings, small posters, and display work where standard text sizes lacked sufficient impact. Under the standardized point system, it translates directly to twenty-eight points.
We need a bolder heading for this section, so pull a case of two-line English.
Like other two-line sizes, it was designed to align perfectly with two stacked lines of its base font, simplifying page layout in the composing stick.
Also heard as
- double English
Related terms
English
A traditional type size measuring fourteen points.
Two-line pica
A traditional metal type size measuring exactly twenty-four points.
Two-line great primer
A large traditional metal type size equivalent to thirty-six points.
Pica
A standard typographic unit of measurement equal to 12 points or approximately one-sixth of an inch.