Kashida
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Kashida or kasheeda (Template:Langx,[note 1] Template:Lit), also known as tatweel or tatwīl (Template:Langx), is a type of justification in written Arabic scripts, in which the line connecting letters is extended.[1] In contrast to white-space justification, which increases the length of a line of text by expanding spaces between words or individual letters, kasheeda creates justification by elongating characters at certain points. Kasheeda justification can be combined with white-space justification.
The analog in European (Latin-based) typography (expanding or contracting letters to improve spacing) is sometimes called expansion, and falls within microtypography. Kasheeda is considerably easier and more flexible, however, because Arabic–Persian scripts feature prominent horizontal strokes, whose lengths are accordingly flexible.
For example, Script error: No such module "lang". and Script error: No such module "lang". with and without kasheeda may look like the following:
| Word | Meaning | Normal | Kasheeda |
|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "lang". | ‘praise’ | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Script error: No such module "lang". | ‘merciful’ | Script error: No such module "Lang". | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
The terms kasheeda and tatweel can also refer to a character that represents this elongation (Template:Char) or to one of a set of glyphs of varying lengths that implement this elongation in a font. The Unicode standard assigns code point Page Template:Mono/styles.css has no content.U+0640 ـ Script error: No such module "Unicode data"..
The kasheeda can take a subtle downward curvature in some calligraphic styles and handwriting. However, the curvilinear stroke is not feasible for most basic fonts, which merely use a completely flat underscore-like (or string-like) stroke for kashida.
In addition to letter spacing and justification, calligraphers also use kasheeda for emphasis and as book or chapter titles. In modern Arabic mathematical notation, kasheeda appears in some operation symbols that must stretch to accommodate associated contents above or below.[2]
Kasheeda generally only appears in one word per line, and one letter per word. Furthermore, experts recommend kasheeda only between certain combinations of letters (typically those that cannot form a ligature). Some calligraphers who were paid by the page used a large number of kasheeda in order to stretch content over more pages.[3]
The branding of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar applies kasheeda to Latin script, connecting the bottom of the "t" and the second "a" in the host country's name.[4][5][6]
A similar concept exists in Hebrew, where certain letters (אדהכלםרת←ﬡﬢﬣﬤﬥﬦﬧﬨ) may be stretched or elongated horizontally for the purpose of block justification in text[7]. This is commonly used in Ktav Stam.
See also
Notes
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- ^ Transliteration based on Classical and Early New Persian (but also applies to the modern varieties of Dari and Tajik). In Modern Iranian Persian, however, this would be transliterated as Script error: No such module "lang". or Script error: No such module "lang"..
References
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Big Kashida Secret".
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lazrek, Azzeddine. "Arabic mathematical notation: Symbol Stretching". W3C Interest Group Note.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Benatia, Mohamed Jamal Eddine; Elyaakoubi, Mohamed; Lazrek, Azzeddine (2006). Arabic text justification (PDF). TUGboat: The Communications of the TeX Users Group. Vol. 27:2. Dept. of Computer Science, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh. p. 137. ISSN 0896-3207.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Qatar 2022 emblem revealed". The Peninsula. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Qatar 2022: Football World Cup logo unveiled". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Qatar 2022 World Cup logo unveiled, reflects move to winter tournament". The Week. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.קורנפלד, אברהם (2021-07-22). "הפיצ׳ר הסודי שיוסיף אותיות רחבות ליישור הבלוק שלכם — אות־אות־אות". alefalefalef.co.il (in עברית). Retrieved 2026-02-02.
