Sort (typesetting) facts for kids

In typesetting by hand, a sort is a small piece of metal type. Each sort has a single letter, number, or symbol carved onto one end. These metal pieces are carefully put together to form words, sentences, and paragraphs. Once a full page of text is arranged using these sorts, it's called a forme. This forme is then used to print pages for books, newspapers, or other documents.

Diagram of a cast metal sort. It shows the face (a), body or shank (b), point size (c), shoulder (1), nick (2), groove (3), and foot (4).

Metal type sorts arranged on a special tool called a composing stick.

What is a Type Sort?

Imagine building words with tiny metal blocks! That's basically what a type sort is. Each sort is a small, rectangular piece of metal, usually made of lead, tin, and antimony. On one end of the sort, there's a raised image of a letter, number, or symbol. When these sorts are pressed onto paper with ink, they leave behind the printed character.

How Type Sorts Work

Before computers, people used these sorts to print everything. A skilled worker called a compositor would pick out individual sorts from a special case, one by one. They would arrange them in a tool called a composing stick to form words and lines of text. This process was called hand compositing.

Parts of a Type Sort

Each sort is designed with specific parts to make printing easier and more accurate.

• The face is the part that holds the letter or symbol. This is the part that gets inked and prints on the paper.
• The body or shank is the main part of the metal block.
• The point size tells you how big the letter will appear when printed.
• The shoulder is the flat area around the letter on the face.
• The nick is a small groove on the side of the sort. It helps the compositor quickly tell if the sort is facing the right way and which font it belongs to.
• The groove and foot are at the bottom, helping the sorts stand steadily when arranged.

Making a Page

Once a line of text was finished in the composing stick, it was moved to a larger frame called a "galley." More lines were added until a full page was assembled. This entire block of arranged sorts, along with spaces and other printing elements, was called a forme. The forme was then locked tightly into a printing press. Ink was applied, and paper was pressed against the sorts to create the printed page. This method was used for hundreds of years before modern printing machines and computers took over.

Related Topics

• Sort - Learn about other meanings of the word "sort."
• Typeface - Discover what a typeface is and how it relates to fonts.
• Typography - Explore the art and technique of arranging type to make written language clear and appealing.

See Also

In Spanish: Tipos móviles para niños