Awhile back we posted a piece on ampersands, linking to a wide-ranging history of the symbol. In the comments section, anonymous wrote, "Stretch your imaginative eye and you will see the treble clef in the ampersand." Though there's no historic link between the two, anonymous' comment stuck with me.
The comment was in the back of my head as I sat reading Robert Bringhurst's The Elements of Typographic Style. The book serves as part style guide, part encyclopedia, and part inspiration. There are history lessons -- Jonathan Hoefler cut the "fffl" ligature in his Requiem italic typeface for use in the only two words that contain "fffl" together. There are priggish admonishments -- "use titling figures with full caps, and text figures in all other instances." But mostly the book serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding the finer points of typography.
So what does this exceedingly thorough and thoughtful book have to do with our rather unenlightened blog? In a passage about the ampersand, Bringhurst makes the following point...
Seems our anonymous commenter sensed that connection as well. (Though in typical form, Bringhurst was far more derisive in his description.) Good instinct there, anon.
Now, for 1000 bonus points, can you name either of those two words that contain the string fffl? (Hint: they're German-language words.)
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