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One Space or Two?
There is a battle going on in America and, whether you know it or not, you have chosen a side and will be judged accordingly. Unlike the Oxford comma—a polarizing debate that has ended lifelong friendships and probably caused some climate change— this problem is insidious; a daily, largely ignored conflict between millions of computer-literate Americans and the publishing community.
Which side you’re on was probably fixed back in high school typing class, when you were taught to put two spaces after a period. I don’t know why this was taught. No one does. It’s just how most of the free world has been typing since forever.
But this isn’t the print industry standard. Most books printed after the 1960s are single-spaced after the period. In fact, I have it on good authority (the internet) that publishers and editors alike really don’t like the use of two-spaces after a period. Really don’t like it. They hate it. And the people who do it. The internet’s words, not mine.
Curious as to which was right, I consulted both the American Psychological Association (APA) Publication manual, 6th ed., and the Modern Language Association (MLA) for guidance. The APA says to use two spaces for the purposes of reading comprehension, while the MLA says one or two spaces are fine. That didn’t help at all, so I decided to do a little research.
A quick look at the history behind the one-space, two-space debate gives us some insight. As one would expect, advancements in print technology altered spacing a bit, as a result of both the mechanical workings of the machines and the costs associated with mass printing—more spaces meant more money.
Advocates of the one-space argue that, with the advent of digital typesetting, spacing issues are accounted for and two spaces after a period have now become unnecessary and visually distracting. Digital typesetting may well account for more uniform spacing, but, as Dave Bricker points out in his online article, “How Many Spaces After a Period? Ending the Debate,” there is a problem with this reasoning:
The argument for the single-space sounds compelling. The claimed transition from typewriter text to digital typography creates an “easy out” for those who were taught to double-space in the days before computers. But though the supposed history is logical, book designers and printers were using proportional typefaces and wide spaces long before the typewriter entered the scene.
This does kind of put a dent in the long-held belief that technology killed the double space after a period. It also leaves you with the impression that it’s all just a matter of personal preference. Or is it?
Farhad Manjoo, Slate’s former technology columnist addresses this question in his article, “Space Invaders,” in which he spiritedly asserts, “Typing two spaces after a period is totally, completely, utterly, and inarguably wrong.” Manjoo goes on to express offense at those who have confidence in their differing opinion, “What galls me about two-spacers isn’t just their numbers. It’s their certainty that they’re right.” So what makes Manjoo so certain he’s right? Experts! That’s what. “Every modern typographer agrees on the one-space rule. It’s one of the canonical rules of the profession…”
I hold expert opinion in high regard, especially on issues I know nothing about, like typography. But just when I’m about to defer to Slate’s expert’s analysis, Manjoo reminds me of why that’s a stupid idea. Because there is absolutely no scientific evidence supporting the expert’s assertion.
Typographers can point to no studies or any other evidence proving that single spaces improve readability. When you press them on it, they tend to cite their aesthetic sensibilities… ‘It’s so bloody ugly.’
Adding to this, Manjoo concludes:
Is this arbitrary? Sure it is. But so are a lot of our conventions for writing. It’s arbitrary that we write shop instead of shoppe, or phone instead of fone, or that we use ! to emphasize a sentence rather than %.
The evolution of Manjoo’s argument would be hilarious if it wasn’t so unfortunate for him. First he tells these arrogant rubes they’re completely and utterly wrong. Then, should anyone dissent — BLAM! — Manjoo plays the science card, (the holiest of all ideological cards, designed to silence doubters). Then he wraps it up by conceding, at the end of his lengthy invective, that two-spaces isn’t really wrong; he just doesn’t like it.
Perhaps Farhad Manjoo should do what I do — what we should all do — when I have questions about the finer points of formatting: ask “what does Apple do?” Apple has seen fit to have a period after a two-space keystroke in the default auto-format function — and that’s good enough for me…that and the fact I’ve been typing two-spaces after a period for 24 years. I appreciate that my final point isn’t Atticus-Finch’s-closing-arguments-in-Tom-Robinson’s-trial impressive, but it is equally as compelling as Manjoo’s arbitrary science argument.
So I’ll hand the question over to you, Ricochetti. Which do you prefer, one space or two after a period? And is there a correct answer?
Published in General
I am a two-spacer. Always will be, except where I cannot override the technology. But one contention: despite whatever position they hold in the marketplace, I will never acquiesce to an adage like “what would Apple do”. Just can’t do it.
LOL. Thanks for this. I am of the two-space camp, for reasons lost in the mists of time. But for this response, I’ve tried alternating. Can anyone tell a difference? Would you notice if I hadn’t pointed it out?
And people who don’t use the Oxford comma should be put to death.
I’ve been a two-spacer ever since junior high typing class. Can’t shake the habit. But yes, I have gotten grief from publishers over this very issue.
I am a two-spacer. Sorry. I grew up in the era of typewriters.
Some of my editors hate, hate! HATE! two spaces after the period. Some even send the manuscript (which is always digital) back to me. I just take the document and do a universal search-and-replace of [period][space][space] with [period][space], repeating as necessary until I get zero replacements. Then I resend it. If I deal with that editor again I do this before sending the first time.
I just don’t see what the big deal is one way or the other.
Seawriter
The space between your sentences is not as important as the space between your ears.
Two spacer and ad Oxford comma user. That’s the way my daddy taught me. Every one else is wrong.
Tempting as it is to use your aphorism with an editor, I think I will think it rather than e-mail it.
Seawriter
Using only one space between sentences is known as “French spacing.” It is therefore wrong and Un-American.
Q.E.D.
I haven’t read the whole thread, so apologies if this point has already been made.
On the web, if you use two spaces the browser usually only counts it as one space, unless the publishing platform has been specifically set to recognize two spaces with a code.
I feel betrayed! I used to be a two-spacer until I was informed by the internet, the world’s most reliable source, that two-spacing was the thing of the past. I since trained myself to one-space.
Now I hear it’s all subjective? Et tu, Internet?
If you don’t use two spaces, the Commies will have won.
Now that I know it bothers Mr. Manjoo, I may start using three.
Two-spacing, definitely. My reasoning is that the extra space is a visual representation of the longer pause that naturally comes in speech after a complete thought. I teach quite a few non-native English speakers; when they read aloud and don’t stop at periods, understanding meaning becomes exceedingly difficult. The extra space is a nice reminder to stop, check for understanding, and then continue.
I give the final word to Matthew Butterick who says Single Space is the Final Frontier. (He lists actual examples and comparisons to let you be the judge).
Was taught to use two spaces. Unlikely to stop doing it anytime soon.
I was a two-spacer but changed several years ago when I learned that one-space was the new?/real? standard. When publishing, journals ask for one-space; that clinched it for me.
Compositors used to set a letter space between words and a word space between sentences. That was where the two spaces between sentences came from.
I am a two-spacer. It’s a readability issue.
But I just looked it up in Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed:
I can’t imagine why this is the case. There is much in the 16th edition I vehemently disagree with.
It is harder to read without that little bit of extra space between sentences. The typesetters of yore knew good typography. It is a lost art.
And everyone complains about the kids’ reading comprehension. I think the enemy is us.
I believe in the single space. I believe in it because it reduces stress on the keyboard and saves valuable paper space. I also believe in it because I have never once missed or cared that the double space was not there. In fact I find most of these typographical arguments to be the height of pretentiousness. These are the kind of things hipsters debate “ironically” while drinking fair trade, cruelty free, non-dairy lattes at some non-chain coffee shop run by two lesbians.
In the end like all language conventions the rules are set up by popular usage. The standard is whatever prevails in the common usage, and is bound by nothing other than the whims of countless individuals.
I thought that’s what the period was for? ;)
I too grew up and began my working life with typewriters. But my mentor in the translation business, back in the 90s, told me to use one space in word processing programs and now two spaces bother me. Could the difference just be between typewriters (2 spaces) and word processing programs (1 space)?
The answer is obviously two spaces. Once you go for a single space can the disregard for punctuation altogether be far behind? Then you will have anarchy! For pity’s sake, why don’t we just go back to grunts and hand gestures?
Just like the climate alarmists, Mr. Manjoo has declared the science to be settled. I am a two-spacer. As the tech writer (the only one) for a small government agency, I unilaterally declared two spaces to be the law of the land in that agency. I wield mighty power.
Then there’s this:
http://xkcd.com/1285/
I think the difference is that typewriters use constant space between characters (at least until you get to the very late proportional typewriters) while most word processing system use proportional spacing. I believe many word processors stick extra width in space following a period, obviating the need for the typewriter’s second space.
In my case I used typewriters from junior high until word processors came along in the early 1980s. Even then, it was not until the mid- to late-1980s you had proportional spacing as the standard. By then using two spaces after a sentence-ending period had become a habit.
But, as I said earlier, for folks that get upset about the second space, I go through a manuscript and remove it. (Especially if they are paying me for the words. If I am providing them free – you do it.) If being a space-counter floats your boat, that’s nice. I don’t really worry about it.
Seawriter
1 spacers are worse than hitler.
How many spaces to you put after a sentence when you write by hand? Punctuation and spacing have nothing to do with one another. Punctuation serves an integral part in conveying the meaning, whereas spacing is aesthetic much like font setting and letter size.
Two, obviously. If only to spite the author of that pedantic, arrogant, and poorly-researched article from Slate. Here’s how he begins:
Reminds me of climate science.
I am 30 years old. I went to highly regarded suburban middle and high schools, as well as a highly regarded university.
This is literally the first time in my life that I have ever heard the suggestion that two spaces should be used after a period. Two spaces? Weird.
I’m pretty sure using two spaces leads to polygamy and rising sea levels.
But he promised me, “You can keep your two spaces, period.”
Or was it “You can keep your period, two spaces”?
This really is the first time in your life you have heard of using two spaces after a period? Doesn’t say much about the ability of your highly-regarded suburban middle and high schools or highly-regarded university in teaching the history of technology. Yet more proof of the devolution of the American education system.
I was taught the two-space rule, due to the extended pause mentioned by American Abroad above. I have even had papers red-marked for failure to execute the second space. I remained adamant in favor of two spaces for an extended period of time. And yet, I have, over time, defaulted to the one space. I’m convinced the reason (which may be the same for writers on the Intertubes) is simple: pure, unadulterated laziness.