gbranden pushed a commit to branch master
in repository groff.
commit 06ffe721e55028e6789e152d9c3b60ec7e3c9643
Author: G. Branden Robinson <[email protected]>
AuthorDate: Mon May 4 16:10:10 2026 -0500
[doc,man]: Recast "Ligatures and Kerning" node.
...and port this subsection to groff(7).
---
doc/groff.texi.in | 93 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------------
man/groff.7.man | 106 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
2 files changed, 169 insertions(+), 30 deletions(-)
diff --git a/doc/groff.texi.in b/doc/groff.texi.in
index 3d355f989..c65f38bb2 100644
--- a/doc/groff.texi.in
+++ b/doc/groff.texi.in
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ Documentation License''.
@title groff
@subtitle The GNU implementation of @code{troff}
@subtitle version @VERSION@
-@subtitle April 2026
+@subtitle May 2026
@author Trent@tie{}A.@: Fisher
@author Werner Lemberg
@author G.@tie{}Branden Robinson
@@ -14661,27 +14661,43 @@ is an integer.
@cindex ligatures and kerning
@cindex kerning and ligatures
-Proportional fonts commonly employ two techniques to improve the
-esthetics of typeset text. @dfn{Ligatures} are sequences of glyphs that
-are visually connected or ``tied'', overlapping them and slightly
-altering their shapes. @dfn{Kerning} is the adjustment of horizontal
-spacing between glyphs. Neither is employed on terminals.@footnote{A
-monospaced font may possess glyphs for ligatures, but they nevertheless
-seldom see use to set text.}
-
-Most typesetters support ligatures for the sequences `fi', `fl', `ff',
-`ffi', and `ffl', and @code{troff} does likewise. Some fonts may
-include others, but GNU @code{troff} does not (yet) support them.
+Proportional fonts commonly employ two techniques
+to improve the esthetics of typeset text.
+@dfn{Ligatures}
+are sequences of glyphs that are visually connected or ``tied'',
+overlapping them and slightly altering their shapes.
+@dfn{Kerning}
+is the adjustment of horizontal spacing between glyphs.
+Neither is employed on terminals.@footnote{
+monospaced font may possess ligature glyphs,
+but they nevertheless seldom see use to set text.}
+
+Most typesetters support ligatures for the sequences
+`fi',
+`fl',
+`ff',
+`ffi',
+and
+`ffl',
+and
+@code{troff} @c generic
+formatters do likewise.
+Some fonts may include others,
+but
+GNU
+@command{troff} @c GNU
+does not (yet) support them.
The formatter checks only the current font
-for ligatures and kerning adjustments;
+for ligatures and kerning adjustments:@:
neither glyphs from special fonts nor special characters
defined with the
@code{char}
request
(and its siblings)
are considered
-for these processes.@footnote{@xref{Characters and Glyphs}.}
+for these processes;
+recall @ref{Characters and Glyphs}.
@DefreqList {lg, [@Var{flag}]}
@DefregListEndx {.lg}
@@ -14698,14 +14714,21 @@ Setting the ligature mode to@tie{}2 enables the
two-character ligatures
ffl).
@endDefreq
-@dfn{Pairwise kerning} is another subtle typesetting mechanism that
-modifies the distance between adjacent glyphs in a pair to improve
-readability. In most cases (but not always) the distance is decreased.
+@dfn{Pairwise kerning}
+modifies the distance between adjacent glyphs in a pair,
+improving readability.
+In most cases,
+this alteration is a decrease.
@iftex
-For example, compare the combination of the letters `V' and `A'. With
-kerning, `VA' is printed. Without kerning it appears as `V@w{}A'.
+Consider the letters `V' and `A' set adjacently.
+With kerning,
+`VA' is rendered.
+Without kerning,
+they appear as `V@w{}A'.
@end iftex
-Monospaced (typewriter-like) fonts and terminals don't use kerning.
+Monospaced (typewriter-like) fonts,
+and therefore terminals,
+don't use kerning.
@DefreqList {kern, [@Var{flag}]}
@DefregListEndx {.kern}
@@ -14720,20 +14743,29 @@ kerning is enabled, 0@tie{}otherwise.
@cindex dummy character (@code{\&}), effect on kerning
@cindex character, dummy (@code{\&}), effect on kerning
-If the font description file contains pairwise kerning information,
-glyphs from that font are kerned. Kerning between two glyphs can be
-inhibited by placing @code{\&} between them: @samp{V\&A}.
-
-@xref{Font Description File Format}.
+If the font description file
+contains pairwise kerning information,
+GNU
+@command{troff} @c GNU
+kerns glyphs
+from that font.@footnote{@xref{Font Description File Format}.}
+Kerning between two glyphs can be inhibited by placing
+@code{\&}
+between them:
+@samp{V\&A}.
@endDefreq
@cindex track kerning
@cindex kerning, track
-@dfn{Track kerning} expands or reduces the space between glyphs. This
-can be handy, for example, if you need to squeeze a long word onto a
-single line or spread some text to fill a narrow column. It must be
-used with great care since it is usually considered bad typography if
-the reader notices the effect.
+@dfn{Track kerning}
+expands or reduces the space between glyphs.
+This can be handy,
+for example,
+if you need to squeeze a long word onto a single line
+or spread some text to fill a narrow column.
+It must be used with great care
+since it is usually considered bad typography
+if the reader notices the effect.
@Defreq {tkf, f s1 n1 s2 n2}
@cindex activating track kerning (@code{tkf})
@@ -14788,6 +14820,7 @@ we thus recommend increasing the line length to
compensate.
@c ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+@need 1000
@node Italic Corrections
@subsection Italic Corrections
diff --git a/man/groff.7.man b/man/groff.7.man
index f6385d2ae..3ec6ee439 100644
--- a/man/groff.7.man
+++ b/man/groff.7.man
@@ -2175,6 +2175,112 @@ to spring that trap even if the page has already started
.\" definitions with the `char` request family) and fonts (including
.\" special fonts and the character resolution process).
.\" ====================================================================
+.SH "Ligatures and kerning"
+.\" ====================================================================
+.
+.\" BEGIN Keep (roughly) parallel with groff.texi node "Ligatures and
+.\" Kerning".
+Proportional fonts commonly employ two techniques
+to improve the esthetics of typeset text.
+.I Ligatures
+are sequences of glyphs that are visually connected or \[lq]tied\[rq],
+overlapping them and slightly altering their shapes.
+.
+.I Kerning
+is the adjustment of horizontal spacing between glyphs.
+.
+Neither is employed on terminals.
+.
+(A monospaced font may possess ligature glyphs,
+but they nevertheless seldom see use to set text.)
+.
+.
+.P
+Most typesetters support ligatures for the sequences
+\[lq]fi\[rq],
+\[lq]fl\[rq],
+\[lq]ff\^\[rq],\" The hair space `\^` is a kludge--see Savannah #67544.
+\[lq]ffi\[rq],
+and
+\[lq]ffl\[rq],
+and
+.I troff \" generic
+formatters do likewise.
+.
+Some fonts may include others,
+but
+GNU
+.I troff \" GNU
+does not (yet) support them.
+.
+.
+.P
+The formatter checks only the current font
+for ligatures and kerning adjustments:
+neither glyphs from special fonts nor special characters
+defined with the
+.B char
+request
+(and its siblings)
+are considered
+for these processes.
+.
+.
+.P
+.I "Pairwise kerning"
+modifies the distance between adjacent glyphs in a pair,
+improving readability.
+.
+In most cases,
+this alteration is a decrease.
+.
+.if t \{\
+Consider the letters \[lq]V\[rq] and \[lq]A\[rq] set adjacently.
+.
+With kerning,
+\[lq]VA\[rq] is rendered.
+.
+Without kerning,
+they appear as \[lq]V\&A\[rq].
+.
+.\}
+Monospaced (typewriter-like) fonts,
+and therefore terminals,
+don't use kerning.
+.
+.
+.P
+.I "Track kerning"
+expands or reduces the space between glyphs.
+.
+This can be handy,
+for example,
+if you need to squeeze a long word onto a single line
+or spread some text to fill a narrow column.
+.
+It must be used with great care
+since it is usually considered bad typography
+if the reader notices the effect.
+.
+.
+.\" man-page-only feature summary
+.P
+The
+.B lg
+request configures the
+.I "ligature mode,"
+the
+.B kern
+request enables or disables pairwise glyph kerning,
+and the
+.B tkf
+request configures track kerning.
+.\" recall @ref{Characters and Glyphs}.
+.\" END Keep (roughly) parallel with groff.texi node "Ligatures and
+.\" Kerning".
+.
+.
+.\" ====================================================================
.SH "Control structures"
.\" ====================================================================
.
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