Ah, the great typographic debate. No, not Comic Sans vs. Sanity, but that other deliciously nerdy controversy: one space or two after a full stop?
If you’re the type to add two spaces after a period, congratulations—you’re either over 40, learned to type on a typewriter, or are part-time possessed by the ghost of a 1950s secretary. Maybe all three. And if you’re under 30 and still using two spaces? I regret to inform you that you might be a time traveler from the past, and someone probably misses their IBM Selectric.
Let’s dig into this grammatical rabbit hole.
It All Started with Typewriters (aka Texting with a Jackhammer)
Back in Ye Olde Days of mechanical typewriters—think Mad Men, click-clack keys, and ashtrays on desks—every letter was the same width. It didn’t matter if it was a skinny ‘i’ or a wide-hipped ‘W’, each took up the same real estate. This is what they call monospaced fonts, and yes, they were about as subtle as a marching band in a library.
Because of that, full stops didn’t visually stand out much, which meant readers needed a little extra white space to process that a sentence had ended. So, the double space was born, like a helpful Labrador guiding your eyes across the page. It made sense back then.
Fast-forward to the age of computers, and suddenly proportional fonts strutted onto the scene. Letters could now be whatever width they wanted—‘m’ could take up more space, ‘l’ less. It was the typographic equivalent of inventing yoga pants. Everything looked better. But those two spaces? They stuck around like that one friend who still burns CDs and uses a Hotmail account.
The Typographic Revolt
By the time digital publishing came along, typographers everywhere were clutching their kerning and gasping, “Why are there gaps the size of Kansas between your sentences?!” It made text look like it had commitment issues, pausing awkwardly between each sentence like it just remembered something embarrassing from 2008.
Modern style guides—APA, MLA, Chicago, even the ghost of Strunk & White—have all weighed in with a resounding “One space, please. We’re not animals.” Yet, some die-hards cling to the double space like it’s their beloved childhood teddy bear. Possibly named “Spacey.”
The Emotional Argument
People defend two spaces with the passion of someone insisting pineapple does belong on pizza. They’ll say, “It’s how I was taught!”—and that’s fair. So was cursive. But we’ve since learned there are better ways. Like typing “LOL” instead of writing a 14-page handwritten letter that just says “Ha.”
Conclusion: Set Your Spaces Free
The double space is a relic. It’s charming, like vinyl records or dial-up internet. But in modern times, it just doesn’t serve a purpose—unless your goal is to mildly irritate every graphic designer and editor you meet. In which case, carry on, you chaotic legend.
So next time your thumb hovers over that spacebar for a second tap, pause. Reflect. And know that you’re one space away from being stylish, sleek, and slightly less like someone whose favorite font is Wingdings.
And that, my friend, is the full stop on that.
[SPACE]
[SPACE]
Just kidding. Stop that.
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