In a square-angled bracket, what is the name of the short horizontal lines at the top/bottom of the vertical line? ex. [ ]
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2 Answers
Depending on how the glyph is constructed, "arm" is probably your best bet. Some brackets are drawn in such a way that they might pass as serifs, though.
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Nope. You'll find an "arm" on the cap Y, though. Bars are horizontal.– StanCommented Aug 29, 2013 at 2:04
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@Stan I'm not saying you're wrong, but I would like a source citation before I consider updating. My reference said that a bar "differs from an arm and a cross stroke because each end connects to a stem or stroke" and that an arm "is the horizontal stroke on some characters that does not connect to a stroke or stem at one or both ends."– BrendanCommented Aug 29, 2013 at 13:44
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I would agree with you; but, then we'd both be wrong. My reference goes to anatomy. A Y and a T both have two "arms" while the K has one "arm" and a "tail." By your reference, an E has 3 "arms" (a physical freak). The terms developed to describe the look of the letters– StanCommented Aug 29, 2013 at 20:43
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How can a horizontal stroke on some letters not connect to a stroke or stem at one or both ends? Wouldn't that define a dash? Maybe consult with other correct references? They may draw a finer distinction between the terms, arm and bar. ... I may not be right; but, I'm never in doubt.– StanCommented Aug 29, 2013 at 21:12
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@Stan: I think it means "has at least one end which is not connected". Thus, the horizontal line of an "H" would be a "bar" since both ends of it connect to other members.– supercatCommented Aug 17, 2014 at 18:09
They are called bars. If horizontal bars cross the stroke, they are called crossbars.
