Oblique

Also called slanted roman, slnt, sloped roman

Type
2D

A slanted version of the roman with its letter structures intact — Helvetica Oblique, and every sans that calls its slant an italic. A drawn oblique is optically corrected as it slants; a synthesised one is a shear, which thins the verticals and fattens the diagonals. The slnt variable axis makes slant continuous.

A two-column comparison headed "Whether the letterforms were redrawn". The left column is titled Oblique and reads: the roman, slanted — same letter structures, double-storey a, f with no descender; Helvetica Oblique. The right is titled Italic and reads: a separate cursive design — single-storey a, descending f, entry and exit strokes; Garamond Italic. The letters are named in that prose rather than set: the italic entry's own figure sets them.

In practice

slnt is measured in counter-clockwise degrees from upright, so a rightward lean is a negative value — the opposite sign from CSS font-style: oblique 14deg. Genuine footgun; check both ends.

Not to be confused with

ItalicA separately drawn companion to a roman, based on a cursive hand: narrower, with different letter structures — a single-storey a, an f with a descender, entry and exit strokes — not merely a slanted roman. Italics began as standalone text faces in the 1500s and only later became the roman's subordinate partner for emphasis.

How this term connects

Related Confused with

In practice

Not to be confused with

Related

How this term connects

Referenced by