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Typography is not just picking out a letter font and typing away; there is a whole system and a bunch of specific terms behind it. For example, a professional working with typography might use such terms as leading, kerning, foot, vertex, crotch and swash on a daily basis. Now, we are not going to drown you in stiff scientific language explaining all that, but rather show you what one of these words, kerning, means.

If you'd to check a dictionary, you'd find that kern might mean a yokel, but that's not the meaning used in typography. Kerning basically describes the horizontal spacing between two consecutive characters used in a font. When type was printed using cast metal, parts that needed to overlap adjacent letters hung off the edge. Computer typefaces might have manual, automatic, or no kerning whatsoever for every different font styles; no kerning can make it appear that there is a space between letters, while automatic kerning produces mixed results.

Still wondering why letter spacing is so important? Well, typography design fails can ruin (or make hilarious) even the best thought-out text, as the examples below demonstrate. It turns out that there is only a few millimeters difference between 'clicks' and 'dicks,' 'therapist' and 'the rapist.'

Scroll down below to see these funny fails and more for yourself!

#2

Another Reminder That Yes, Fonts And Kerning Matter

Another Reminder That Yes, Fonts And Kerning Matter

Norcross Report

#3

I'm Sorry, What's Broken?

I'm Sorry, What's Broken?

imgur.com Report

#4

Badly Misspelled Name

Badly Misspelled Name

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SagaaboyzR
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wonder how the worker would call him after the beverage is ready to serve.

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#6

My Math Teacher Also Taught Us The Importance Of Kerning

My Math Teacher Also Taught Us The Importance Of Kerning

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#8

Space Bar, You Had One Job

Space Bar, You Had One Job

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#9

Hey Walmart... Kerning Is Important

Hey Walmart... Kerning Is Important

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#10

Worst Tart Ever

Worst Tart Ever

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#11

Bad Kerning, Good 'shrooms

Bad Kerning, Good 'shrooms

mtstradling Report

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Maureen Mower
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, if you think about where mushrooms grow, it's not that far off.

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#12

My Aunt In The Philippines Made A Nice Birthday Cake For My Relative Curt

My Aunt In The Philippines Made A Nice Birthday Cake For My Relative Curt

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KristyStaples
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's a cursive lowercase "r", sorry kids, doesn't look like an "n" ... do they even teach cursive anymore (some one called it old font, lmao, cute) ?

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#13

Sign Above The Megaflicks Store

Sign Above The Megaflicks Store

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#14

Maybe They Should Pick A Different Font Next Time

Maybe They Should Pick A Different Font Next Time

Pterodactyl418 Report

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#17

Lightpost In The Way = Very Awkward Abbreviation!

Lightpost In The Way = Very Awkward Abbreviation!

www.flickr.com Report

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MichaelWilliamson
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the Commonwealth, "a*s." is association, "a**e" is the posterior. So this is only funny to Americans and some Canadians.

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#18

Fast Food

Fast Food

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#19

Somehow I'm Not Surprised They Went Out Of Business

Somehow I'm Not Surprised They Went Out Of Business

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#20

Falmouth Based Company Pendennis... Getting In Wrong

Falmouth Based Company Pendennis... Getting In Wrong

www.westbriton.co.uk Report

#22

Letter Spacing Can Make All The Difference

Letter Spacing Can Make All The Difference

ColonelBuckwheat Report

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FrederickPortillo
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

think the employee that posted the letters for this sign was trying to pull a "fhritp"?

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#24

Wtf? What Does This Asian Restaurant In Germany Offer?

Wtf? What Does This Asian Restaurant In Germany Offer?

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CindyLou-Who
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

An Asian Restaurant supposedly in Germany........... that writes in American /English

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#25

Experience Anu's Passion!

Experience Anu's Passion!

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#26

For Those Whose Needs Go Beyond Justice Cream Alone

For Those Whose Needs Go Beyond Justice Cream Alone

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#27

They Pay You To Buy Them!

They Pay You To Buy Them!

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