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The Greek Font Society finally make them available to the public. Its type- faces provide support for the “extended” Greek block Vassilios Tsagkalos of Unicode, while older typefaces include the original Abstract ligatures and abbreviated forms — end result: as far as possible, each typeface is intended as a complete The Greek Font Society is a part of Greece standing tool for the user and a historical sample to every new against a predominantly easy-going culture. type designer who may wish to learn the history of Background and goals his/her art before attempting to design. Although polytonic Greek is technically sup- The text that follows is a translation of a text that ported, this does not mean that GFS’s statutory originally appeared in Greek in (Eutypon), Εὔτυπον goals include reversion to the polytonic system. (As the newsletter of the Greek T X Friends Group (see E of 1982, the official grammar of the Greek state is http://www.eutypon.gr). The text has been trans- monotonic Modern Greek.) GFS is not a literary or lated into English by the original author. linguistic union that can take a collective position A non-profit organization committed to study- on issues outside its area of expertise. Its goal is ing meticulously, creating superbly and offering open- to reinforce and promote Greek typography in our ly: the Greek Font Society (GFS) was founded in globalized milieu, that is, it stretches out to reach 1992 with the express aim of contributing to the users not necessarily located in Greece but every research of Greek typography and supporting Greek user of the Greek language around the world. Since typefaces in a digital environment. Its Board of the Greek script has evolved through several forms Directors consists of Mikhail V. Sakellariou (Pres- during the millennia, different scholars should be ident), Lili Macrakis (Vice-President), Dimitris G. offered the technical prospect of using it in their Portolos (Secretary), Lena G. Savidis (Treasurer), own ways: be it Greek or non-Greek researchers Giorgos E. Agouridis and Eleftheria Giakoumakis. of Homer, annotators of Papadiamantis, historians GFS’s type design program began through the collab- studying Thucydides or critics of El Greco’s work, oration of the then Vice-President Mikhail Macrakis all need to use Greek typefaces for the special needs and its artistic director, the painter-engraver Takis of their sectors. Katsoulidis, with the type designer and typogra- phy researcher George D. Matthiopoulos and the Typefaces philologist Eleni Tsialta. The current working group The public is therefore offered a continuously widen- consists of George Matthiopoulos (artistic director) ing choice of Greek OpenType fonts freely distributed and type designers Mikhail Semoglou and Natasha under the SIL Open Font License, including impor- Raissaki. GFS operates on limited resources which tant historical samples and new designs which respect leave no space for promotional campaigns; it will the typographic tradition and avoid the insensitive continue to function as long as this is manageable. and ignorant copying of Latin-based standards. As Operational costs are usually covered by subventions, GFS survives on donations, it offers its cultural work grants and financial support from various state and for free, only to remind those who tend to forget that non-state bodies. there is an alternative way of living apart from profit- The Greek Font Society was established to fill making and also in its attempt to make a positive the observed gap in systematic research of the impor- step towards the others, even to the disadvantage of tance of Greek typeface design for visual communi- one’s personal gain. cation as well as to emphasize the specific weight of In opposition to the argument made by many history, the reverberation and consolidation of visual that the Greek alphabet is in risk of extinction, be- forms in an area of artistically illiterate publishers cause its letters become more and more similar to with low typographic expectations within Greece. It the glyphs of Latin script fonts, GFS states that seeks to offer a solution today to a problem which the main enemy is not the Latin script itself but initially should have been addressed systematically rather an aversion to the knowledge of the past and as long ago as the late 19th century, in order to enjoy its teachings, the statements of our present leaders its fruits today. which lulls our vigilance, the spiritual sybaritism GFS’s work is well-described by its impressive typical of contemporary Greeks along with the poor motto: always study and continuously train your quality of most Greek libraries and the taking of eyes! That’s why they investigate the past of Greek minimum pains for every effort. Now, ‘effort’ is one typography, study the design rules that formed it, keyword for the Greek Font Society, along with the digitize and preserve historical Greek typefaces, and second keyword of ‘offer’: five majuscule typefaces TUGboat, Volume 29 (2008), No. 2 243

are offered, together with GFS Complutum Classic GFS is also preparing an anthology of Greek (with new capital letters) from the 16th century, typography, presenting books which have impacted three typefaces from the 18th century, another three the typography of Greek publications from the era from the 19th century and seven typefaces from the of earliest typography to mid-20th century, as well 20th/21st century — all free of charge! Naturally we as historical information on the publishers and ty- can only expect more free GFS fonts. pographers who created them. The anthology will As for our present (LA)TEX, GFS offers five free aim at making Greek typographic history accessible fonts: GFSDidotTeX, GFSBodoniTeX, GFSPorsonTeX, to all and enabling Greek graphic designers to come GFSNeoHellenicTeX and GFSArtemisiaTeX. That is, into contact with the history of their art by offering we do provide specific fonts and a web page dedi- images and data kept hidden on library shelves. cated to TEX, combined with a presentation of the Department of Mathematics at the University of the Interview: George Matthiopoulos Aegean and the Laboratory of Digital Typography Mr George Matthiopoulos works as a type designer and Mathematical Applications. All this is thanks for the Greek Font Society. He kindly agreed to to a collaboration of the GFS with a member of our answer the questions which Εὔτυπον put to him. Greek TEX Friends group, Antonis Tsolomitis. Need- less to say, all OpenType fonts can be used directly Q: What makes Greek typographic history worth attention and study? with X TE EX/X E LATEX. A: The history of every aspect of the art and tech- Publishing niques which shaped the course of modern Greek The Greek Font Society is also productive in pub- culture is, in my view, self-evidently worthy; add to lishing, since it has translated and designed Robert this that a better understanding of the typographic Bringhurst’s renowned book “The Elements of Ty- tradition aids the creative assimilation of the global- pographic Style,”, Crete University Press, Iraklion, ized visual communication by new generation graphic 2001, with a grant by the Stavros Niarchos Founda- designers. tion. For the occasion of the 2004 Olympic Games Q: Would you say that the Greek script receives its in Athens, GFS designed and published, also with value through the ages on the simple grounds of being the kind support of the Stavros Niarchos Founda- the carrier of the Greek language and civilization or tion, a set of seven bilingual not-for-sale publications does it have its own value due to some important (English, French, German, Modern Greek, Italian, people that have served it? Russian, and Spanish) of the 14 Olympic Odes of Pin- A: Letters are primarily communication symbols of dar using historical Greek typefaces from the 15th to a language, but in the course of time they develop the 20th century for the ancient Greek text. The An- a timeless aesthetic connection with language. The cient Greek text was typeset in seven digital redesigns Greek alphabet originated without many modifica- (one for each language) of the most celebrated Greek tions from the Phoenician alphabet and the Latin typefaces elaborated in several European countries. alphabet was derived from the Greek. [According to This publication was aimed at asserting that the the American scholar Barry B. Powel, the alphabet Olympic Games, far from becoming used up as an is a Greek invention: see Homer and the Origin of instance of immoderate commercialization, ought to the Greek Alphabet, Cambridge University Press, be generating a cultural dialogue uniting all nations. 1991.] So, any couplings between language and aes- The set was offered as a gift to all of the participating thetics are not metaphysical and immovable ideas Olympic Committees in the Games and sent to a (in the Platonic sense), but are rather shaped by range of libraries in Greece and abroad. the historical process: historical changes, such as the In 1995 the GFS organised an International Con- transition from majuscule to miniscule script (around ference, “Greek Letters: From Tablets to Pixels” at the 9th century) or the simplification of the typo- the Institute Fran¸caisd’Ath`enesin 1995, with Greek graphic case by removal of the Byzantine ligatures and foreign participants who presented their research (in the mid-18th century) were not undertaken by on the history, aesthetics and technological future individual persons but resulted from already existing of the Greek typefaces. The proceedings of the Con- changes in everyday practice. ference are downloadable in Greek from the GFS’s website, and their English translation by Mikhail S. Q: In an age of abundant impressive technological Macrakis (ed.), “Greek Letters: From Tablets to Pix- means, with many technical issues resolved, do you els”, was published by Oak Knoll Press, New Castle, think that the artistic component of typography is Delaware, 1996. served or oppressed by technological advancements? 244 TUGboat, Volume 29 (2008), No. 2

A: Like the tools of every form of art, computers and be long-lived. Greece is unfortunately not the place their software may prove to be means of emancipating to make easy predictions. those who realize the capabilities and the limitations Q: Given that young people use text editing in their of these means, but for their lazy-minded users they computers from a very young age, do you think only foster their shallow minds. Now, shallowness that there are proposals to introduce typographic flourishes around us. education in at least the secondary education level Q: Can you highlight the reasons why typographic by providing stimuli and asking for speculation on culture is absent in the Greek society today? Could it the aesthetics of our texts? be a matter of culture in general and of the utilitarian A: That would definitely be very good indeed, but I notion of knowledge? am afraid that Greek secondary education has other A: Yes, I think the answer is there. How can there be more important issues to address first. typographic education when education in general is Q: Are you bothered by the completely unaccented becoming an even more distant dream for the major- Greek appearing often on the TV, mainly on the ity? I mean here real Culture, not the industrialized news broadcast? [News captions, headlines and tran- product of our grade-aholic educational system we scriptions on Greek TV news is almost always typed have all come to accept. Aesthetical culture is even without even a tonos (the monotonic accent symbol) more demanding than the general education and this on vowels.] is a field in which modern Greece is still held back. A: No, not personally. I am rather bothered aesthet- Add to this the loss of the popular elegant taste ically by the monotonic Modern Greek. The GFS which sprang spontaneously from the people until does not claim the role of a philological leader. In just a few years ago. The “mincing machine” called a sense we are “accent neutral”, if I may use this television has ground everything from one end to neologism. As a Society, we offer the maximum range the other into a colorless and tasteless mass. You in our products, that is, polytonic Greek fonts, so see, the increased money we have made in the recent that anyone can use them in any way they see fit. decades is not enough in itself. Q: How do you explain the contradiction of a down- graded visual appearance of our texts in our age Q: Would you like to share your experience from where image aesthetics and visual representations contemporary typographic culture in other European keep the leading role? countries? Are there any immediate initiatives that A: I think I referred to this before. Those who can be taken? deal in visual communication in Greece today rarely A: The states that have always had a tradition of ty- possess any aesthetical culture which presupposes pography continue to support typographical practice knowledge of the historical tradition. Most standards and bring new ideas. Even non-central European are imported to Greece and remain unassimilated. countries like Spain and Portugal have already orga- nized the education of type design. Indeed, they all Q: Let me ask you a reasonable question: Have any have the privilege of drawing upon the centuries-long of those who are par excellence interested in the research and background of Latin script typography, diachronic Greek language and advocate it so far from which we can benefit only indirectly. The issue embraced, promoted or supported your work? I refer of typographic education is big and difficult to deal to philologists, historians, archaeologists, theologians, with in a general way. There has been more progress Universities, the Church, etc. [The Eastern Orthodox lately compared to what was happening a decade Church has never adopted monotonic Modern Greek ago, but there is a long way to go. The Greek Font and still uses the polytonic grammar in its services Society tries to lay the foundations, in order for all and most of its communication.] who become sensitive to the issue to be able to refer A: Not to the extent that one would actually expect, to sources. The Union of Greek Graphic Designers but then again what else has been institutionally has also recently demonstrated an actual interest embraced by them? Nothing, so this does not leave and we will continue to work with them. Both the us out either. Nevertheless, individual entities from School of Graphic Arts at the Athens Technolog- all of the above have individually expressed their ical Educational Institute and the Athens School solidarity with our work. of Fine Arts currently promote the teaching of ty- Q: Your website includes a special page devoted to pographic art more dynamically, as well as private TEX and offers TEX-compatible fonts. How do you educational centers and other schools. Still, I am appreciate this interest of people from exact science? not sure whether this is a momentary interest by A: I am a type designer myself, but through my certain individuals today or something that might father’s love for Mathematics I have developed an TUGboat, Volume 29 (2008), No. 2 245

intimate and warm relation with Science — although Q: The verbal poverty of Modern Greeks inevitably I do not particularly succeed in it. Furthermore, the affects the separate professional sectors too, who nor- late Mikhail Macrakis, the actual founder of GFS, mally turn to the adoption of predominantly English was a physicist. This bidirectional relationship be- terms in spite of the richness of Greek terminological tween the GFS and people from exact science came variants. Since “the start of wisdom is in the study as no surprise to me, but, if we need to be objective of the names” according to Antisthenes, does the about this, that is still a welcome mystery. Obvi- Greek Font Society intend to compile an integral ously, typography has indeed touched an unknown, dictionary of typographic terminology? until recently, sensitive string of the more “practical A: You are right. Terminology in our field is des- minds”, as the clich´egoes. I suppose we all ought to perately poor, but the technology of graphic arts be grateful to Dr Donald Knuth who identified this changes at such a fast rate that it is no longer pos- sensitive string and to Dr Antonis Tsolomitis, De- sible to catch up with the tide. Mikhail Macrakis partment of Mathematics, University of the Aegean, had also wished a glossary of typographic terms, so Samos, Greece, who makes such a remarkable effort we started an early effort during the translation and to keep this bridge open in the geographical region design of Robert Bringhurst’s book “The Elements to the east of Greece. Our reference to TEX would of Typographic Style” (Crete University Press, Irak- have been impossible without his initiative and con- lion, 2001), which included a relevant Appendix. I tribution and I would like to take this opportunity have collected much material since then, but haven’t to thank him warmly. [Naturally, with the advent managed to get the time to organize it. In any case, of X TE EX it is now possible to use any OpenType or I believe that apart from the descriptive and explana- TrueType font directly, something that has greatly tory definition of lemmas, the very onomatopoeia of simplified the job of many people.] terms is beyond my knowledge. Q: You support the Open Source “movement — free Q: Finally, on the occasion of our communication, software for all. Can you explain why to us? please allow me to congratulate you on behalf of all A: As long as the Greek Font Society manages to of the members of the Greek Font Society for the survive on grants, we have to return the trust demon- work you offer us and above all for the high quality strated to us by offering our work to those who ask level and the sensitivity it shows. I thank you for for it. The need to spread the knowledge about Greek your time! typography is too big to be hindered by our making A: I thank you in my turn for the opportunity you economic demands on those who seek this knowledge. gave us to present the Greek Font Society. “You can’t receive anything from someone who hasn’t got anything” and “share with others what others  Vassilios Tsagkalos have offered you”: that is our idea on the issue. Dip TransIoL, Voula, Attica Greece wassily (at) ath forthnet dot gr http://www.greekfontsociety.gr