Harmonizing Bilingual Layouts: A Proposal of Latin–Arabic Typographic Classifications

Abstract

Under the influence of globalization and multinational communication, the English language has become the steering script utilized in visual design. It has displaced other local languages and scripts and imposed a monolingual design outcome. This affected the design process and the end-product both globally and locally, fueling the loss of local design culture and dismissing the local script in countries where English is not the primary language of communication. This paper highlights the importance of bilingual Latin-Arabic typographic layouts, in order to preserve the Arabic script, the local language and culture alongside the mainstream. It aims to serve as an initial model for other multi scripts approaches. It stages the process and the challenges of designing bilingual systems. The focus is on applying suitable and harmonious bilingual Latin-Arabic typographic schemes to maintain the local script while equally and harmoniously coexisting with the multinational English counterpart. This proposal presents multiple bilingual layout classifications to equip designers in better understanding duality and creating harmonious bilingual compositions while preserving the local script.

Keywords:

• bilingual Latin-Arabic typographic layouts
• cultural homogenization
• local script
• bilingual layout classification
• typography

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Randa Abdel Baki

Randa Abdel Baki is a scholar, design educator, and designer residing in Beirut, Lebanon. In 2009, she served for five consecutive years as the Chairperson of the Graphic Design Department at the Lebanese American University (LAU) and, in 2018–2020, assumed the position of Chair of the Department of Art & Design at LAU. Baki’s designs and work have been exhibited and published internationally. She completed her graduate studies at Pratt Institute in NYC, where she also worked extensively as a consultant and art director for clients such as Proctor & Gamble, GM, Citibank, Sotheby’s, Estée Lauder, and the United Nations. Her scholarly studies in design and bilingual typography made her a reference on the subject matter. [email protected]