The word “rubric”

In Swedish, headings are called “rubriker”. That’s also the word for news headlines.

I learned that the name comes from rubrica, a Latin word that’s about the red ochre pigment.

a word or section of text that is traditionally written or printed in red ink for emphasis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubric

Then the text says:

Rubric can also mean the red ink or paint used to make rubrics, or the pigment used to make it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubric

And then it just goes on and on about different meanings that the word can also have.

I think I’d like to begin making these red (or other-colored) section markings. Just the text being in a different color. Simultaneously subtle and flashy. Also, it’d be quite easy to say “third paragraph”, when they are marked in red.

This example is from The Gradual of John I Albert (Poland)

Published by olleolleolle

Olle is a programmer, enjoying sunny Malmö in Sweden.

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1 Comment

  1. “Rubric” is a much-beloved work among elementary school teachers and consultants here: they use it without thinking that parents have no idea, generally, what they are talking about. Their meaning appears, from the evidence, to be “the things in my class that you are expected to learn,” thought that’s not entirely clear.

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