Here is a chronological set of examples of the ano teleia in use. Its frequency in Greek texts is similar to that of long dashes, and its function is similar to a semi-colon: a pause in speech shorter than a full stop, but without the conditionality or narrative continuity that is implied by a comma.
The examples give context for the character, and demonstrate its uninterrupted use, across a range of text genres.
1591 A magnificent folio edition by Henri Estienne with the grec du roi. Three rows below the fist, a nice heavy ano teleia.1619 A style imitating the grec du roi, with much less elegance, in an Heliodorus Aethiopicorum printed by Febvrier in Paris.1708 The same style further degraded, printed in a small format by Wetstein in Amsterdam.1745 Alexander Wilson’s exceptional Greek for the Foulis Press. Here the ano teleia is again heavy, and sticking slightly above the top of the letters.1763 Baskerville’s under-rated Greek has relatively light diacritics, but heavy punctuation.1785 Caslon’s specimen shows the continuity of the Greek cursive style, and consistently heavy, top-aligned ano teleia.1800 One of the finest uses of the style, Oxford’s Homer (in types of Dutch origin) has the ano teleia placed higher than similar typefaces.1830 Didot’s reference typeface has the ano teleia at the appropriate height, and generously spaced from the preceding letter.1927 Scholderer’s New Hellenic in its first specimen, with the ano teleia correct in terms of height, but too close to the rho.1980 One of Hestia’s long-running series of Greek authors (in this case the superlative Karagatsis) typeset in Monotype Didot (Series 90): here the ano teleia is spaced well from the preceding, and has not been give the extra space during typesetting that the question mark has.1980s probably; undated publication from Nicosia, in a version of the New Hellenic. Interesting for the use of the ano teleia before the abbreviation for “and” (π.χ.).1982 Ministry of Education -produced book for the 3rd year of secondary school (year 9 overall). A miserly edition with a washed-out Helvetica for the main text, and Optima for the footnote. The ano teleia, three lines above the pointer, is slightly low, and too thin.
1990 Another example of the Series 90, from Gnosis (a now defunct, but notable publisher). This example is particularly interesting because it shows not only five ano teleias in tight sequence (near the top) but an ano teleia in conjunction with a long dash, which is a stronger pause than that of the ano teleia. In this case, the phrasing is quite nuanced.1994 An interesting use of the ano teleia in a translation of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, three lines and one line above the pointer. Here the ano teleia is used to keep the pacing of the monologue.
1997 From the – then – avant garde magazine Oxy, with an ano teleia at the height of a mid dot.2002 A digital Series 90, probably converted from phototype data, printing too light.2003 A poetry edition by Metechmio, particularly interesting for the lack of punctuation at the end of verses.2006 A typical edition by Agra, one of the most typographically aware publishers in Greece. Notably, despite the wide availability of typefaces for text, the Didot style perseveres very successfully in quality book typography.
2006 An insert from a CD by a popular musician. Four ano teleias used in verse; too light in this font.
2008 From Index, a current affairs magazine. Typeset in Fedra Greek, with ano teleias somewhat low.2011 From Kathimerini newspaper’s weekly magazine insert. Typeset in a rather clunky font with completely wrong tonos over the lower-case (but correct before the capitals) and ano teleias annoyingly high.
