The term Hors Texte is used in the printing and bookbinding industry to describe content that does not form part of the main text within a book. This content can consist of maps, plates, illustrations, or any other material printed separately from the actual body of text.
Hors Texte is frequently employed to enrich a reader’s understanding of the main text or as an aesthetic addition. For instance, a history publication might incorporate images related to people and places mentioned within its pages. On the other hand, a poetry anthology could contain plates featuring copies of original manuscripts written by some of its contributors.
In some instances, Hors Texte serves to save space. An example would be if someone were producing a cookbook; there may be a fold-out map showing where specific ingredients are stored in their kitchen – making it easier for budding chefs to find what they need when preparing dishes at home.
When creating Hors Texte, attention to design and execution is essential for its effectiveness – good Hors Texte should be invisible, not drawing attention away from the text.
Hors texte (French: “outside the text”) is a printing term for material inserted in a book but not part of the main text. It may include illustrations, maps, diagrams, or other visual material. Note that Hors Texte is not synonymous with appendix. An appendix contains extra material that supplements the main text. Meanwhile, Hors Texte usually refers to something essential to understanding it.
The purpose of Hors Texte is to provide readers with visual aids that help them understand ideas in the text more easily. Often, these are used instead of lengthy descriptions that would interrupt the reading flow. For example, rather than giving a blow-by-blow description of how a city’s streets are laid out, you could include a map such as Hors Texte.
Although most associated with books, Hors Texte can be found elsewhere on newspaper websites. Generally, if visual elements are deployed alongside words to enhance understanding, they count as Hors Texte.