Foolscap folio: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 15:08, 15 April 2017

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{{mergefrom|F4_(paper)|date=September 2014}}

'''Foolscap folio''' (commonly contracted to '''foolscap''' or '''folio''') is [[paper]] cut to the size of {{convert|8+1/2|xx|13+1/2|in|0}} (for "normal" writing paper, {{convert|13|xx|8|in|abbr=on}}). This was a traditional [[paper size]] used in Europe and the British Commonwealth, before the adoption of the international standard [[A4 paper]].

A full foolscap paper sheet is actually {{convert|17|xx|13+1/2|in|0}} in size, and a [[folio (printing)|folio]] sheet of any type is half the standard sheet size or a subdivision of this into halves, quarters and so on.

Ring binders or lever arch files designed to hold Foolscap folios are often used to hold A4 paper ({{convert|210|xx|297|mm|disp=comma|abbr=on|frac=8}}). The slightly larger size of such a binder offers greater protection to the edges of the pages it contains.

==History==

Foolscap was named after the [[Court jester|fool]]'s caps and bells [[watermark]] commonly used from the fifteenth century onwards on paper of these dimensions.<ref>{{cite book |author=Müller, Lothar |title=White Magic: The Age of Paper. |place=Cambridge|publisher=Polity Press |date=2014|page=173}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/foolscap|title=Foolscap|last=Anon|work=The Free Dictionary|publisher=Farlex Inc.|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref> The earliest example of such paper that is firmly dated was made in Germany in 1479. Unsubstantiated anecdotes suggest that this watermark was introduced to England in 1580 by [[John Spilman]], a German who established a papermill at [[Dartford (borough)|Dartford]], Kent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cityark.medway.gov.uk/gallery/|title=Entry in the Dartford Holy Trinity parish register for Sir John Spielman (Spillman), 8 November 1626|last=Anon|work=Medway: City Ark Document Gallery|publisher=Medway Council|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref> Apocryphally, the [[Rump Parliament]] substituted a fool's cap for the royal arms as a watermark on the paper used for the journals of parliament.{{cn|date=March 2017}}

==Oficio==

In Brazil, the {{convert|8+1/2|×|13|in|1}} paper size is usually named Folio''folio'', and it is also sometimes called Ofício''ofício II'', a reference to the {{convert|8+1/2|×|14|in|1|adj=on}} paper size (which is named Legal''legal'' but in Portuguese is better known as Ofício)''ofício''.

In Venezuela, the {{convert|8+1/2|×|13|in|1}} paper size is named Oficio''oficio''. While laws expressly permit any paper size, public offices require all documents to be presented in Oficiooficio paper size.

Ring binders or lever arch files designed to hold Foolscap folios are often used to hold A4 paper ({{convert|210|xx|297|mm|disp=comma|abbr=on|frac=8}}). The slightly larger size of such a binder offers greater protection to the edges of the pages it contains.

==F4==

*{{see [[also|Paper size]]s#F4}}

'''F4''' is a [[paper format]] of size {{convert|210|x|330|mm|in|2|abbr=on}}.<ref>[http://www.prographic.com/Paper_sizes/body_paper_sizes.html Prographic paper sizes] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040704181010/http://www.prographic.com/Paper_sizes/body_paper_sizes.html |date=July 4, 2004 }}</ref> Although metric, based on the [[A4 paper size]], and named to suggest that it is part of the official [[ISO 216]] paper sizes, it appears to beis only a ''de facto'' standard.

It may be referred to as "foolscap" or "folio" because of its similarity to the traditional [[Foolscap folio]] size of {{convert|8+1/2|×|13+1/2|in|mm|1}}.

It may be referred to as "foolscap" or "folio" because of its similarity to the traditional [[Foolscapfoolscap folio]] size of {{convert|8+1/2|×|13+1/2|in|mm|1}}.

==See also==

*[[F4 (paper)]] – this is sometimes called foolscap even though the dimensions are not usually {{convert|8+1/2|x|13+1/2|in|1}}.

* [[Paper size]]s

==References==