Versicle and response symbols

Question

I want to properly typeset the versicle and response symbols. The versicle symbol looks like this:

and the response symbol is the same but with "R" instead of "V".

The Comprehensive LaTeX Symbol List provides a solution which requires XeLaTeX and the Junicode font, but is there a way to properly typeset the symbols using pdfLaTeX (i.e. is there a package which provides the symbols)? If not, what is the best way to construct the symbols manually?

I managed to construct something that looks like a versicle with

\newcommand{\versicle}{$\mathbf{\not{\mkern -3mu \mathrm{V}}}$}

but I'm not skilled at constructing symbols and I know that's not right.

I'm open to using XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX if necessary to properly typeset these symbols but I'd like to know if there is a good way to do it with pdfLaTeX.

An example of the use of these symbols can be found in, e.g., Wikipedia's article on the Tantum ergo:

@Bernard No, I used math mode simply so I could use \not for the slash. My code is very much a hack, just to demonstrate that I tried to make my own but lack the skill/knowledge to do it. — Null, Jul 01 '19 at 20:15

Bernard · Answer 1 · 2019-07-01T21:53:59.827

8

Here is a possibility with stackengine.

\documentclass[border = 6pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{stackengine}
\newcommand{\versicle}{\kern-0.25em \stackinset{r}{0.33ex}{c}{}{\rotatebox{-30}{\normalsize$\rceil$}}{V}}

\newcommand{\response}{\kern-0.25em\stackinset{r}{0.35ex}{c}{}{ \rotatebox{-30}{\normalsize$\rceil$}}{R}}

\begin{document}

 A \versicle B \quad C \response D 

\end{document}

edited Jul 01 '19 at 21:53

answered Jul 01 '19 at 20:34

Bernard

271,350

That looks a lot better than mine, +1! The symbols aren't used in math mode, though, so I'd have \versicle and \response enter and exit math mode as part of the marco. I added an example of the use of the symbols to my question to better show the usage. – Null Jul 01 '19 at 20:51
Beware the code used some math kerning, so you'd have to convert it to ordinary kerning (and change the unit – mu is a unit specifically for math kerning. – Bernard Jul 01 '19 at 21:39
I've updated my answer for text mode. The code is simpler. Please see if it's fine for you. – Bernard Jul 01 '19 at 21:55
How did I miss this question? LOL! +1 for stackengine – Steven B. Segletes Jul 02 '19 at 10:39
1

@StevenB.Segletes: it's my favourite tool to make new symbols out of other symbols… – Bernard Jul 02 '19 at 10:48
This is pretty good. I tweaked your code a bit to make the symbols look a little more accurate, in my opinion (I mainly adjusted the argument to \rotatebox from -30 to -25, which makes the slash look more parallel to the right side of the V). No big deal. One issue I found by accident while testing, though, is that the slash doesn't scale properly when I increase the font size (I only intend to use the normal font size but I tried to use a very large font size while testing to see the symbols better). @egreg's solution seems to scale properly. Can that be fixed with this solution? – Null Jul 02 '19 at 15:35
Except a \scalebox, a priori, I don't see. Maybe, if it's for a casual use, replace\normalsizein the fifth argument of\stackinsetwith something like\largeor\Large`. Could you post an example? – Bernard Jul 02 '19 at 15:48
When I was testing I simply used \Huge \versicle\ \response in the document. I agree that I'd need to replace the \normalsize argument with whatever the current font size setting is. I'd like to automatically detect the current font size setting but I've been searching TeX.SE and I haven't found a way to do it. I guess the alternative would be to add an argument to the \versicle and \response commands to give it the desired font size setting (typically \normalsize but could be \large or whatever). – Null Jul 02 '19 at 16:08
It's an idea. Maybe, an optional argument, defaulting to \normalsize. Or ask the automatic detection of the font size? I'm no LaTeX guru, and have no idea about this. – Bernard Jul 02 '19 at 16:14
Yeah, it would have to be a separate question on how to automatically detect the font size. Even if you don't know the answer to that you certainly seem to be a LaTeX guru with 183k reputation! I've accepted egreg's solution since it scales automatically but thanks for your help (I've already upvoted your answer). – Null Jul 02 '19 at 16:28

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 01 '19 at 21:42

A poorman’s version:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx}

\makeatletter
\DeclareRobustCommand{\versicle}{\vers@resp{-0.1em}{V}}
\DeclareRobustCommand{\response}{\vers@resp{0pt}{R}}

\newcommand{\vers@resp@sym}{\raisebox{0.2ex}{\rotatebox[origin=c]{-20}{$\m@th\rceil$}}}

\newcommand{\vers@resp}[2]{%
  {\ooalign{\hidewidth\kern#1\vers@resp@sym\hidewidth\cr#2\cr}}%
}
\makeatother

\begin{document}

\versicle

\response

\end{document}

You may need to fine tune the parameters for a different font.

Geremia · Answer 3 · 2022-01-16T21:22:42.217

℣ (U+2123) and ℟ (U+211F) are Unicode characters, so use a font that has these characters (e.g., Noto Serif):

\usepackage{fontspec}
\setmainfont{<name of font with these characters>}

Or you can specify a fallback font, where Nimbus Roman lacks ℣ and ℟, so we use Noto Serif's:

\usepackage{fontspec, newunicodechar} 
\setmainfont{Nimbus Roman}
\newfontfamily{\fallbackfont}{Noto Serif}
\DeclareTextFontCommand{\textfallback}{\fallbackfont}
\newunicodechar{℣}{\textfallback{℣}}
\newunicodechar{℟}{\textfallback{℟}}

^{courtesy: "Define fallback font for specific Unicode characters in LuaLaTeX"}

See page 297 of The Comprehensive LaTeX Symbol List (5 May 2021 rev.).

score 3 · Answer 4 · edited Mar 14 '23 at 15:53

3

There is a very simple way to do that: using "gregorio" in LualaTex:

% !TEX TS-program = lualatex
\documentclass{article}

\usepackage[bitstream-charter]{mathdesign}%I like this font, but you can use another font.
\usepackage{gregoriosyms}

\begin{document}
\Vbar
\Rbar
\end{document}

edited Mar 14 '23 at 15:53

Kljunas2

15

answered Oct 14 '19 at 12:43

Andres Diaz

51
5

Versicle and response symbols

4 Answers4

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