Literal Text Classification

The literal classification of text includes the following HTML elements:

Let's start by reformatting the opening paragraph to the Declaration of Independence:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

The HTML elements would be (highlighted for easier visibility):

<I>When in the Course of human events,</I> it becomes necessary for <U>one people to dissolve the political bands</U> which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind <B>requires that they should declare the causes</B> which impel them to the separation.

Now let's take a look at teletype and strike-through. Using the same opening paragraph from the Declaration of Independence, I've combined the wording of a draft of the Declaration of Independence with the final version approved by Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. In fact, this is an excellent example of why you would want strike-through text...to maintain an exact record of changes:

When, in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for a one people to advance from that subordination in which they have hitherto remained, dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the equal and independent separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's god Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the change separation.

The HTML elements would be (highlighted for easier visibility):

When<s>,</s> in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for
<s>a</s> one people to <s>advance from that subordination in which they have
hitherto remained, </s> dissolve the political bands which have connected
them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the <s>equal
and independent</s> separate and equal station to which the <s>laws of nature
and of nature's god</s> Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a
decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare
the causes which impel them to the <s>change</s> separation.

which includes HTML elements that are interpreted literally by the browser. This includes bolding and italicizing text, making it big or small, creating a tele typeface (monospaced text), underlining text, and striking through text.

Literal text formatting may at first seem to "fly in the face" of the concept of a markup language because it calls for specific presentation characteristics. However, the interpretation of the text formatting is still

To see how this works, try this exercise:

1. Click the View It button for the HTML Editor below. Notice that the browser displays a single paragraph. (Feel free to close the example browser example window after you see the results.)
   
   
2. Insert multiple blank spaces in the middle of the paragraph, as well as multiple blank lines, in the HTML EDITOR...in fact, go hog wild with the spacing! Then, click the View It button. Notice that the browser still only displays a single paragraph, demonstrating that spacing itself is ignored in the HTML file unless it is spacing defined by HTML elements.
   
   
3. Insert the <P> tag anywhere in the middle of the paragraph and click the View It button. Notice that the browser displays two separate paragraphs.

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