So how did the classical Latin become so incoherent? According to McClintock, a 15th century typesetter likely scrambled part of Cicero’s De Finibus in order to provide placeholder text to mockup various fonts for a type specimen book. It’s difficult to find examples of lorem ipsum in use before Letraset made it popular as a dummy text in the 1960s, although McClintock says he remembers coming across the lorem ipsum passage in a book of old metal type samples. So far he hasn’t relocated where he once saw the passage, but the popularity of Cicero in the 15th century supports the theory that the filler text has been used for centuries.

Don’t bother typing “lorem ipsum” into Google translate. If you already tried, you may have gotten anything from “NATO” to “China”, depending on how you capitalized the letters. The bizarre translation was fodder for conspiracy theories, but Google has since updated its “lorem ipsum” translation to, boringly enough, “lorem ipsum”. One brave soul did take a stab at translating the almost-not-quite-Latin.

According to The Guardian, Jaspreet Singh Boparai undertook the challenge with the goal of making the text “precisely as incoherent in English as it is in Latin – and to make it incoherent in the same way”. As a result, “the Greek ‘eu’ in Latin became the French ‘bien’ […] and the ‘-ing’ ending in ‘lorem ipsum’ seemed best rendered by an ‘-iendum’ in English.”

Find Your Focus While Working

As an alternative theory, (and because Latin scholars do this sort of thing) someone tracked down a 1914 Latin edition of De Finibus which challenges McClintock’s 15th century claims and suggests that the dawn of lorem ipsum was as recent as the 20th century. The 1914 Loeb Classical Library Edition ran out of room on page 34 for the Latin phrase “dolorem ipsum” (sorrow in itself). Thus, the truncated phrase leaves one page dangling with “do-”, while another begins with the now ubiquitous “lorem ipsum”.

Whether a medieval typesetter chose to garble a well-known (but non-Biblical—that would have been sacrilegious) text, or whether a quirk in the 1914 Loeb Edition inspired a graphic designer, it’s admittedly an odd way for Cicero to sail into the 21st century.

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Second, use lorem ipsum if you think the placeholder text will be too distracting. For specific projects, collaboration between copywriters and designers may be best, however, like Karen McGrane said, draft copy has a way of turning any meeting about layout decisions into a discussion about word choice. So don’t be afraid to use lorem ipsum to keep everyone focused.

One word of caution: make sure your client knows that lorem ipsum is filler text. You don’t want them wondering why you filled their website with a foreign language, and you certainly don’t want anyone prematurely publishing it.

Author

  • Dr. Steve Smith, PharmD, is a highly accomplished clinical pharmacist, medical communicator, and patient advocate with fifteen years of dedicated experience in the global pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. Over a career spanning a decade and a half, Dr. Smith has established himself as a trusted, authoritative voice on medication management, clinical pharmacology, and the intricate biochemistry of pharmaceutical formulations.

    Holding a prestigious Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree, his professional journey has been defined by an unwavering commitment to clinical excellence, rigorous patient safety protocols, and the active demystification of complex medical science for the general public. As a writer, author, and educator, he bridges the gap between high-level chemical engineering and everyday patient care, ensuring that individuals possess the necessary knowledge required to navigate their health journeys safely, confidently, and effectively.

    Throughout his fifteen years in active clinical practice, Dr. Smith has developed a profound, specialized expertise in his prime areas of focus: drug composition and pharmaceutical combinations. He possesses an intricate, foundational understanding of how different active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) interact at a molecular level, how various excipients alter drug delivery systems, and how simultaneous therapies manifest within the human body. In an era where polypharmacy—the simultaneous use of multiple medications by a single patient—is increasingly common among aging populations, Dr. Smith’s research and literature are critical. He specializes in analyzing complex medication regimens to identify, predict, and mitigate hazardous drug-to-drug interactions, contraindications, and adverse side effects. His deep dive into drug biochemistry allows him to explain not just what a specific medication does, but precisely how its structural composition dictates its therapeutic path, metabolic rate, efficacy, and overall safety profile within diverse patient demographics.

    Beyond his technical specialization in pharmacology, Dr. Smith’s extensive writing portfolio spans a comprehensive spectrum of broader healthcare topics. He frequently covers the detailed pathophysiology of various chronic and acute diseases, outlining how conditions like cardiovascular disorders, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndromes, and autoimmune diseases develop and progress over time. By linking disease mechanics directly to therapeutic interventions, he helps patients understand the fundamental reason behind their prescribed treatment plans. Furthermore, his work deeply emphasizes holistic patient well-being, exploring how lifestyle choices, targeted nutrition, physical activity, and preventative care intersect with traditional pharmaceutical treatments. Dr. Smith firmly believes that optimal health outcomes are only achieved when patients are treated as whole individuals, rather than a mere collection of isolated symptoms, and his literature reflects this balanced, integrative approach to modern medicine.

    As an author, Dr. Smith excels at translating dense clinical trial data, medical journals, and regulatory FDA guidelines into highly accessible, engaging, and actionable content. He deliberately strips away intimidating medical jargon, replacing it with clear, universal language that empowers patients, family caregivers, and health enthusiasts alike. His articles, guides, and educational materials serve as a vital shield against internet medical misinformation, providing evidence-based, scientifically accurate insights that readers can rely on to make informed choices.

    Whether he is breaking down the chemical makeup of a newly approved blockbuster drug, warning against dangerous over-the-counter combinations, or outlining standardized protocols for long-term chronic disease management, his ultimate goal remains completely unchanging: to foster universal health literacy, enhance patient autonomy, reduce preventable medical errors, and save lives through empathetic education. Today, Dr. Smith continues to write, consult, and advocate for safer, more transparent pharmaceutical practices across the healthcare industry.

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About admin_steven

Dr. Steve Smith, PharmD, is a highly accomplished clinical pharmacist, medical communicator, and patient advocate with fifteen years of dedicated experience in the global pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. Over a career spanning a decade and a half, Dr. Smith has established himself as a trusted, authoritative voice on medication management, clinical pharmacology, and the intricate biochemistry of pharmaceutical formulations. Holding a prestigious Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree, his professional journey has been defined by an unwavering commitment to clinical excellence, rigorous patient safety protocols, and the active demystification of complex medical science for the general public. As a writer, author, and educator, he bridges the gap between high-level chemical engineering and everyday patient care, ensuring that individuals possess the necessary knowledge required to navigate their health journeys safely, confidently, and effectively. Throughout his fifteen years in active clinical practice, Dr. Smith has developed a profound, specialized expertise in his prime areas of focus: drug composition and pharmaceutical combinations. He possesses an intricate, foundational understanding of how different active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) interact at a molecular level, how various excipients alter drug delivery systems, and how simultaneous therapies manifest within the human body. In an era where polypharmacy—the simultaneous use of multiple medications by a single patient—is increasingly common among aging populations, Dr. Smith’s research and literature are critical. He specializes in analyzing complex medication regimens to identify, predict, and mitigate hazardous drug-to-drug interactions, contraindications, and adverse side effects. His deep dive into drug biochemistry allows him to explain not just what a specific medication does, but precisely how its structural composition dictates its therapeutic path, metabolic rate, efficacy, and overall safety profile within diverse patient demographics. Beyond his technical specialization in pharmacology, Dr. Smith’s extensive writing portfolio spans a comprehensive spectrum of broader healthcare topics. He frequently covers the detailed pathophysiology of various chronic and acute diseases, outlining how conditions like cardiovascular disorders, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndromes, and autoimmune diseases develop and progress over time. By linking disease mechanics directly to therapeutic interventions, he helps patients understand the fundamental reason behind their prescribed treatment plans. Furthermore, his work deeply emphasizes holistic patient well-being, exploring how lifestyle choices, targeted nutrition, physical activity, and preventative care intersect with traditional pharmaceutical treatments. Dr. Smith firmly believes that optimal health outcomes are only achieved when patients are treated as whole individuals, rather than a mere collection of isolated symptoms, and his literature reflects this balanced, integrative approach to modern medicine. As an author, Dr. Smith excels at translating dense clinical trial data, medical journals, and regulatory FDA guidelines into highly accessible, engaging, and actionable content. He deliberately strips away intimidating medical jargon, replacing it with clear, universal language that empowers patients, family caregivers, and health enthusiasts alike. His articles, guides, and educational materials serve as a vital shield against internet medical misinformation, providing evidence-based, scientifically accurate insights that readers can rely on to make informed choices. Whether he is breaking down the chemical makeup of a newly approved blockbuster drug, warning against dangerous over-the-counter combinations, or outlining standardized protocols for long-term chronic disease management, his ultimate goal remains completely unchanging: to foster universal health literacy, enhance patient autonomy, reduce preventable medical errors, and save lives through empathetic education. Today, Dr. Smith continues to write, consult, and advocate for safer, more transparent pharmaceutical practices across the healthcare industry.