Nilsu Atilgan¹, Hilary Palmen², Mert Kucuk³, Ben D. Sawyer¹; ¹University of Central Florida, ²Google, ³Bogazici University

The influence of text properties like character spacing and font on readability has been extensively studied in Western languages using Latin scripts (Beier et al., 2022). Recent advancements in variable font technology now allow investigations into specific font features, such as weight, a highly impactful axis in typography (Dobres et al., 2016). Despite the global use of digital documents, non-Latin scripts remain underexplored. To address this gap, we examined how font weight affects the perceived expressiveness of reading materials in English and Arabic. Using Noto Sans, a typeface with extensive language coverage, 50 bilingual participants read sentences adapted from MNREAD (Mansfield et al., 1993) in both languages. After reading, participants selected adjectives from a list of 21 descriptors (e.g., loud, playful, calm, active, sophisticated) to describe the font. Noto Sans was presented at varying weights to examine the impact of font weight and writing system on adjective selection. A general linear model analysis revealed no significant main effect of the writing system (p = .139), indicating similar emotional responses across languages. Font weight significantly influenced adjective selection (p < .001). Lighter weights were associated with calmness (p < .001), while bolder weights were perceived as more active (p < .001) in both writing systems. Notably, an interaction effect was observed for certain expressions; for instance, bold Arabic text was rated as more childlike, a pattern not found in English. In conclusion, when designing typefaces or selecting fonts for digital materials, font weight can be a powerful tool to convey specific messages. Our findings reveal parallels between English and Arabic scripts in how weight influences expressiveness, while also highlighting unique interactions. This exploratory study emphasizes the need for the reading research community to investigate the impact of typefaces beyond the Latin alphabet, fostering a broader understanding of cross-script typographic design.