# [texhax] Constructing a very thin space

Philip Taylor P.Taylor at Rhul.Ac.Uk
Fri Jul 26 00:19:19 CEST 2013


Axel E. Retif wrote:

> You can make your own thin spaces putting something like this in your
> preamble:
>
> \def\mythinspace{\kern 0.1em }
> \def\myverythinspace{\kern 0.05em }
>
> You can make negative thin spaces as well. The space between ...em and
> the closing bracket is *very* important.

Forgive my naïvety, but /why/ is the space important ?
The operator is a kern, not a skip, so neither plus
nor minus modifiers may follow; what (if the space
were omitted) could accidentally follow the brace
to foul things up ?

** Phil.
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