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Glite Dictionary
Mull of Kintyre rule

Mull of Kintyre rule

9.9
An informal guideline that picture parts should not extend above a diagonal from left to right
  • noun
  • Literature
translation icon : regla de Mull de Kintyre
  • Designers had to adjust the artwork to comply with the Mull of Kintyre rule.

Examples

  • The Mull of Kintyre rule is often cited when discussing censorship policies in the UK.

  • Some experts question whether the Mull of Kintyre rule is still relevant in modern classification standards.

  • The Mull of Kintyre rule is often applied in film editing.

  • Have you heard about the Mull of Kintyre rule?

  • Many graphic designers follow the Mull of Kintyre rule to ensure their images meet industry standards.

  • In discussions about censorship, the Mull of Kintyre rule often serves as a guideline for what can be shown.

  • The Mull of Kintyre rule helps artists understand the limitations placed on visual content.

Synonyms

bright-line rule
vsMull of Kintyre rule
  • Jargon
1 7.8

A clear rule that tells people exactly what to do

is an informal specific visual guideline rather than a general formal standard

Surface Forms

Mull of Kintyre rule singular
Mull of Kintyre rules plural

Morphology

mull + of + Kintyre + rule

This is an eponymous, toponym-based name for a specific guideline tied to the place name 'Mull of Kintyre'; knowing 'mull' (headland) and 'rule' does not allow a learner to infer the specialized meaning about a diagonal composition/censorship line. The sense is culturally and historically specific and requires prior exposure, so it is not predictable from its parts.

Etymology

Mull of Kintyre rule may come from a British media guideline named after the Mull of Kintyre, where editors imagined a slanted line across a picture to decide what to hide. That's why the phrase now means that parts of an image should not show above a diagonal line, or 'not extend above a diagonal line'.