August 29, 2004 at 12:00 am #31895
Gonzo
Participant
Depending on where they are from, the line is to show where the name is. For example, in Arabic, if one is very flowery, reading the name can be difficult, especially if you do not know where the bottom of the word is. The line marks the lower edge of the name, making reading easier. This gets carried over to English as it is habit. And the translation of the Arabic name for the Middle East region in English is…The Middle East.