Illegibility — the Dichotomy of Function and Form in Graphic Design on the Basis of Typography and Lettering Design The book examines the issue of text legibility in graphic design, something that has had a significant influence on the development of contemporary social communication. Due to the functional character of the letter, the aspect of legibility is a basic requirement for the realisation of the superior function of text, which is to convey content. For centuries, however, the letter has been entangled in a relationship between the message it carries and its visual representation.