[snoopen]

I much prefer the approach of applying emphasis, be it italics, bold, all-caps etc, on top of plain text. To me this is the most versatile approach and I think is better for accessibility.

A sentence with italics or any other emphasis should read exactly the same without that emphasis. Where the same isn't true of capitalisation.

[vehemenz]

> A sentence with italics or any other emphasis should read exactly the same without that emphasis.

Not true. In conventional English, it is typical (if not expected) to add verbal emphasis to italicized words while reading aloud.

[Wowfunhappy]

> A sentence with italics or any other emphasis should read exactly the same without that emphasis.

But it doesn't, that's the thing! The word you italicize can alter the meaning of a sentence. For instance:

> "I didn't steal Sally's necklace!"

> "I didn't steal Sally's necklace!"

> "I didn't steal Sally's necklace!"

[Wowfunhappy]

As of this writing my parent comment is downvoted, so maybe the difference between the three sentences is less obvious than I thought. While all three sentences assert that I didn't steal Sally's necklace:

• The first version implies that I acquired Sally's necklace via other means.

• The second version implies that I stole someone else's necklace.

• The last version implies that I stole something else from Sally.

[nnf]

One of my favorites:

I didn’t say I took the money.

I didn’t say I took the money.

I didn’t say I took the money.

I didn’t say I took the money.

I didn’t say I took the money.

I didn’t say I took the money.