| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 127.1 | | AJAX::TOPAZ | | Fri Dec 20 1985 07:33 | 12 |
| I've wondered about that, too, and I'm gald that your question
got me to go hunting in the dictionary.
The Concise Oxford (British and US usages) doesn't have a symbols
table, but it does list 'lb.' as an abbreviation.
The Webster's Dictionary (US usage only) has a table of symbols;
it says that '#' indicates a number when used before a numeral
(e.g., Track #4), and it indicates pounds when it follows the
numeral (e.g., a 10# bale of cannibis).
--Don
|
| 127.2 | | EIFFEL::SAVAGE | | Fri Dec 20 1985 10:49 | 14 |
| According to the "MIT/Stanford" computer jargon listing, the
chracter # has been variously referred to as a: crunch, sharp,
number, hash (mark), pig-pen, pound-sign, mesh, and splat.
These names (the authors hasten to add) are according to the
*context* in which the "#" is used.
The correct generic name (would you believe!) is supposed to
be, the "octothorp." Now, don't bother trying to find that in
your Digital-supplied Amer. Heritage. Anyone for the challenge
of trying to verify?
Neil
|
| 127.3 | | PRAGMA::GRIFFIN | | Fri Dec 20 1985 19:07 | 5 |
| Octothorp was the name given to it by the folks at Ma Bell when they
decided to put it on their tele-o-phones. (Well, that's *my* version
of the story!)
- dave
|
| 127.4 | | DR::BLINN | | Sun Jan 12 1986 23:02 | 6 |
| See topic #22, < SPLAT >, for more on this. The use of "octothorp" is
noted there, as is the use of "quadrathorp" for the "=".
Now, what is a just plain "thorp"?
Tom
|
| 127.5 | | VOGON::GOODENOUGH | | Mon Jan 13 1986 05:17 | 5 |
| I don't have a Greek lexicon (anyone?), but I guess "thorp" means "point"
or similar. Since "thorp" has a Greek root, it should be "tetrathorp",
not "quadrathorp". I forget what the Greek for "eight" is.
Jeff.
|
| 127.6 | | TLE::WINALSKI | Paul S. Winalski | Sun Mar 02 1986 16:18 | 5 |
| RE: .1
GALLED, please!
--PSW
|
| 127.7 | Oh, Mr. W! | VOGON::GOODENOUGH | Jeff Goodenough, IPG Reading-UK | Mon Mar 03 1986 09:02 | 3 |
| .. and I thought that was just a typo for "glad"
|
| 127.8 | The ultimate Source | DONJON::MCVAY | Ask Dr. Science! (He's not a real doctor.) | Mon Mar 03 1986 09:08 | 3 |
| "Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary of Unusual or Obscure Words" doesn't list
octothorpe either. I'm surprised: whenver I suffer a case of
lethologia, I usually consult Mrs. Byrne's.
|
| 127.9 | | FUTURE::UPPER | | Fri Apr 18 1986 15:06 | 3 |
| Re: .6
I thought it was the past tense of "geld".
|