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  1. Learn about the origin, evolution and meaning of the symbol #, also known as number sign, hash, pound sign, hashtag and octothorp. Find out how it is used in different contexts such as bookkeeping, telephony, computing and social media.

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    • Names
    • Uses

    number sign, versatile symbol (#) most commonly used to preface numbers (e.g., apartment #1) but which encompasses a variety of other uses, especially to tag (or hashtag) posts and messages on social media platforms.

    The origin of the number sign is usually attributed to the Latin term libra pondo, meaning “a pound weight.” This term was commonly abbreviated to lb (for libra), leading to the modern usage of the abbreviation for the unit of avoirdupois weight. Centuries ago the two letters lb were commonly written in English usage as ℔, a ligature that connects the letters with a bar across the top. Quick handwritten use of this symbol presumably morphed into the modern sign #.

    Some have challenged this theory of the symbol’s origin, noting a lack of direct evidence for that evolution. Instead, some scholars suggest that the number sign arose independently and became conflated with the symbol for the pound sterling with the advent of telecommunications in the 19th century. This theory proposes that one version of the Baudot Code for the telegraph assigned the number sign (#) and the pound sign (£) to the same pattern of keystrokes, leading both to be referred to as the “pound sign.”

    Also obscure is the coinage and derivation of the word octothorpe (also spelled octothorp) after the symbol was adopted for Touch-Tone dialing (see Telephone: Push-button dialing) by the telecommunications industry in the 1960s. It seems clear that the octo- (“eight”) prefix of the word refers to the eight points on the symbol, but the -thorpe stem defies easy explanation. One improbable theory holds that it is derived from the name of legendary athlete Jim Thorpe, although why that name should relate to the symbol is not explained. Another unexplained theory suggests that the stem is more properly rendered -thorp and derives from an Old English word for “village.” A third claim asserts that a Bell Labs employee simply burped while talking about the symbol and the resulting name stuck.

    The use of the word hash to refer to the number sign may relate to the art technique called “hatching,” in which lines are used in close proximity to shade a picture. The sign itself resembles cross-hatching, a form of hatching in which two series of parallel lines intersect. However, this origin too has been disputed.

    The number sign has a wide variety of uses across several different domains, including mathematics, computing, and medicine. In daily life it is commonly used to abbreviate the word number, as in “#2 pencil,” or to number lists. In these uses it always appears before the number it labels. Less commonly, it is used to refer to avoirdupois weight. In this case it appears after the number of pounds, as in “2# bag of sugar.”

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    It is also one of two symbols used as a standard telephone key, along with the asterisk (*). In this context it is typically called the pound sign but is sometimes referred to as the number sign or octothorpe. This key is not a part of standard phone numbers but is often used in voice-mail systems or automated phone systems.

    • Stephen Eldridge
  2. Nov 7, 2017 · Learn the origin and history of the # symbol, also known as the pound sign, number sign, hashtag, and octothorpe. Find out how it is used in different contexts, such as weight, music, code, and social media.

  3. Feb 6, 2020 · Learn the history and modern uses of the hash sign or number sign (#), also known as pound sign, hash sign, or octothorpe. Find out when to use it in your writing and how to avoid confusion with other symbols.

  4. Learn how to use the number sign (#) in different contexts and languages. Find out its names, history, keyboard location, and alternative expressions.

  5. Learn how to use the number sign ( # ) in American and British English. Find out the different names, meanings and keyboard locations of the number sign.

  6. If you are interested in knowing when and how to use a NUMBER SIGN, be sure to check THE PUNCTUATION GUIDE – CLICK HERE:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

    • 2 min
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    • David F. James
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