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Interesting backstory of harmless "&"

hotword.dictionary.com

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Re: Interesting backstory of harmless "&"

#3
This is one of those stories that sounds suspiciously like urban legend bullshit, but upon further investigation, is actually true. Huh.

Most surprisingly, Italian borrowed the word "ampersand" as-is from English. German uses the more sensible "Et-Zeichen" ("et sign/character"), though.

Re: Interesting backstory of harmless "&"

#4
post #3

This is one of those stories that sounds suspiciously like urban legend bullshit, but upon further investigation, is actually true. Huh. Most surprisingly, Italian borrowed the word "ampersand" as-is from English. German uses the more sensible "Et-Zeichen" ("et sign/character"), though.

In the Netherlands (Dutch language) we still use "per se" in our day to day speak which means, just like the article points out, "in itself".

Re: Interesting backstory of harmless "&"

#5
post #4
post #3

This is one of those stories that sounds suspiciously like urban legend bullshit, but upon further investigation, is actually true. Huh. Most surprisingly, Italian borrowed the word "ampersand" as-is from English. German uses the more sensible "Et-Zeichen" ("et sign/character"), though.

In the Netherlands (Dutch language) we still use "per se" in our day to day speak which means, just like the article points out, "in itself".

I do not think I have ever seen it used with that meaning. I know it as "insistingly". Vandale.nl agrees with that.