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Where did it come from?

Nov 23, 2002, 12:17 AM
Andy
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Nov 23, 2002, 12:17 AM
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Where did it come from?
I'm not quite sure where the # sign started getting called a 'pound' sign, but it seem a lot of American's call it that. Why do you do this? Over here in the UK we call it a 'hash'. I'm just a little confused why you would call a charachter after our currency...lol Tongue

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Nov 23, 2002, 12:37 AM
fuzzy logic
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Nov 23, 2002, 12:37 AM
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Re: [Andy] Where did it come from? In reply to
A "#" has always been a hash to me.... and a pound has always been an "£".

Philip
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Nov 23, 2002, 2:33 AM
Paul
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Nov 23, 2002, 2:33 AM
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Re: [fuzzy thoughts] Where did it come from? In reply to
I remember an argument I had with Eliot when he insisted # was a pound sign an I insisted it was £ Wink
Nov 23, 2002, 5:51 AM
Thomas.
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Nov 23, 2002, 5:51 AM
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Re: [Paul] Where did it come from? In reply to
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/28/26042.html

Smile
Nov 23, 2002, 6:50 AM
Paul
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Nov 23, 2002, 6:50 AM
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Re: [Tho-chan] Where did it come from? In reply to
Laugh
Nov 23, 2002, 9:14 AM
ArmyAirForces
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Nov 23, 2002, 9:14 AM
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Re: [Andy] Where did it come from? In reply to
Don't worry, pretty soon we'll be calling it a 'Euro' Tongue
Nov 23, 2002, 9:16 AM
Paul
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Nov 23, 2002, 9:16 AM
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Re: [ArmyAirForces] Where did it come from? In reply to
There is already another sign for the euro Wink
Nov 23, 2002, 10:41 AM
Andy
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Nov 23, 2002, 10:41 AM
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Re: [Paul] Where did it come from? In reply to
LOL...thanks for the replys...at least that clears things up a little Tongue (just one of those things you wonder about...lol)

€ € € € € € € € € Laugh

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Nov 25, 2002, 11:28 AM
joematt
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Nov 25, 2002, 11:28 AM
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Re: [Andy] Where did it come from? In reply to
pound as in 16 ounces, not any thing to do with currency.

also referred to as "number sign" as in #3

I think it has to do with the lack of literacy in early America.
Nov 25, 2002, 9:13 PM
QooQ
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Nov 25, 2002, 9:13 PM
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Re: [joematt] Where did it come from? In reply to
I wouldn't really say it was a literacy problem. hehe, the US wouldn't be a closet Republic if the early founders were brain deads.

I write this problem off to the dictionary makers of the US and England.

ie, center vs centre
The US copied England back at that time while later on a dictionary marker (forgot who) decided to go with the fashionable (well at the time it was) French way of centre, while the Yankees stuck with what they had learned from the Brits -- center.

Webster latter solidified many spellings and usages and his conter part in England did the same.

So ... it's 2 dicitonary heads that have screwed us all over. Wink
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Nov 26, 2002, 7:28 AM
joematt
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Nov 26, 2002, 7:28 AM
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Re: [QooQ] Where did it come from? In reply to
Very interesting QooQ.

I was refering to the American rural shorthand, such as sign your name with an X,

or #1-grade A large eggs,

or grade B-2 large eggs.

No wait, eggs can't be too large. Smile

Last edited by:

joematt: Nov 26, 2002, 7:29 AM
Nov 27, 2002, 6:43 AM
QooQ
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Nov 27, 2002, 6:43 AM
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Re: [joematt] Where did it come from? In reply to
I know.

I didn't know # was called a hash until reading this thread. I've called it number sign, pound, sharp before but never hash.

oh well, at least I learned something Smile
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Nov 27, 2002, 10:52 AM
fuzzy logic
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Nov 27, 2002, 10:52 AM
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Re: [QooQ] Where did it come from? In reply to
Someone tell me I'm not the only American that calls a # a hash Wink

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Nov 27, 2002, 10:53 AM
Paul
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Nov 27, 2002, 10:53 AM
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Re: [fuzzy thoughts] Where did it come from? In reply to
You are the only normal one if you are.
Nov 27, 2002, 11:41 PM
QooQ
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Nov 27, 2002, 11:41 PM
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Re: [Paul] Where did it come from? In reply to
Normal?
haha, that's so relative Wink

But yeah, you probably are the "only" one.
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