this post was submitted on 09 Nov 2023
179 points (100.0% liked)

196

16504 readers
3362 users here now

Be sure to follow the rule before you head out.

Rule: You must post before you leave.

^other^ ^rules^

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

from the early 18th century

h/t to @jetton@mastodon.online

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] Cort@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (3 children)

fenflefs. Why use the weird s (f) when they have the normal s

[–] Masimatutu@mander.xyz 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's called the long s (ſ; ſenſeleſs). It's actually pretty interesting, but unfortunately I don't have much time to explain right now, so in short, it exists because language.

[–] BlemboTheThird@lemmy.ca 19 points 1 year ago

English has never not been jank af

[–] match@pawb.social 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

they also say fpeaking and spirits, so maybe they were pronounced different

[–] Masimatutu@mander.xyz 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No, they were pronounced exactly the same, but everyone who could write was a nerd

[–] octoperson@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

But it's still fun to read it as if he had a fat lip.

[–] z500@startrek.website 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The f-like letter is the form they used inside of a word, and it's actually called long s: ſ. Short s was used at the end of a word and after a long s.