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.

[–] Windex007@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago

Oooooh.

[–] BlemboTheThird@lemmy.ca 19 points 11 months ago

English has never not been jank af

[–] match@pawb.social 4 points 11 months ago (2 children)

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

[–] Masimatutu@mander.xyz 15 points 11 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] octoperson@sh.itjust.works 2 points 11 months ago

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

[–] z500@startrek.website 4 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months 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.