From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

U+204A, ⁊
TIRONIAN SIGN ET

[U+2049]
General Punctuation
[U+204B]

Translingual[edit]

Tironian-note abbreviations for et (and)
Contemporary usage in Ireland
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology[edit]

A stylized form of Latin et (and); part of the system of Tironian notes, shorthand popularly credited to Cicero’s scribe Marcus Tullius Tiro from first century BC. Compare to &, of same meaning and similar derivation. Despite the similar origin and same meaning the two symbols evolved separately from each other.

Symbol[edit]

(upper case )

  1. Tironian sign representing et (and)

Usage notes[edit]

Found in Old English and Old Irish manuscripts, among many other languages. Still used in Ireland, as of 2024; was used in other languages in blackletter text as late as 1821. Still used rarely by certain non-Irish educated writers (though perhaps seen as slightly eccentric and/or pedantic).

In Old English manuscripts, it stood not only for the conjunction and, ond (and), but also for the prefix and-, ond-; thus andswaru (answer) could be written ⁊swaru.

Synonyms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

  • German: ⁊c., ꝛc.

See also[edit]

Irish[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

  1. Abbreviation of agus (and)

Derived terms[edit]

Old Irish[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

  1. Scribal abbreviation of ocus (and)

Scottish Gaelic[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

  1. Abbreviation of agus (and)

Derived terms[edit]