Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

The Medieval Origins of the @ Symbol. Hyphens in Dual-Heritage Terms. Pitch.

11.04.2022 - By QuickAndDirtyTips.comPlay

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900. The story of the @ symbol is much bigger than email. In fact, it was used for hundreds of years before being saved from obscurity by the invention of electronic communication. I explore the medieval origin story of @, plus share a bunch of fun names for it in other languages. Also, many style books recently removed the hyphen from dual-heritage terms like "Asian American," and I explain why in a segment that includes a tribute to former Los Angeles Times editor Henry Fuhrmann.

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