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virgule

Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
edited 2013-09-09 06:45 in General Discussion
Today's interesting fact:

That symbol we use to separate elements in a path specifications in Unix and URLs, "/", the "forward slash" or is it "back slash" I can never remember which is forward and which is backward, has a name: "Virgule". http://www.thefreedictionary.com/virgule

Thank God for that. I no longer have to worry about trying to remember forward from backward slash, I can just say what I mean, "Virgule home virgule username" and everyone will know what I mean.

Curiously "Virgule" seems to be derived from the latin "virga" meaning "rod". Which sounds a bit like viagra which ... oh well never mind.

Comments

  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2013-09-08 04:09
    So now we can use "forward virgule" and "back virgule" and of course, the popular, "no, the other virgule".

    Thanks heater, that's a load off my mind!
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-09-08 06:15
    No. That's the point. A virgule is a virgule. It is what it is. If you happen to write it backwards that's a backwards or reverse or mirrored virgule. We only have this confusion with "forward slash" and "backward slash" because "slash" is ambiguous.

    I guess there is a correct name for "\" somewhere. Anyone know?
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2013-09-08 07:25
    And while we are at it # is an octothorpe Also there are bang, splat and whack.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-09-08 08:54
    So at the top of my scripts its:

    "octothorpe, exclamation, virgule, bin, virgule, bash"

    OK, got it.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2013-09-08 09:32
    Heater you really get these mixed up? I guess I better stop making fun of people when they do lol...

    There is really no such thing as a "forward slash". It's just a slash. You have to ignore the vertical component of the slash. Since you read left to right, the slash starts on the left and goes to the right, so technically it is forward. In verbal communication I refer to the slash as the "key with the question mark on it".
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2013-09-08 09:55
    In Taiwan, the @ is roughly called 'the mouse tail' in Chinese. Not sure about other items.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-09-08 10:58
    xanadu,
    Heater you really get these mixed up?
    Sure have done, I always have to stop an think about it. If you say "slash" I think "/", but if you say "forward slash", or "back slash" I have to double check myself.

    You description does not help by the way:

    "...ignore the vertical component of the slash. Since you read left to right, the slash starts on the left and goes to the right, so technically it is forward."

    Thing is they both start on the left and proceed to the right. Except one goes up hill and the other goes down hill. So which do you mean?

    On my keyboard the the key with the question mark on it can give me "+" without shift or "\" with AltGr.

    For a forward slash, "/" I need shift-7.

    See how hopeless it is?
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2013-09-08 11:08
    Okay right, now I understand what you're saying. I see why people don't like this now, it makes more sense to start from the leftmost edge of the character. In that case they both go forward.

    With slashes you have to use the bottom most edge and work your way up.
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2013-09-08 11:24
    Why in the world are there two kinds of slashes anyway? Wasn't one enough?
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2013-09-08 11:35
    RDL2004 wrote: »
    Why in the world are there two kinds of slashes anyway? Wasn't one enough?

    So these two can watch each other:

    : /

    : \
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-09-08 11:43
    Wikipedia notes the confusion between forward and back in it article on the "slash". So it seems I am not alone in my stuttering.

    @RDL2004,

    No good reason at all. It was introduced into ASCII so that they could create the ALGOL language operators OR and AND by using /\ and \/. We have been stuck with that particular piece of nonsense ever since, especially as it became the path separator in MSDOS.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backslash
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2013-09-08 21:19
    So at the top of my scripts its:

    "octothorpe, exclamation, virgule, bin, virgule, bash"
    No, it would be "octothorpe, bang, virgule, bin, virgule, bash"
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-09-09 00:45
    Except where I come from it might be:

    "octothorpe, shriek, virgule, bin, virgule, bash"
  • skylightskylight Posts: 1,915
    edited 2013-09-09 03:43
    I always thought this was Virgule?

    108.jpg
  • TorTor Posts: 2,010
    edited 2013-09-09 05:12
    xanadu wrote: »
    In verbal communication I refer to the slash as the "key with the question mark on it".
    That only works if you know exactly what keyboard the other party is using. On my keyboard the slash is on the "key with the number seven on it."
    At work people use several layouts, so I can't use that. But I just say "slash".. as another poster said, it's just "slash" and "backslash".

    -Tor
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-09-09 06:23
    skylight,
    I always thought this was Virgule?

    On my God, you are right. Notice that cream colour sash (slash) over his shoulder. That's exactly a forward slash or virgule.

    Well spotted.
  • Dave HeinDave Hein Posts: 6,347
    edited 2013-09-09 06:45
    And if you look at his back it is a back slash.
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