Special characters

[sjmccart]

[Enter feedback here]The

The "@" character is not an "at sign". It is an arobase.

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• ID: 6f9ce006-d5ab-9155-9019-b329791bcfd2
• Version Independent ID: 3b8f6bb8-a499-0bad-d2d7-2e17af1afebd
• Content: Special characters - Microsoft Style Guide
• Content Source: styleguide/a-z-word-list-term-collections/term-collections/special-characters.md
• Product: non-product-specific
• GitHub Login: @pallep
• Microsoft Alias: pallep

[S-LRaillard]

Hi @sjmccart, thanks for your feedback. One of the tenets of the Microsoft Writing Style Guide is that "we write like we speak." So even though there may be technical term for the at sign, we prefer to use the words that most people are likely to understand. Note that this is in line with the Unicode convention (https://www.unicode.org/charts/nameslist/) which names the character "commercial at" or "at sign."

[sjmccart]

Just because unicode has changed it does not mean that it is correct. It has always been an "arobase". This is just another example of how sloppiness has wormed its way into the English language, and perpetuated by those who simply refuse to do it right.

On Tue, May 9, 2023 at 10:23 AM Senior Editor at Microsoft < @.***> wrote:

Hi @sjmccart https://github.com/sjmccart, thanks for your feedback. One of the tenets of the Microsoft Writing Style Guide is that "we write like we speak." So even though there may be technical term for the at sign, we prefer to use the words that most people are likely to understand. Note that this is in line with the Unicode convention ( https://www.unicode.org/charts/nameslist/) which names the character "commercial at" or "at sign."

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/microsoft-style-guide/issues/379#issuecomment-1540573829, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AUHS23573M3Y5HDDVWYPWMDXFJ4Q7ANCNFSM6AAAAAAWQUVSTY . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.***>

[S-LRaillard]

The term "arobase," while the standard in French, is not in wide usage in American English. I would invite you to consult the American Heritage Dictionary (which has an entry for the at sign, and not for arobase): https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=at+sign ; Merriam-Webster (idem): https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20sign and Brittanica (idem): https://www.britannica.com/topic/at-sign .

The goal of the MWSG is to offer clear guidance for modern use cases, and that's why we refer to the symbol as an "at sign."

[Jay-o-Way]

@sjmccart this is literally the first time I've seen that word. Have a search on the internet and you'll see that it is very specifically French-based.

[sjmccart]

Regardless of its etymology, it is the proper term for the symbol. Call it whatever you wish...

On Mon, May 29, 2023 at 5:01 PM Jay @.***> wrote:

@sjmccart https://github.com/sjmccart this is literally the first time I've seen that word. Have a search on the internet and you'll see that it is very specifically French-based.

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/microsoft-style-guide/issues/379#issuecomment-1567606098, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AUHS234YWKG72HZAZGVAWZLXIU2G3ANCNFSM6AAAAAAWQUVSTY . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.***>

[Jay-o-Way]

it is the proper term for the symbol.

In France, yes, but not in the rest of the world

[sjmccart]

So you are saying that it has always been "at" even before it was used in communications protocols? We both know that is incorrect.

On Tue, May 30, 2023 at 1:10 AM Jay @.***> wrote:

it is the proper term for the symbol.

In France, yes, but not in the rest of the world

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/microsoft-style-guide/issues/379#issuecomment-1567968798, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AUHS237I7GYQPSWEP4UWB3DXIWTQVANCNFSM6AAAAAAWQUVSTY . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.***>

[Jay-o-Way]

The symbol has been around for many years, with many meanings and having many names in different countries. You're not telling us the French name is the only/right name.

[S-LRaillard]

@sjmccart please close this ticket, thanks!

[DonGlover]

@sjmccart Is octothorpe your next windmill?

[S-LRaillard]

@sjmccart #please close