Jonah Patel
The US Constitution is a foundational document of immense significance, but it contains a peculiar quirk: the letter 's' often appears as what looks like an 'f'. This oddity is not a mistake or a misspelling. Instead, it reflects an older form of the letter 's', known as the long s, which originated from Latin and was passed down through the Germanic alphabet. While it may seem strange to modern eyes, accustomed as we are to standardized spelling and typefaces, the long s was once common, and it continued to be used in some German typefaces even after it fell out of favour in English around 1880.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason | The long "s" was the original form of the letter for written English (coming from Latin and then through the Germanic alphabet). |
| Usage | The long "s" was used anywhere other than the end of the word. It was also used with a double "s", in which case the long "s" would be first, followed by the round "s". |
| Discontinuation | Around 1880, the long "s" fell out of fashion as printers wanted to simplify their typesets and keep just one form of "s" in their kits. |
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What You'll Learn
- The long s was the original form of the letter in written English
- The long s came from Latin and the Germanic alphabet
- The long s was used anywhere other than at the end of a word
- The long s was used with a double s, with the long s coming first
- As technology advanced, printers wanted to simplify their typesets
The long s was the original form of the letter in written English
The long "s," which looks like "⨜" (and is sometimes mistaken for an "f"), was the original form of the letter "s" in written English. It originated in Latin and made its way into English via the Germanic alphabet. In German, the long "s" is still used in some typefaces.
The long "s" was used anywhere in a word except at the end. When a word had a double "s," the long "s" would be followed by the round "s." This was standard practice in English orthography until around 1880 when the long "s" fell out of fashion. Advances in printing technology may have contributed to its decline, as printers sought to simplify their typesets and keep just one form of "s" in their kits.
The long "s" appears in important historical documents like the United States Constitution and the US Bill of Rights. Some people find its presence in these documents odd or confusing, but it was a standard feature of written English at the time. The long "s" may look strange to modern eyes because printing has since standardized spelling and typefaces.
It's worth noting that the use of the long "s" in historical documents does not indicate a lack of spelling knowledge. Instead, it reflects the evolution of language and the changing conventions of orthography and typesetting.
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The long s came from Latin and the Germanic alphabet
The long s, also known as the medial s or initial s, is an archaic form of the lowercase letter "s". It is found mostly in works from the late 8th to the early 19th centuries. The long s came from Latin and the Germanic alphabet. It is derived from the old Roman cursive medial s, which took an elongated form in cursive writing in Latin. The long s was the original form of the letter for written English.
The long s was used for the letter anywhere other than the end of the word. It was also used with a double "s", in which case the long s would be first, followed by the round "s". For example, the modern word "sinfulness" would be written as "ſinfulneſs", and "possess" would be written as "poſſeſs". The long s was not used when "s" was the last letter of the word. The rules for using the long s versus the short s varied over time and place.
The long s is still used in some German typefaces. In German typography, the rules are more complicated: the short s also appears at the end of each component within a compound word. In Nordic and German-speaking countries, relics of the long s continue to be seen in signs and logos that use various forms of fraktur typefaces. In German, the long s lives on as one half of the "Eszett," or double s character (written as 'ß').
The shift away from using the long s in English took almost a century, from the mid-18th century to the early 19th. It began when people started abandoning the long s in "roundhand," the neat, clear cursive handwriting favoured by businesses for keeping accounts and writing official documents. The end of the long s in English printing occurred around 1800, but the character lingered a little longer in the US.
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The long s was used anywhere other than at the end of a word
The long 's' in the US Constitution is a result of the letter's original form in written English, which came from Latin and then through the Germanic alphabet. The long 's' was used anywhere except at the end of a word, and it was also used in double 's' instances, where it would be followed by the round 's'. This is not unusual, and it only looks strange to us today because printing has standardized spelling and typefaces. Around 1880, the long 's' fell out of fashion as technology advanced and printers wanted to simplify their typesets.
> "We the People of the United ſtates, in Order to form a more perfect Union, eſtabliſh Justice, inſure domeſtic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and ſecure the Bleſſings of Liberty to ourſelves and our Posterity, do ordain and eſtabliſh this Constitution for the United ſtates of America."
As you can see, the long 's' is used throughout the document, except at the end of words. This is a consistent feature of the long 's' in written English at the time.
The use of the long 's' in the Constitution is not a mistake or a result of poor spelling. Instead, it reflects the standard grammatical conventions of the time. The Founding Fathers were well-educated and knowledgeable about spelling and grammar. However, they followed a different set of rules than we do today due to the evolution of the English language and advancements in printing technology.
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The long s was used with a double s, with the long s coming first
The long "s," which looks like "⨜" and occasionally like an "f," is the original form of the letter in written English, having derived from Latin and the Germanic alphabet. The long "s" was used anywhere in a word except for the end and was also used in combination with a round "s" to make a double "s." In this case, the long "s" would come first.
The long "s" was used in this way in the United States' Bill of Rights and other historical documents, such as the Constitution. The use of the long "s" in these documents is not due to a spelling error but rather an outdated grammar rule. The long "s" fell out of fashion around 1880 as technology advanced and printers wanted to simplify their typesets by keeping just one form of "s" in their kits.
The long "s" is still used in some modern German typefaces. However, it looks strange to modern readers because printing has standardized spelling and typefaces.
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As technology advanced, printers wanted to simplify their typesets
The "s" in the US Constitution looks like an "f" and is known as the long "s". This is because the long "s" was the original form of the letter in written English, which came from the Latin and Germanic alphabets. The long "s" is still used in some German typefaces. When both letters were in use, the long "s" was used anywhere in a word except for the end, where the round "s" would be used.
Around 1880, the long "s" fell out of fashion. This was due to the advancement of technology, which led printers to want to simplify their typesets and keep just one form of "s" in their kits. The long "s" was gradually replaced by the round "s", which is the form of the letter that we use today. This change in spelling standardization and typefaces meant that the long "s" looked strange and outdated, and it was no longer necessary to keep it in typesets.
The use of the long "s" in the US Constitution is, therefore, a result of the evolution of language and technology. While it may look odd to modern readers, it was a common feature of written English at the time and was not a mistake or a lack of spelling knowledge on the part of the writers.
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Frequently asked questions
The long "s" was the original form of the letter in written English, coming from Latin and then through the Germanic alphabet.
No, it only looks strange to us now because printing has standardized spelling and typefaces.
Around 1880, the long "s" fell out of fashion as technology advanced and printers wanted to simplify their typesets, keeping just one form of "s" in their kits.
Yes, the long "s" is still used in some German typefaces.
The long "s" was used for the letter "s" anywhere other than the end of the word. It was also used with a double "s", in which case the long "s" would be followed by the round "s".
