The symbol “#” is commonly known as the hashtag today, but its original name is the octothorpe. The “octo-” prefix refers to its eight points, and “thorpe” was a playful addition. In the context of telephony, the octothorpe symbol was used on switchboards to represent the number “8” in the 1960s. The term “hashtag” gained prominence with the rise of social media.
The term “robot” was coined by Czech writer Karel Čapek (1880-1938) in his 1920 play “R.U.R.” It is derived from the Czech word “robota,” meaning forced labour. The play explores the consequences of creating artificial life to serve humans, and the word “robot” has since become ubiquitous in science fiction and technology discussions.
The ampersand symbol “&” originated as a ligature of the letters “e” and “t,” representing the Latin word “et,” meaning “and.” The symbol evolved from the handwritten combination of these letters into a distinct symbol over time. The term “ampersand” is a corruption of the phrase “and (&) per se and,” historically used when reciting the alphabet to acknowledge that “&” represented the word “and.” This linguistic evolution reflects the dynamic nature of symbols and their adaptation throughout history.