this post was submitted on 15 Sep 2025
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This symbol, the ampersand, used to have equal status with letters of the alphabet and was stuck at the end after Z.
That's how it got its name. People would say "X,Y,Z, and, per se, And". (And "sort of" an and). Thus, "And per se And" became Ampersand.
I love the corruption of the saying to give us the name. Reminds me of "Goodbye" being a corruption of "God be with ye".