Today, we’re going to learn just how a little symbol is now @ the English dictionary. Yes, I do mean that curly little character that lives rent-free in your email address. Well, it has somehow managed to tango its way to the very beginning of the Merriam-Webster online dictionary. How do this happen, you ask?

Once, the ‘@’ symbol was just a humble squiggle, lurking in the shadows of commerce, minding its own business. It helped merchants and accountants make sense of prices and quantities. Our little @ symbol was content in its anonymity, a wallflower in the grand ballroom of grammar. But then, as fate would have it, the digital age dawned. Suddenly, ‘@’ found itself catapulted from the dusty ledgers to the sparkling forefront of the internet.

The transition from commerce to email superstar was unexpected, to say the least. ‘@’ was like that quiet kid in class who suddenly becomes a viral internet meme overnight. Then in the 21st century, some dictionary gatekeepers decided, in a stroke of sheer, delightful absurdity, to give it a place of honor. That’s because in the grand alphabetical order of things, symbols trump letters. And so, ‘@’ – yes, our humble, curly friend – became the first ‘word’ in the dictionary.

In a world brimming with countless words, our linguistic champion is not a word at all, but a symbol that probably didn’t even dream of such dizzying heights. The ‘@’ symbol’s ascent to dictionary fame is a testament to the unpredictable, often nonsensical journey of language and communication. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most overlooked characters (literally) can have the most fascinating stories.

But before we say that the first word in the dictionary isn’t a word at all, it turns out this cheeky little symbol may mean a lot more than you think.

A Brief History of ‘@’

The ‘@’ symbol began life as an unassuming character, born not from the quill of a poet but the practical needs of commerce. Also known as the “at sign” or the “commercial at”, our squiggly friend has a long and obscure history. It was first used in commerce and accounting to mean “at the rate of” or “to, toward, or at.” Sometimes, it was, and still is, used as a mathematical symbol for the average or mean value of a set of numbers, as in “the class scored @ 85% on the test”.

Some sources trace its origin to the Latin word ad, meaning “to” or “at.” Webopedia remarks that some linguists argued that the symbol dates back to as early as the 6th or 7th century! Also, I haven’t confirmed the source for this, but Wikipedia tells me that there’s an earlier discovery of the at symbol being from the 14th century.. Apparently, it was found “in a Bulgarian translation of a Greek chronicle written by Constantinos Manasses in 1345. Held today in the Vatican Apostolic Library, it features the @ symbol in place of the capital letter alpha “Α” as an initial in the word Amen; however, the reason behind it being used in this context is still unknown. The evolution of the symbol as used today is not recorded.”

Most other sources suggest it was derived from a unit of volume called arroba, which was represented by an a with a circle around it. In any case, the Britannica mentions that the earliest known use of the symbol in its commercial sense was in a 1536 letter from a Florentine merchant. In that specific case, according to the Smithsonian Magazine, Francesco Lapi used it to denote ‘amphorae,’ units of wine that were shipped in large terra cotta jars.

Around the time, the ‘@‘ symbol would soon widely refer to a unit of volume, that being an arroba. That means the capacity of a standard amphora, which is something used to transport grain and wine by sea. According to an article in the Guardian, at the end of the 16th century, an arroba was equivalent to about 25 pounds or six gallons. In fact, in Spanish and Portuguese, the ‘@‘ symbol is still called arroba. 

In any case, this symbol was functional, efficient, and utterly unremarkable, even if it was widespread in Mediterranean trade. Like that one cousin at family reunions who’s really good at taxes, it quietly hummed along well into the 19th century without much of a peep outside of commerce and accounting. In fact, the symbol didn’t even appear on a typewriter until 1885!

The ‘@‘ symbol languished in relative obscurity until 1971, when a certain Ray Tomlinson decided ‘@’ was the perfect symbol to separate a user’s name from their computer’s in email addresses. He used the symbol in a test message to himself using ARPAnet. It was a calculated decision: the symbol was chosen because it was not commonly used in computer languages and it conveyed the idea of being “at” a certain location. According to the Britannica, it was one of the least utilized characters in ASCII, and had little potential for causing confusion in the command lines of the operating systems of the day. 

With that, ‘@’ found itself thrust into the spotlight of digital communication. From a simple, obscure commercial symbol to an internet superstar, ‘@’ became the Cinderella story of the keyboard. Its story is a testament to the unpredictable twists of fate. One moment you’re best associated with mundane things like the price of wheat, and the next you’re the linchpin of digital identities worldwide.

This journey from commerce to digital celebrity is as humorous as it is unlikely. ‘@’ didn’t just climb the ladder of symbolic significance, it took an express elevator. It’s bewildering, amusing, and oddly inspiring. The ‘@‘ is a symbol that reminds us that sometimes, the most significant roles are filled by the most unexpected candidates. Even the simplest character can have a starring role.

When Did ‘@‘ Become a Word in the English Language?

The dictionary is meant to be a place where language is pinned down like butterflies in a collector’s case. So, what happens when a symbol, not quite a butterfly but more of a curious caterpillar, wriggles its way to the front page? Of course, it would have to be put right at the beginning, because in alphabetical order, symbols always lead the way.

After it was adopted by computer programmers and engineers to format email addresses and social media handles, the use of ‘@‘ exploded. But, it didn’t officially enter the dictionary until very much later. But, at some point in the 21st century, the Oxford English Dictionary added the @ symbol to its online edition, defining it as “denoting that someone or something is at or on a particular place or domain.” 

From what I can tell, it’s not in the official print dictionary, but it certainly has an entry on the online OED website, apparently from 2007. It’s also on the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, which is how I learned about this absurd development, apparently at some point in 2008.

What really gets me about the Merriam-Webster entry, though, is that it’s not just a symbol for shorthand for “about” or approximately. It’s actually come to be a verb, and as someone who watches many YouTube videos, I know how many people expressly say “don’t @ me” on a regular basis. The official ‘informal’ definition of @ as a transitive verb states: “to respond to, challenge, or disparage the claim or opinion of (someone) —usually used in the phrase”

With all its rules and regulations, language is sometimes as fluid as a river, other times as rigid as ice. We build structures around it, create rules and order. Yet every so often, a little symbol like ‘@’ comes along to remind us that language is as much about playfulness as it is about precision. In the end, language is a living, breathing thing, and sometimes it likes to start a sentence with a symbol just for the fun of it.

What really cracks me up about the ‘@‘ symbol is just how many names it has in languages around the globe. It has various names in different languages, such as “snail” in Italian, “strudel” in German, and “monkey tail” in Dutch. In Hong Kong, it’s boringly just called ‘the at sign’ in Cantonese, though. The ‘@’ symbol’s ascent to this prime position is a whimsical reminder of the arbitrary nature of language and its organization. The inclusion of ‘@’ at the start of the dictionary playfully mocks this seriousness.

Also, in 2010, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City acquired the ‘@“ sign to add into their design collection. Per the linked article, their reasoning was as follows:

“(Ray) Tomlinson performed a powerful act of design that not only forever changed the @ sign’s significance and function, but which also has become an important part of our identity in relationship and communication with others. His (unintended) role as a designer must be acknowledged and celebrated by the one collection—MoMA’s—that has always celebrated elegance, economy, intellectual transparency, and a sense of the possible future directions that are embedded in the arts of our time, the essence of modern.”

I don’t think I could put it any better than that, hence the direct quote!

The Absurdity of Giving Such Importance to a Curious Symbol

When you really think about it, importance is often bestowed upon the grandiose and flamboyant. Yet, the ‘@’ symbol, a character so simple that it could have been doodled by a bored scribe in the margins of history, now holds a place of cultural reverence. Its transformation from a ledger lurker to a digital diva is nothing short of a fairy tale. 

This symbol, once glanced over by the wandering eyes of bookkeepers, now graces the presence of every email address and social media handle, not to mention sketchy DM slides. The at sign’s journey to stardom reflects the curious way in which our culture can assign importance to even the simplest, most basic things. 

Of course, the role of technology in aggrandizing the importance can’t be overstated. It has become the great enabler of the modern era, turning the most mundane trifles into iconic memes.Before the digital age, no one could’ve reasonably foreseen that a symbol used to denote pricing would one day become a cornerstone of our digital identities.

This odd linguistic trajectory of the ‘@’ symbol speaks volumes about the seemingly arbitrary nature of significance. It suggests that importance is less about inherent qualities and more about context and perception. The story of the ‘@’ symbol is a reminder that sometimes, the most influential characters in our society are not the loudest or the most powerful, but the ones that quietly find themselves in the right place at the right time.

In the end, the tale of the ‘@’ symbol is a delightful nudge to not take our constructs of importance too seriously. After all, if a simple symbol can become a cultural icon, perhaps there’s a bit of magic in the mundane waiting to be discovered by each of us.

The #AbsurdityAppreciation Challenge

Today, let’s embark on an expedition to explore what’s right in front of us in our everyday lives. Your mission is to uncover the hidden lore of an everyday object or symbol in your surroundings. Let’s call it #AbsurdityAppreciation, a whimsical quest to find the extraordinary in the utterly ordinary.

First, select your protagonist. It could be anything – the humble paperclip lounging in disdain on your desk, the teaspoon stirring up a storm in your coffee cup, or even the Wi-Fi symbol that plays digital god over your internet connection. Any of these objects, which you might have overlooked a thousand times, is about to have its fifteen minutes of fame in the theater of your attention.

Now, dive into the history of how that object came to be. Consider the paperclip, a twist of metal that holds our world together, one sheet at a time. Who might have thought, in the grand scheme of invention, that bending a wire could bring such order to our papers and lives? You could also ponder the journey of the teaspoon, from the fiery forge to your morning brew, a metallic Odysseus in the sea of kitchen utensils.

Reflect on that item’s significance with the amused curiosity of a child discovering a hidden toy. Imagine the legion of paperclips, in their quiet office drawers, dreaming of the day they’ll finally bind the pages of a great novel. Or you could imagine the teaspoon wondering if today’s the day it’ll stir something more exotic than tea.

Finally, share your findings with a friend or an unsuspecting family member. Watch their bemusement as you narrate the epic tale of the paperclip or the teaspoon’s secret life. This sharing isn’t just about spreading awareness of life’s absurdity. It’s about connecting ourselves to a lineage that connects us to countless hands, ideas, and moments. Lest we forget that we often unconsciously do so through the simple, often overlooked wonders of our everyday world.

So, go ahead, give a voice to the voiceless objects around you. Let their otherwise silent sagas add a bit of magic to your day.

Closing Thoughts

In researching this article about the ‘@’ symbol, I’ve found my own love affair with dictionaries rekindled. Each day now finds me flipping through the dictionary, eagerly seeking out new words. It’s like my daily treasure hunt, only the X marks a new word rather than a chest of gold. Who knew such a squiggly symbol could become such a muse?

While the ‘@’ symbol is but a mere speck in the ocean of the modern lexicon, it reminds us to appreciate the little things. After all, life is just a collection of small moments strung together in a necklace of days. So, here’s a parting thought to carry with you: “If ‘@’ can make it to the top of the dictionary, imagine where I could end up if given the chance!” 

Let this be your mantra for today, and for as long as you wish, as you navigate the delightful chaos of life. Embrace the absurdities, the quirks, the unexpected plot twists. Dance with them, laugh at them, and let them remind you that the world is a playground of possibilities.

Remember, the beauty of life often lies in its unpredictability, in the joy of discovering the extraordinary in the ordinary. So, as you go about your day, keep an eye out for your own ‘@’ symbol – your beacon of the beautifully bizarre.

So, dear readers, here’s to finding our own ‘@’ moments. May they lead us to places as unexpectedly wonderful as the top of the dictionary!

Be sure to @ me in the comments!

~ Amelia <3