The letter 'a'

[Deleted]

I dont really know how this has not caught my attention yet (maybe it did when i was like 7 when I first seen a keyboard) but every time I write the letter >>a<< it actually looks NOTHING like what comes up when I hit it on my keyboard.


When i see handwriting version of the letter it looks like a (comic sans ftw!)


This is probably the stupid question of the century, but is there a reason for there being a different type for handwritten and for keyboard?

[Deleted]

just depends on which font you use :\ but yeah, i have never seen anyone ever handwrite it as "a"

[Rixis]

in a smaller font than the one you're using, it looks too much like an o

[Flaks]

just depends on which font you use :\ but yeah, i have never seen anyone ever handwrite it as "a"

I've seen some people use it. I think writing the letter 'a' in the usual way just flows a lot better and easier. If you're trying to practice penmanship though I think the type form of the letter may be more pleasing to look at.

[muto]

Never really noticed, not sure.

[Olianda]

just depends on which font you use :\ but yeah, i have never seen anyone ever handwrite it as "a"

I right it that way about half the time. I took a handwriting class, and I learned to right different ways. Anything I write is a mix of like twelve different fonts. -.-

[Deleted]

The same can be said for q, f, g, b, d, l, i, r, e

is there another way of doing an "e" or an "r", i cant think of any >,<

[jotad4]

I use all the ones muto mentioned, except the a from OP. I just can't get it right.

[Deleted]

I right it that way about half the time. I took a handwriting class, and I learned to right different ways. Anything I write is a mix of like twelve different fonts. -.-

it looks really awkward hand writing it as an "a" "a" seems to flow a lot easier than the "a"

---------- Post added 2012-01-17 at 03:59 AM ----------

just decided, i should in bed at 4am, not discussing how to write the letter a :< no wonder my sleep pattern is so screwed up!

[kittenboots]

i actually write "a" instead of "a"!

[Digglett]

a for me. Never wrote it any other way.

[Linkedblade]

what about q?

[Skelington]

"a" always looked weird. Skelington doesn't like it, and much prefers the "​a."

[Nightfury Treann]

always wrote the a like this.

the q like this one, didn't got complicated on it

[Olianda]

it looks really awkward hand writing it as an "a" "a" seems to flow a lot easier than the "a"

---------- Post added 2012-01-17 at 03:59 AM ----------

just decided, i should in bed at 4am, not discussing how to write the letter a :< no wonder my sleep pattern is so screwed up!

Well, my writing flows just fine, I print, I can't read my own cursive writing.

[Laize]

There's a lot of strange things in the english language.

It's only relatively recent that we were able to get rid of the "f" as an "s".

Teaching a kid to read is pretty hard when the letters they see in books are different from the letters they've written in classes.

And don't even get me started on the bizarre practices we have in the English language that we never notice because we've been reading it all our lives and forgot how tough it was to learn.

Ever try teaching a kid the rules of phonics and how "e" is supposed to mean a long vowel... and then try to explain why "piece" isn't pronounced "pise"?

Seriously... Germany can we just start using umlauts? That convention is SO much simpler than using a fucking "e" at the end of words...

[Linkedblade]

ok i meant g

who actually writes it as so?

[Swagula]

Omfg now it can't be unseen! From now on when I see "a" I will become confused.

[Deleted]

I'll just copy n paste this from wikipedia...

The letter has two minuscule (lower-case) forms. The form used in most current handwriting consists of a circle and vertical stroke ("ɑ"), called Latin alpha or "script a". This slowly developed from the fifth-century form resembling the Greek letter tau in the hands of dark-age Irish and English writers. Most printed material uses a form consisting of a small loop with an arc over it ("a"). Both derive from the majuscule (capital) form. In Greek handwriting, it was common to join the left leg and horizontal stroke into a single loop, as demonstrated by the Uncial version shown. Many fonts then made the right leg vertical. In some of these, the serif that began the right leg stroke developed into an arc, resulting in the printed form, while in others it was dropped, resulting in the modern handwritten form.

[Powerogue]

wow, you're right. I've never drawn that "a" symbol. I wonder if keyboards are usually in all caps incase people don't recognize that as the letter "a".

also

COMIC SAAAANS!