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Why are people using the "þ" character?
(lemmy.zip)
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this post was submitted on 24 Oct 2025
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Ok. It's time for unsolicited German facts.
The ß or "eszett" (also known as "scharfes s" or "sharp s") is actually the combination of the old long s (ſ) and a regular s.
ſ + s = ſs = ß (can also be formed with
Isn't that neat? It's also worth noting that no words start with ß, and it is lower-case only. If you need to write a word with an ß in all caps, replace it with a double s.
Straße -> STRASSE
Edit: not all of this is accurate, apparently. See comments below.
In this era full of bad German shit, I publicly thank you for your cool German facts.
More unsolicited German facts:
ẞ, that is the upper-case version, does indeed exist and has been official since 2017.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gro%C3%9Fes_%C3%9F
That being said, it's pretty uncommon, and mostly only typography nerd use it, but I just couldn't let that slide.
I just found this out. Idk how I feel about this.
Niiiiice thank you so much for pointing this out.
In German it usually goes back to a combo of ſ + z, aka "ess-zett". While both explanations are valid, you cannot reduce it to only one.
What the fuck. I hate math.
/s
I meant the character itself (the way it is drawn) is a combination of long s and regular s. But, you're right.
Also, the Wikipedia page says a capital ß is actually occasionally used. You learn something every day, I guess.
Capital ß was introduced rather recently
But the second part of the ß is a z. It's a z written in cursive.
It seems it has been done both ways? (Which is news to me.) Source is screenshot of Wikipedia btw.
I love that this is like that evolution of man painting, but showing how script evolved over the years.
Its actually a ligature with tailed z: ſʒ
yay, i'm learning german! i had to long press the s key to get that ß.
it's funnier to use it as a B.
Fß
Cool, thanks for the detail!
STRAẞE
Kiss my schloß