23 Jul
1998
23 Jul
'98
6:27 p.m.
> The thing actually has an official name, but I
doubt many people still use
> it. Its an "octothorpe"!
You mean those little 'prongs' sticking out on
the four sides are
"thorpes"? How 'bout that! Learn something new every day. :)
No, the squares framed by the lines are "thorpes." The unmarked square is not
a thorpe.
1 | 2 | 3
---+-----+---
4 | | 5
---+-----+---
6 | 7 | 8
At least, that's the way I understand it. Apparently the symbol was used on
maps to denote small villages. Also apparently, the symbol depicts a village
surrounded by eight crop fields; this relates to the name ("octo" +
"thorpe" =
"eight" + "field"). I thought the word "thorpe" (as used in
English place-
names) referred to the village itself, but I could be wrong.
Whatever the story, octothorpe DOES seem to be the official name!
-- Derek