4 ms·

The Hidden Messages of Colonial Handwriting

49 points by benbreen 10y ago

Kinnard 10y ago
Fascinating. I bet this would be even more powerful with a homoiconic language like Hebrew: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/137068/jewish/Letters-of-Light.htm http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/137068/jewish/.... And then penmen would have gotten what they wanted working with the tools of God: the hebrew letters are considered to be the foundational creative and substantive components of the Universe, so they would have been a priesthood of sorts guarding a lot more than social class: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer
- muricula 10y ago
  How is Hebrew homoiconic?
- ggchappell 10y ago
  > a homoiconic language like Hebrew What does "homoiconic" mean in this context? (Google doesn't help.)
  - Kinnard 10y ago
    The letters look like what they mean. This series goes through each one: http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/1930265/jewish/Letters-of-Light.htm http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/1930265/jewis...
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
KON_Air 10y ago
"Round hand" as demonstrated by penman George Bickham in this article makes me feel so pedesterian, I'm compelled to burn all my diplomas and degrees.
- Brendinooo 10y ago
  Bickham Script (https://www.fonts.com/font/adobe/bickham-script https://www.fonts.com/font/adobe/bickham-script) can help you feel a little classier!
vintermann 10y ago
The funny thing is that Washington's handwriting is far more legible to me (a European) than my own great-grandfather's - even though great-grandpa had an extremely neat and regular handwriting. I guess US handwriting styles won out at some point - or maybe it was the German-inspired handwriting that lost out.
- coldpie 10y ago
  Haha, really? I can't read almost a word of that. "Alteration also to such thumps as you shaker coin a fit subjects for communication on the occasion."
executesorder66 10y ago
Personally I find the italic and cursive writing styles very illegible. They are very stylish and nice to look at. But I have a hard time reading anything written in a "stylish" font.

49 points by benbreen 10y ago

Fascinating. I bet this would be even more powerful with a homoiconic language like Hebrew: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/137068/jewish/Letters-of-Light.htm http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/137068/jewish/.... And then penmen would have gotten what they wanted working with the tools of God: the hebrew letters are considered to be the foundational creative and substantive components of the Universe, so they would have been a priesthood of sorts guarding a lot more than social class: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer

muricula 10y ago
How is Hebrew homoiconic?
ggchappell 10y ago
> a homoiconic language like Hebrew What does "homoiconic" mean in this context? (Google doesn't help.)
- Kinnard 10y ago
  The letters look like what they mean. This series goes through each one: http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/1930265/jewish/Letters-of-Light.htm http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/1930265/jewis...
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

KON_Air 10y ago

"Round hand" as demonstrated by penman George Bickham in this article makes me feel so pedesterian, I'm compelled to burn all my diplomas and degrees.

Brendinooo 10y ago
Bickham Script (https://www.fonts.com/font/adobe/bickham-script https://www.fonts.com/font/adobe/bickham-script) can help you feel a little classier!

vintermann 10y ago

The funny thing is that Washington's handwriting is far more legible to me (a European) than my own great-grandfather's - even though great-grandpa had an extremely neat and regular handwriting. I guess US handwriting styles won out at some point - or maybe it was the German-inspired handwriting that lost out.

coldpie 10y ago
Haha, really? I can't read almost a word of that. "Alteration also to such thumps as you shaker coin a fit subjects for communication on the occasion."

executesorder66 10y ago

Personally I find the italic and cursive writing styles very illegible. They are very stylish and nice to look at. But I have a hard time reading anything written in a "stylish" font.