From: Michael Everson (everson@evertype.com)
Date: Wed Mar 26 2003 - 10:00:47 EST
According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English
Language, page 1303, in the list of symbols and signs, it indicates
that a symbol similar to the per-mille sign can be used to indicate
"salinity". Nice annotation.
Having said that, the etymology of the percent sign given on page 449
of the New York Public Library's Writers Guide to Style and Usage
makes me wonder if that salinity and per mille have the same origin.
Apparently the % sign derived from N°/c < numero per cento 'to this
number in a hundred'. The N was dropped, the c turned to an o, and
then °/o became %
The question.... :-)
-- Michael Everson * * Everson Typography * * http://www.evertype.com
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