# How do you use the Tilde? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 21, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231 "2005-02-21T20:50:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/1 "2005-02-21T20:50:43Z")
OK, the Æ thread prompted me to post a question I’ve been mulling for a while now. Keep in mind, I know virtually nothing about the Spanish language. But I was wondering how you’re supposed to use the Tilde ( ~ ) in typical typing? I always thought it was used as an accent mark over letters, kind of like an umlaut. If thats correct, why do we have one that is it’s own character. Not, logic tells me that one of two things must be true. A) The common keyboard is even dumber than previously thought, or B) I’m a complete rube and shouldn’t be given access to such technology. Please tell me what this little bastard is for lest I continue using it as a flourished dash-mark inappropriately. ~Omniscient ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/2 "2005-02-21T21:14:26Z")
Well, it’s used in web addresses, for one. For example, my uni’s URL is [http://www.ship.edu/~counctr](http://www.ship.edu/~counctr). Robin ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/3 "2005-02-21T21:16:15Z")
It’s also used as a replacement for the approximatly equals symbol (which is a wavy equals sign) So 4.99 is ~5 And, as I recall, it is a symbol in spanish as well, though usually it is put over a letter, some text editors auto replace ~n for the n with tilde directly over it. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/4 "2005-02-21T21:25:11Z")
It has some uses in programming. In C++, for instance, it is part of a function called a destructor: ~Fraction(); and it also acts as the “bitwise complement operator”, for flipping the bits of a variable. y = ~x; ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/5 "2005-02-21T21:58:26Z")
Oh, yeah. I should have mentioned that being a engineering grad and a developer/programmer I actually do know of the many common uses of it. I should clarify that the question is more in reference to the lingustic uses. I’m operating under the presumption that all the the common web and computer language uses are more a result of it’s inclusion on a keyboard, rather than the reason for it. I’d be glad to conceed this is wrong if it does indeed not have a lingustic use after all. So, the question remains…and maybe this should have been put in GQ… but how would you use it in type if you were (presumably) using Spanish? ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/6 "2005-02-21T23:10:13Z")
It’s used in Spanish to differentiate the letter “n” (pronouced “EN-eh”) from the letter “ñ” (pronouced “EN-yeh”). The pronunciation distinction is the same in Spanish words - words like _jalapeño_ and _español_ are written with the tilde, while _necesario_ and _enunciar_ are written (and pronounced) without it. ---
**Author:** ![Cockatiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cockatiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cockatiel)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/7 "2005-02-21T23:15:19Z")
Hm. Not so omniscient, are you, **Omniscient**? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/8 "2005-02-22T02:34:57Z")
In the phonetic transcription system X-SAMPA it signifies a nasalized vowel /a/ vs. /a~/ ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/9 "2005-02-22T02:44:14Z")
Could it be that it’s on the keyboard because it used to be on typewriters where it was easier to back up a bit and then type it over another character? And then the standalone uses arose. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/10 "2005-02-22T03:09:40Z")
> [@iamthewalrus(:3=](#): > > Could it be that it’s on the keyboard because it used to be on typewriters where it was easier to back up a bit and then type it over another character? And then the standalone uses arose. Yes, I think that’s it. On a typewriter, you type n, then backspace, then ~ . It was included on computer keyboards as a historical holdover. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/11 "2005-02-22T03:20:06Z")
Worth pointing out that in addition to Spanish ñ there are also several Portuguese vowels that take the tilde to indicate nasalization: Joao with tilde over the a (and I refuse to try to figure out how to get Verdana to represent that on this board) is pronounced roughly Jhon-o (yes, the h is where it belongs, it’s a very soft J sound, like the s in pleasure). The tilde by itself represents: [ul][li]“Approximately,” when followed by a numerical quantity[/li][li]"(Matter omitted)" in older texts and occasionally still today. Jonathan Edwards, the Great Enlightmenment preacher, would probably have signed his name quickly as Jno~ Edwards. Note the signature of **tomndebb** : Tom~[/li]In symbolic logic, it represents a “not” operator.[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/12 "2005-02-22T03:21:04Z")
> [@emekthian](#): > > In the phonetic transcription system X-SAMPA it signifies a nasalized vowel > > /a/ vs. /a~/ That’s also how it’s used in written Portuguese: the name João is pronounced with a nasalized vowel, sort of like the French word “joint,” if I have that correctly. It’s also used that way in several other languages. Amusingly, in archaic English typesetting it used to be used to show that the vowel was followed by n; _mãfullie_ for “manfully,” for example. ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/13 "2005-02-22T03:44:27Z")
I have no idea, but it’s COOL~! ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/14 "2005-02-22T05:14:25Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Yes, I think that’s it. On a typewriter, you type n, then backspace, then ~ . It was included on computer keyboards as a historical holdover. This is the kind of answer I was looking for. Sounds reasonable enough, and short of Cecil’s confirmation, I’ll take this as a granite-solid fact. I guess my assumption that it is used above letters was correct, and short of programming shorthand and various typographical, it doesn’t have much use in composition as it exists now. Good to know. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/15 "2005-02-22T05:19:34Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > So, the question remains…and maybe this should have been put in GQ… but how would you use it in type if you were (presumably) using Spanish? Well, quite clearly, it’s meant to indicate a drooling smiley, in any language. :-p~~~ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/16 "2005-02-22T10:48:05Z")
In typed text (on a message board, for example), I use it to mean ‘approximately’; “I can eat ~50 eggs”. Surprised nobody has mentioned its use in Linux (not sure if it is just bash or if it’s universal) - it represents the currently logged user’s home directory, so **cd /home/mangetout** is the same as **cd ~** ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/17 "2005-02-22T16:23:18Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > In typed text (on a message board, for example), I use it to mean ‘approximately’; “I can eat ~50 eggs”. > > Surprised nobody has mentioned its use in Linux (not sure if it is just bash or if it’s universal) - it represents the currently logged user’s home directory, so **cd /home/mangetout** is the same as **cd ~** Apropos **Mange** ’s last example, can I take this opportunity to ask about something? Often when I see an URL to a personal website, it’ll be something like “http:\[www.corporateISPsite.com](http://www.corporateISPsite.com)\homepages~fredr7\index.htm” – why the tilde before fredr7’s name? ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/18 "2005-02-22T16:47:20Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Apropos **Mange** ’s last example, can I take this opportunity to ask about something? Often when I see an URL to a personal website, it’ll be something like “http:\[www.corporateISPsite.com](http://www.corporateISPsite.com)\homepages~fredr7\index.htm” – why the tilde before fredr7’s name? My WAG is that it tells the server to skip to the user’s public\_html directory. In my experience, on big ISP sites like that, the user’s webspace contains other directories for email and such, and their actual web page is in public\_html. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/19 "2005-02-22T16:49:27Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Apropos **Mange** ’s last example, can I take this opportunity to ask about something? Often when I see an URL to a personal website, it’ll be something like “http:\[www.corporateISPsite.com](http://www.corporateISPsite.com)\homepages~fredr7\index.htm” – why the tilde before fredr7’s name? It’s often used internally to link to a specific user’s web directory on their account. The first part of the URL is the domain, as you’ve identified, like: [www.corporateISPsite.com](http://www.corporateISPsite.com) Then the next piece is typically an internal path name to a specific directory and file. In the case of a multi-user environment, that **~username** part is an alias to the user’s directories, and usually a certain “starting” directory inside, not just to their home directory. For example, at my university, **~smith** would like to **~smith/public\_html** , (where “~smith” in the unix file system indicates Joe Smith’s home directory (called “smith”). ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231/20 "2005-02-22T16:50:41Z")
would LINK to… would LINK to… :smack: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-use-the-tilde/291231.md?page=2)