# origin of "&"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of/137956>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 21, 2002, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of/137956 "2002-11-21T15:49:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of/137956/21 "2002-11-22T22:55:26Z")

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That thread, while decomposing into drippy sarcasm, mentioned the asterisk, which many folks say as “asterick.” You’ll always remember the right way to say \* if you think of the quote, “I regret that I have but one asterisk for my country.”

–Nott

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**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of/137956/22 "2002-11-22T23:45:51Z")

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The most common mispronunciation of asterisk I’ve come across is [asterix](http://www.asterix.tm.fr/france/index.asp?f=1). Evidently the people making the mistake don’t realise they don’t get the joke; I have tried to explain it but I just get blank looks.

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