# People who think using the ligature "æ" makes them look smart are wankers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 21, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219 "2008-03-21T14:10:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/1 "2008-03-21T14:10:28Z")
Get a dictionary published this century, assface. That shit isn’t even on a standard keyboard. You must have gone to a lot of trouble to type an obsolete character that nobody uses. Get over yourselves, fuckbuckets. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/2 "2008-03-21T14:15:24Z")
œ kæ ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/3 "2008-03-21T14:25:20Z")
Alt 0198 is Æ and Alt 0230 is æ. I had to look it up, but I keep a sheet handy and it took 10 seconds per. I use Alt 0189 often as it is ½ and I have recently memorized Alt 0226 â for another thread in the games forum. I also like to use Alt 0176 ° for the degree symbol, but I can’t seem to memorize and I look it up often. It take about 5-8 seconds instead of 2 like ½ does. You don’t reference the context or person you are pitting, so I would have to say without context you appear to be bitching about something minor. What word was it used in? Jim ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/4 "2008-03-21T14:25:20Z")
Cite of the offending behaviour, plæase? ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/5 "2008-03-21T14:28:21Z")
Æelfric _was_ a smart guy, so I find it hard to fault him. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/6 "2008-03-21T14:30:18Z")
[QUOTE=Maeglin] Æelfric _was_ a smart guy, so I find it hard to fault him. [/QUOTE] Says **Mæglin** ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/7 "2008-03-21T14:31:03Z")
It’s just for æsthetics. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/8 "2008-03-21T14:32:24Z")
Actually, depending on where the person is from, that ligature comes on keyboards. [Cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86#Computer_use). ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/9 "2008-03-21T14:42:24Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Says **Mæglin** [/QUOTE] Oooh, **touchæ!** ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/10 "2008-03-21T14:45:21Z")
[QUOTE=Maeglin] Æelfric _was_ a smart guy, so I find it hard to fault him. [/QUOTE] Perhaps, but Ælfræd was _Great_. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/11 "2008-03-21T14:54:47Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I also like to use Alt 0176 ° for the degree symbol, but I can’t seem to memorize and I look it up often. [/QUOTE] Same. I also know Alt+0169 is ©. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/12 "2008-03-21T14:56:56Z")
Learn to swim. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/13 "2008-03-21T15:00:57Z")
Once, long ago, I started memorizing Alt+Etc codes. Then I realized it was a losing battle. There would always be some oddball character somewhere I didn’t know the code for. So I long since put a link to ↷Charmap.exe on my desktop. Seems I use that sucker all the time. Well, not all the time, really, but maybe once or twice a week on average. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/14 "2008-03-21T15:02:33Z")
[QUOTE=Zabali\_Clawbane] Actually, depending on where the person is from, that ligature comes on keyboards. [/QUOTE] So do I, when I’m looking at some really græt porn on my computer. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/15 "2008-03-21T15:28:27Z")
On macs, æ is option+apostrophe. I don’t have it memorized, but it’s easy enough to figure out by trial and ærror. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/16 "2008-03-21T15:33:40Z")
As a member of the Edh Liberation Front… oh, never mind. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/17 "2008-03-21T15:39:30Z")
“Ligature”. Check out the big brain on **friedo**! ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/18 "2008-03-21T15:42:39Z")
This is reminiscent of **Læffan** ’s location rant. Wæk. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/19 "2008-03-21T15:45:47Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Check out the big brain on **friedo**! [/QUOTE] It’s why I get the big bucks. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219/20 "2008-03-21T15:46:53Z")
[QUOTE=friedo] It’s why I get the big bucks. [/QUOTE] As you are here. What were the circumstances behind this pitting? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-think-using-the-ligature-ae-makes-them-look-smart-are-wankers/442219.md?page=2)