I’ve seen .: used two times now, and I really wonder what is? The first time I saw it was in an extract from the Swedish dictionary SAOL in NE. They used it something like this so:

History.: since year x

More lately I saw it used in this comment by @nodsocket@lemmy.world like so:

What make bikes so expensive?

R.: The willing of people to buy them.


What is this? Were does it come from? Should I use it?


Edit: thanks for all the answers :). It turns out it was actually used for abbreviation in the dictionary, they wrote “hist.” instead of “historia”.

  • digger@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    I’ve seen it as an easier to type version of the “therefore” symbol which is three dots in a triangle ∴

    The symbol is used in math and logic. Try reading the word “therefore” in place of the symbol and see if it makes sense in context.

  • PlexSheep@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    Normally, it’s just abbreviation with a double colon afterwards.

    Instead of

    In example:

    I.e.:

  • 404@lemmy.zip
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    1 year ago

    “R.:” looks like an abbreviated form of “Reply:”/“Response:” but since “History” isn’t abbreviated it just looks like a typo to me.

  • radix@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Maybe the period is for abbreviation. In that comment, from a cursory glance, maybe R. means Response.

  • spacecowboy@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    Am I missing some comments somewhere? All I see are people telling you the difference between the latin ie and eg. Nobody has commented on your query.

    • octoperson@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      I can see 4 top level comments earlier than yours that address the OP, without being involved in the ie eg debate. I’m on the same instance as you too so idk why you wouldn’t see them. caching problems with your app or browser?