Switzerland: (key left of 1) US Colemak: United Kingdom (Mac): (key left of 1) Origin Two possible origins are often posited for the section sign: most probably, that it is a ligature formed by the combination of two S glyphs (from the Latin signum sectiōnis). Some scholars, however, are skeptical of this explanation. Others have theorized that it is an adaptation of the Ancient Greek (paragraphos), a catch-all term for a class of punctuation marks used by scribes with diverse shapes and intended uses. The modern form of the sign, with its modern meaning, has been in use since the 13th century. In literature In Jaroslav Hašek's The Good Soldier Švejk, is used repeatedly to mean "bureaucracy". In his English translation of 1930, Paul Selver translated it as "red tape". See also Scilicet ("it may be known") is sometimes rendered using a § mark instead of "viz." Section (typography) Explanatory footnotes References External links Punctuation Typographical symbols