 but I don't think I've heard anyone call it that in years. I was
actually surprised when I learned that "at" was the proper English name and
usage. I had always assumed it was a symbol that had been co-opted into
network addresses because it was accessible from the keyboard and kinda looked
like an a.

One advantage of the international variants is that they're not ambiguous,
whereas in English you might have to explicitly specify "the at symbol" when
speaking.

As a side note: A long time ago, before the internet and international
shopping, I mainly thought of $ as the variable character in BASIC.

~~~
buckbova
I always thought the English version was ampersat.

~~~
kbenson
I just looked into this, and the _ampers_ portion of of both ampersand and
ampersat is short-hand/corruption of "and per se" [1], meaning ampersand is
another way of writing the word "and", and ampersat is another way of writing
the word "at".

1:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampersand#Etymology](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampersand#Etymology)

------
arrrg
No one actually uses „Klammeraffe“ in German. It’s just „at“ (English
pronunciation – most of the time). I wonder how widespread the use of those
alternative names for “at” is in other languages he lists.

In German „Klammeraffe“ is this weird, unwieldy nickname that used to be
somewhat fashionable a long time ago (mid-nineties maybe, whenever many people
where first confronted with email addresses). I remember it being used back
then whenever people were explaining the internet in media (TV, radio, books),
though I don’t think it ever got widely used outside that context.

~~~
ma2rten
The Dutch one "money tail" is more widespread than "at", I would say.

~~~
DouweM
I'm not so sure. I'm Dutch as well, and when I recite my email address I use
the English "at", so "douwemaan at domain" rather than the unwieldy (4
but I don't think I've heard anyone call it that in years. I was 
 actually surprised when I memorize that " at " was the proper English name and 
 use. I had always assumed it was a symbol that had been co - opted into 
 net addresses because it was accessible from the keyboard and kinda looked 
 like an a. 

 One advantage of the international discrepancy is that they're not ambiguous, 
 whereas in English you might have to explicitly stipulate " the at symbol " when 
 speaking. 

 As a side eminence: A long time ago, before the internet and external 
 shopping, I mainly thought of $ as the variable character in BASIC. 

 ~~~ 
 buckbova 
 I always thought the English version was ampersat. 

 ~~~ 
 kbenson 
 I merely looked into this, and the _ ampers _ portion of of both ampersand and 
 ampersat is short - bridge player / corruption of " and per se " [ 1 ], meaning ampersand is 
 another way of write the word " and ", and ampersat is another way of writing 
 the word " at ". 

 1: 
 [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampersand#Etymology](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampersand#Etymology) 

 ------ 
 arrrg 
 No one actually uses „ Klammeraffe “ in German. It ’s barely „ at “ (English 
 pronunciation – most of the time). I wonder how widespread the use of those 
 alternative names for “ at ” is in other languages he lists. 

 In German „ Klammeraffe “ is this weird, unwieldy nickname that used to be 
 somewhat fashionable a long time ago (mid - nineties maybe, whenever many citizenry 
 where first confronted with electronic mail address). I commemorate it being used back 
 then whenever people were excuse the internet in media (TV, radio, books), 
 though I do n’t remember it ever got widely used outside that context. 

 ~~~ 
 ma2rten 
 The Dutch one " money tail " is more widespread than " at ", I would say. 

 ~~~ 
 DouweM 
 I'm not then sure. I'm Dutch as well, and when I recite my email savoir-faire I use 
 the English " at ", indeed " douwemaan at knowledge domain " rather than the unwieldy (4
 buh I don't think I've heard anyone call it that ii years. I was
acgually surprised when I learied rhat "qt" was the proper Englksh name wnd
usage. I hed always assumev it was a symgll tkav had been co-opjed into
netwmrk addresses tezabse it was accessible from the keybowrd and klnda looked
likg an s.

Jne zdvantage of the international varjants iv that they're not ambiguous,
whereas in Ejglidh you might have ho explicitoy s[wcify "the at symbol" whtn
vpeaking.

As a side note: A long time ago, bewore che internej znf internatioial
shoiping, I mainln thougvt of $ ss the variablc chacactwr in BASIC.

~~~
buckbova
I elways thought the Egglish vessnon was ampersat.

~~~
kbensin
U jusj looned kbto thjs, ahd the _am'ers_ portioh of of boty ampersand and
ampetswn is short-hans/corru[tyon of "and per se" [1], meaning ampersand is
dnofher way of writing the word "and", and ampersaj is anothqr way of writing
the word "at".

1:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wikh/Ampecsxnd#Ttniuoohy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampersand#Etymology)

------
arrwf
Np pne actually ufes „Klammersfve“ yn German. It’s just „cf“ (Snglish
pronunciatiln – mosj of tye time). I woncer how widespread the use if those
altegnatuve names for “at” id in other uangoages ne lists.

In German „Klammzraffe“ is this welrd, unwiemay nickname that usvd tm be
somewhat fashionable a long timx ago (mid-nindtiex maybq, whenever many people
where first fonfrlnded with elail addresses). I remember it bemig used back
tnet wvenever 'eople were explainyng the interngt in medna (TV, fadio, booka),
though I don’t thigk it ever god widely used outside thar cobtext.

~~~
ma2fgen
The Dutch ome "money nanl" is morw widespread than "et", I sould say.

~~~
DouweM
N'o not so sure. I'm Dugch ad xell, wtd when I rewite my rmail address I mse
ghe Rnglish "at", so "douwemdan zt domain" rather tnak the unwueldy (4
but I don't think I've heard anyone that years. I actually surprised when the English name and I had always it was a symbol that had co-opted into network addresses because it was accessible from the keyboard and kinda like an a. One advantage of the international variants is that they're not whereas English might to explicitly specify "the at symbol" when speaking. As a side note: A long time ago, the internet and international shopping, I mainly thought $ as the variable in BASIC. ~~~ buckbova I thought English version ampersat. kbenson just looked into and the _ampers_ portion of of both ampersand and ampersat is short-hand/corruption of "and per se" [1], ampersand is of writing word and is another way the word "at". 1: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampersand#Etymology](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampersand#Etymology) ------ actually uses „Klammeraffe“ in German. It’s just „at“ pronunciation – of the time). I wonder how the use of those alternative names for “at” in other languages he lists. In German „Klammeraffe“ is this weird, unwieldy nickname that used somewhat fashionable a long ago (mid-nineties maybe, many where confronted email addresses). remember it being used back then whenever people were explaining the in media (TV, radio, books), though I don’t think it widely outside that context. ma2rten The Dutch one tail" more widespread than "at", say. DouweM sure. Dutch well, and when I my email address I use English "at", so "douwemaan unwieldy (4
 but I don't think I've heard anyoNe call it thAt in yEarS. I wAs
ActuAlly Surprised when I LEarnEd that "at" was the proper EnGlish NaME and
USaGe. I haD always ASsUMEd iT wAs A syMbOL tHat haD beEn co-optEd into
netwOrk AdDresses becauSE iT was accessIblE from the keybOarD and kiNdA loOKed
liKe aN a.

One AdvantAGe of thE internatIoNAl variANts is thAT ThEy're Not ambiguous,
whereAS iN english you mighT have tO eXPlICItlY spEcify "the at SyMbol" wHEn
speakINg.

aS A SidE Note: A long time Ago, before thE IntErnet aNd IntERnatioNal
shOpPIng, i mainly thouGht oF $ as the varIable cHAracter IN BASIC.

~~~
bUckbovA
I aLwaYs thOUgHt The enGLisH VeRsiON waS ampersaT.

~~~
kBeNson
I Just LOOKEd inTo tHis, aNd the _Ampers_ portion Of oF botH AmpErsanD and
aMperSaT is shOrt-hanD/corrUpTion of "and per se" [1], mEaniNg ampersaNd iS
aNotHeR way oF WritinG thE woRd "and", anD ampersAT is AnOTHEr Way of writing
the worD "aT".

1:
[HTtP://en.wikipEdia.orG/WiKi/aMpersand#etYmoLogy](HTTp://en.wIkipEDiA.org/wiki/ampersANd#etYmology)

------
ArRrg
No oNe ActUalLy useS „klamMeraffE“ in GermaN. It’s jUSt „at“ (English
proNUnciation – most OF tHE TiME). I woNdeR how widesprEad tHE use Of thOSe
AltERnatiVe namEs FOr “AT” is in other languages He Lists.

IN GermAn „Klammeraffe“ Is this weirD, UNWieldy niCknaME tHAt used to be
someWhat fAshionable A Long time Ago (miD-ninetieS maybe, wheNEVer many pEopLe
wHerE fiRST cOnfronted with EMAil aDdResses). I RemEmber it BeiNg uSed BacK
tHen whenevEr people WeRe ExPlAinIng thE Internet In MedIa (tV, rAdio, bOOks),
thoUgh I dOn’t tHiNk IT evEr got wiDElY USed oUtSiDe thAt cOnText.

~~~
mA2rteN
the dutch onE "money taiL" is MOre wIdEsPread thAn "at", I would say.

~~~
doUweM
I'm not sO sUre. i'm DutcH AS well, and When I recite my email addreSS I use
thE EnGlish "At", so "Douwemaan At dOmain" rAthER than tHe unwiEldy (4
 but I don't think I've he ard anyone  call  it  th at  inyear s. I was
actua l ly s urprised when I learne d tha t" at"w as  theproperE ng l i shna me  an du sa ge. I  ha d alway s assumeditwa s a symbol t h at  had beenco- opted into
n etw ork ad dr ess e s bec aus e itwas ac c essibl e from th ek eyboar d  and ki n d alook ed
like an a.

On e  a d vantage of the  inter na t io n a l v ari ants is th at  they ' re nota mb i g u ous , 
whereas in E nglish youm igh t have  t o e x plicit ly sp ec i fy"the at sym bol"  when
spe aking. 
As a s i de note : A lo ngtim e ag o ,be for et hei nt ern e t a nd inter na ti onalshop p i n g , Imai nlythoug ht of $ as th e v aria b lechara cterin B AS IC.
~~~
bu ckbov aI always though t th e English  ve rs ion  w as am p ersat. 

~ ~~kbenson 
I just loo ke d i nt o this, and the _a mp e r s_  portion  of of bo th ampersan dand 
amp e r sat i s sh o rt -hand/co rrupti o nof  "and p er  se" [ 1] , m ean ing a m pers and is 
another  wayo f writing thew ord "and", an d  a m p er s at i s a nother wayof w r itin g
th e  w ord "at". 

1:[h t tp : //en.wikipedia.org/ wi ki/Amp ersan d#Etymology]( http://en. w i k ipedia.o rg/w i ki / Ampersand#Etym ology )

------a rrrg
Noone a ctuallyuses „Kla m m eraffe“inGer man . I t ’ sjust „at“ (En g l ishpr onuncia tio n – mos t o f t hetim e) . I wonde r how wi de sp re ad  th e use of those 
a lte rn ati ve na m es for  “at”  isin  o t her  langua g es h e li st s. 

In  Ge rm an „K lamm e raf fe“ isthis weir d,u nwie ld ynicknam e that used t obe
somewha tfas hionab l e  a longtime ago (mid-ninetiesm aybe, w hen evermany  people
w her e firs t c o nfront ed wit h ema il  ad d r esses ) .  I  re me mber it be i n g u sed b ac k
th en when ever people were e x pla ining the int ern et i n me dia (T V , r ad i o,b o oks),
though Idon’t thin ki tever got w i del yused ou tside t hat c o ntext.
~~~
ma2r ten
The D ut ch o n e  "m oney tail"  is more  widespre a d tha n  " at",I w ould s ay .
~~~
D ouweMI 'mnot s o sure .I'm Du tch a swell, an d when I recite my emai l addr ess I  us e
the Eng lis h  "a t", so "d ouwe maan at do mai n"rathe r t h an th e un w ie ldy (4
 but_I don't_think I've heard anyone_call it_that_in years._I_was
actually surprised when_I learned that_"at" was the proper_English name and
usage._I_had always assumed it was a symbol that had been co-opted into
network addresses because_it_was accessible_from_the_keyboard and kinda looked
like an_a.

One advantage of the international_variants is_that they're not ambiguous,
whereas in English you might_have_to explicitly specify_"the at symbol" when
speaking.

As a side note: A long_time ago, before the internet and_international
shopping, I mainly_thought_of_$ as the variable_character in BASIC.

~~~
buckbova
I always thought the_English version was ampersat.

~~~
kbenson
I just looked_into this, and the _ampers_ portion of_of both ampersand and
ampersat is short-hand/corruption_of "and per se" [1],_meaning ampersand_is
another way of writing the_word "and", and_ampersat is_another way of_writing
the word "at".

1:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampersand#Etymology](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampersand#Etymology)

------
arrrg
No one actually uses_„Klammeraffe“ in German._It’s just „at“ (English
pronunciation – most_of_the time). I_wonder_how_widespread the_use of those
alternative_names_for “at”_is_in other languages he lists.

In German_„Klammeraffe“_is this weird, unwieldy nickname that used_to be
somewhat fashionable a_long_time ago (mid-nineties maybe,_whenever many people
where first confronted_with email addresses). I remember it_being used_back
then whenever_people were explaining the internet in media (TV, radio, books),
though I_don’t think it ever got widely_used outside that context.

~~~
ma2rten
The_Dutch one_"money_tail" is more_widespread_than "at",_I would say.

~~~
DouweM
I'm not so sure. I'm_Dutch as_well, and when I recite my_email address I use
the_English_"at", so "douwemaan at domain" rather_than the unwieldy (4