Breviograph

A breviograph or brevigraph (from Latin: brevis, short, and Greek grapho, to write) is a type of scribal abbreviation in the form of an easily written symbol, character, flourish or stroke, based on a modified letter form to take the place of a common letter combination, especially those occurring at the beginning or end of a word. Breviographs were used frequently by stenographers, law clerks and scriveners, and they were also found in early printed books and tracts. Their use declined after the 17th century.

Examples

Examples of breviographs:

• & — et (e.g. &c = etc)
• ⋅i⋅ — id est
• ꝑ — per-, pre-, or par- (e.g. ꝑson = person)
• ß — ser-, sur-, or sir- (e.g. ßuaunt = seruaunt = servant)
• X — Christ- (e.g. Xian = Christian)

See also

• Acronym and initialism
• Palaeography
• Tironian notes
• Classical abbreviations
• Medieval abbreviations
• Scribal abbreviations

Sources

• Elaine E. Whitaker, "Lacunae and the id est Brevigraph in Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodley 283," Manuscripta 36, no. 3 (1992), 191–99.