off:alphabet soup

[Mike Fuller]

>>>>> On Fri, 6 Sep 1996 13:07:58 EST, "Ted Jackson jr. EL 84"
>>>>> <TOJACKSO at HAWK.SYR.EDU> said:

Ted> Which came first, the letter "V" or "U"?

V -- there is no U in Latin.


Ted> When did they cease to be interchangeable, as in the Roman-looking
Ted> characters on T&M where the letter U is depicted as a V?  I've seen
Ted> this all over a bunch of ancient books I've been handling lately,
Ted> and would like the low down.  thanks theo

I'm not sure, but I'd guess sometime in the 1700s.  The only instances
I've seen in the US are in some really old cities on the East Coast.
For example, when I lived in the DC Area, I lived in Prince George's
County, which was established in the 1600s and written "Prince George's
Covnty" on the buildings, etc.  I also remember seeing many instances of
V being used instead of U when I visited London.

--
                                Mike