Uncovering the Secret of the Dot Over ‘i’ and ‘j’: The Tittle. You’ve seen it countless times, yet probably never gave it a second thought. That tiny dot hovering above the letters ‘i’ and ‘j’ has been a staple of our alphabet for centuries. But have you ever wondered what it’s called, why it’s there, or how it came to be? Let’s delve into the fascinating world of typography and uncover the secret of the tittle, the humble dot that’s been completing our alphabet since the Middle Ages.
The tittle or superscript dot is the dot on top of lowercase i and j. The tittle is an integral part of these glyphs, but diacritic dots can appear over other letters in various languages. In most languages, the tittle of i or j is omitted when a diacritic is placed in the tittle’s usual position (as í or ĵ), but not when the diacritic appears elsewhere (as į, ɉ).
The use
The word tittle is rarely used. One notable occurrence is in the King James Bible at Matthew 5:18: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (KJV). The quotation uses “jot and tittle” as examples of extremely small graphic details in “the Law”, presumably referring to the Hebrew text of the Torah. In English the phrase “jot and tittle” indicates that every small detail has received attention.
The Greek terms translated in English as “jot” and “tittle” in Matthew 5:18 are iota and keraia . Iota is the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet (ι); The even smaller iota subscript was a medieval innovation. Alternatively, iota may represent yodh (י), the smallest letter of the Hebrew and Aramaic alphabets (to which iota is related).
“Keraia” is a hook or serif, and in Matthew 5:18 may refer to Greek diacritics, or, if the reference is to the Hebrew text of the Torah, possibly refers to the pen strokes that distinguish between similar Hebrew letters, e.g., ב (Bet) versus כ (Kaph), or to ornamental pen strokes attached to certain Hebrew letters, or to the Hebrew letter Vav, since in Hebrew vav also means “hook”.”Keraia” in Matt. 5:18 cannot refer to vowel marks known as Niqqud, which developed later than the date of Matthew’s composition. Others have suggested that “Keraia” refers to markings in cursive scripts of languages derived from Aramaic, such as Syriac, written in Serṭā . In printing modern Greek numerals a keraia is used.
Dotless and dotted i
A number of alphabets use dotted and dotless I, both upper and lower case.
In the modern Turkish alphabet, the absence or presence of a tittle distinguishes two different letters representing two different phonemes: the letter “I” / “ı”, with the absence of a tittle also on the lower case letter, represents the close back unrounded vowel [ɯ], while “İ” / “i”, with the inclusion of a tittle even on the capital letter, represents the close front unrounded vowel [i]. This practice has carried over to several other Turkic languages, like the Azerbaijani alphabet, Crimean Tatar alphabet, and Tatar alphabet.
In some of the Dene languages of the Northwest Territories in Canada, specifically North Slavey, South Slavey, Tłı̨chǫ and Dëne Sųłıné, all instances of i are undotted to avoid confusion with tone-marked vowels í or ì. The other Dene language of the Northwest Territories, Gwich’in, always includes the tittle on lowercase i.
There is only one letter I in Irish, but i is undotted in the traditional uncial Gaelic script to avoid confusion of the tittle with the buailte overdot found over consonants. Modern texts replace the buailte with the letter h, and use the same antiqua-descendant fonts, which have a tittle, as other Latin-alphabet languages. Bilingual road signs formerly used dotless i in lowercase Irish text to better distinguish i from í. The letter “j” is not used in Irish other than in foreign words.
Evolution and Standardization
As printing technology emerged in the 15th century, the tittle became an essential feature of moveable type. Early printers, such as Johannes Gutenberg, adopted the tittle to maintain consistency and readability. Over time, the tittle’s design evolved, with varying sizes and styles appearing in different fonts. Despite these changes, its purpose remained constant: to distinguish ‘i’ and ‘j’ from other letters.
Linguistic Significance
The tittle plays a vital role in language, particularly in languages that use the Latin alphabet. Without it, ‘i’ and ‘j’ could be easily confused with other letters, leading to misunderstandings and miscommunications. In some languages, such as Turkish and Azerbaijani, the tittle distinguishes between different vowel sounds. Its importance extends beyond aesthetics, ensuring the accuracy and clarity of written communication.
Typography and Design
In modern typography, the tittle continues to influence font design. Typefounders carefully craft the tittle to balance aesthetics and legibility. Variations in tittle size, shape, and positioning can significantly impact a font’s overall appearance. From elegant serifs to sleek sans-serifs, the tittle remains an essential element, demonstrating the intricate relationship between form and function in typography.
Digital Legacy
In the digital age, the tittle remains relevant, influencing digital typography and keyboard design. Unicode standards ensure consistent representation of the tittle across languages and platforms. Even emoji incorporate the tittle, maintaining visual consistency and recognizability.
Conclusion
The humble tittle, often overlooked, holds a significant place in the history of written language. From medieval calligraphy to modern digital typography, this tiny dot has ensured clarity, precision, and accuracy. Next time you see the tittle hovering above ‘i’ or ‘j’, remember its rich history and enduring impact on our written communication.
