why is lowercase L exactly the same as a capital i?

Answer 1

To previous answer-ers -- Who cares that it happens in SOME fonts and not in others?! The fact is it DOES happen.

The basic answer is, it happened over time:

1) All letters started as what we call "capital" forms. In those forms "I" and "L" were easily distinguished.

2) This all worked pretty well for things like engraving. But it was not as quick and easy for writing long texts by hand (and ink).
As a result, over time "cursive forms" developed. Typically these forms tended to simplify forms, to cut short less important strokes and to "round off" corners, esp. to make them flow in the direction of the writing (toward the next letter). In the case of the Latin alphabet it led to "Roman cursive forms".

(Example: compare "E" and "F" with the rounder forms "e" and "f")

3) Changes and the tendencies of rounding and simplifying, etc. continued with the medieval development of "uncials" and from there to "minuscule" letters (esp the Carolingian minuscules) -- that is, the forms we now call "lower case" (a term derived from the later practice of printers keeping this set of letters in box/case stored below the "upper case" [capital or majuscule letters]).

If you look at samples of these various forms over time, you can see how at least by the "uncial" stage the horizontal stroke at the bottom of the L became rounded and very short.

4) Finally, another piece of simplification -- little extra strokes (called "serifs") might be dropped completely. As a result the capital "I" and lower case "l" fall together.

But isn't this likely to cause confusion? And it so, why is it tolerated? In fact, in most instances it does NOT cause confusion -- context, and knowledge of the language, almost always makes it easy to tell which is meant.

Thus, if I write "class", you wouldn't think of reading the "L" in the word as a capital I, not only because you know the word, but because we do not toss capital letters into the middle of a word in lower case letters. In the same way, you know the practice of beginning a sentence with a capital letter, so you wouldn't take the capital "I" at the beginning of this sentence as a lower case "L"... not to mention the fact that you know the word and that "LF" is unpronouncable! So the only place where there might be confusion is at the BEGINNING of a word. But even this is unlikely. Knowing words helps, as does the fact that you cannot pronounce "India" as if it were "LNDIA". .


History: capitals, cursive, uncials, minuscules
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_square_capitals
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_cursive
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncial
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolingian_minuscule
http://medievalwriting.50megs.com/scripts/history5.htm

Answer 2

But, it isn't. Only in some fonts does a lowercase L look like a capital I ... like this one. If you use other fonts, you get different looking letters.

Answer 3

ok.............i'm lots older than you. even as " i" (lol) went to varsity, there have been all kinds of grammar rules. interior the starting up "you" are substantial, are not to any extent further you? therefore you are able to say " I" as in spite of the undeniable fact that that replaced into your call. after all, you capitalize your call, do no longer you? Oh, my call is Sharon, by potential of ability of options. once you commence a sentence you're meant to coach a capital letter. you position a era on the suitable of a sentence to end a idea, basically mutually with you drop your voice quite once you end a vocal sentence. it really is been taking position for an quite lengthy time period, till ultimately on the prompt, even as pcs and textual content cloth cloth messaging were given the following into form. Now it really is larger perfect to misspell words and use dissimilar short "vrzhns" of an identical be wide awake. i might want to opt to admit, i take advantage some myself. it really is larger sensible that way isn't it. even besides the actual shown reality that, it is going antagonistic to each and all the grammar rules that you got here across out interior the decrease grades in college. gdbi!

Answer 4

A capital I should have the two extra lines (one on top, one on the bottom) but it does depend on whether you are using a Sans serif font or not.

Answer 5

That actually depends on the font.