J | History, Etymology, & Pronunciation - Britannica

Home » When Was The Letter J Introduced Into The English Language » J | History, Etymology, & Pronunciation - Britannica

Maybe your like

Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos j Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics Images j Contents Geography & Travel Languages
j
j The English letter j did not come into existence until the end of the Middle Ages, when scribes began to use a tailed form of i, with or without the dot, next to the short form of i (1). When printing was invented, the tailed form of i (2) was often used for an initial i, which is usually consonantal. Not until the 17th century, however, was the distinction between J or j as a consonant and I or i as a vowel fully established. (more)
j letter Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Print Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/J-letter Feedback External Websites Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
  • Medieval Writing - The History of j
Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: J Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot

j, tenth letter of the alphabet. It was not differentiated from the letter i until comparatively modern times.

It was the custom in medieval manuscripts to lengthen the letter I when it was in a prominent position, notably when it was initial. As initial I usually had consonantal force, the lengthened form came definitely to be regarded as representing the consonant and the short form the vowel in whatever position they occurred. The process of differentiation began about the 14th century but was not complete until the 17th century. For certain purposes—an alphabetical series, for example—the letters I and J are not always regarded as distinct, the enumeration passing occasionally from I to K.

Related Topics: consonant letter (Show more) See all related content

The original consonantal sound represented by the letter was the semivowel or spirant i (the sound of y in the word yacht). This passed into dy and later into the sound dž that the letter represents today. This sound was already established in the language in words of Romance origin in which it was represented by g (e.g., in words such as gesture or ginger), and these words retain their spelling. In English the letter J represents the same sound (dž) in all positions, and deviations from it are extremely rare even in words of foreign origin. In the bird name jaeger, however, the sound dž and the sound y are both admitted, and in certain personal and local names of Spanish origin (e.g., Javier, La Jolla), the sound of h is current in English usage. The minuscule form j is the lengthened form, retaining the dot, of minuscule i.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Michael Ray.

Tag » When Was The Letter J Introduced Into The English Language