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Teo Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

underline/underscore (American English)

zhang_zhengxiong@...

How do Americans read the symbol "_"? Underline, underscore, or either?

Thanks a lot for your reply.
  

Top answer

Hi Teo, I belive 'underline' (-) is different than 'underscore' (_). In your example, it will be 'underscore'.

— Rishonly

  • Hi Teo, I belive 'underline' (-) is different than 'underscore' (_).
  • In your example, it will be 'underscore'.
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20 Answers
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Hi Teo,

I belive 'underline' (-) is different than 'underscore' (_). In your example, it will be 'underscore'.
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According to Practical English Usage, by Michael Swan, 2005, it is read as underline in British English.
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In keyboard use, I believe this is an underline, and this an under_score.



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How do Americans read the symbol "_"?
Underscore.
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Calif Jim,

Is this, then, the official (or just Microsoft's) symbol for underline: "U" ?
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There is no "underline" symbol in my dictionary, but I think when we say "underline", we all know a line has to be drawn under something(a letter, a word...), or something is stressed.
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Merriam-Webster barely distinguishes these two words, either in their verb or noun forms, and gives symbols for neither.

So I'm unsure what we're talking about. E-mail address terminology?

Right here in the 'Post Message' box, we have the symbol "U", (which states "underline" when one places a mouse pointer on it). On the keyboard, we have "_" which is a symbol that fu
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OED says:
Underscore : A line drawn below a word, etc..
Underline : A line drawn below a word written or printed.
Webster says:
Underscore : A line drawn underneath (especially a written matter).
Underline : A line drawn underneath (especially a written matter).
So we can conclude they are synonymous.

"The underline is …
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I don't think you can use the keyboard symbol _ to underline anything, can you? (In fact, it seems more usual to use it for creating italics.)

MrP
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I agree. The simple "_" with no letter upon it should be called 'underscore'. BTW when I see "_", I come to have a desire for alcoholic beverage. It is because here in Japan people often call "_" as 'underbar'.

paco
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