you seem to have mistaken mypunctuation pedantry as indication of etymological expertise. This putative expertise is non-existant, though the interest is there. I have a book on etymology. I could consult it, but I reckon that the interweb would prove more fruitful.
(,
Tue 25 Oct 2005, 20:18,
archived)
bugger!p.s. I like monkey tail
M3Essential and The Essentials. LIVE!,
Tue 25 Oct 2005, 20:20,
archived)
The symbol certainly predates the internetI can remember seeing signs for apples sold at 2/6 (2 shillings and sixpence) a pound in the 60s that read "Apples @ 2/6"
(
Ptolemy the man with the silent pea,
Tue 25 Oct 2005, 20:37,
archived)