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Welcome to the rolling wave of civilization. Did we really used to call the number sign a "hash character"?


UK & Ireland: Yes, and still do, although it's apparently a corruption of "hatch" (as in cross-hatch).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_sign#Usage_in_the_United...


Vaguely related:

From The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906) [devil]:

    HASH, x.  There is no definition for this word -- 
    nobody knows what hash is.




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