⁂ | |
---|---|
Asterism (typography) | |
In Unicode | U+2042 ⁂ ASTERISM |
Different from | |
Different from | U+0B83 ஃ
TAMIL SIGN VISARGA U+2234 ∴ THEREFORE U+2235 ∵ BECAUSE |
In typography, an asterism, ⁂, is a typographic symbol consisting of three asterisks placed in a triangle, which is used for a variety of purposes. The name originates from the astronomical term for a group of stars. [1]
The asterism was originally used as a type of dinkus in typography, though increasingly rarely. [2] It can also be used to mean "untitled" or author or title withheld – as seen, for example, in some editions of Album for the Young by composer Robert Schumann ( № 21, 26, and 30). [3] In meteorology, an asterism in a station model indicates moderate snowfall. [4] [5]
A dinkus is a typographical device to divide text, such as at section breaks. Its purpose is to "indicate minor breaks in text", [7] to call attention to a passage, or to separate sub-chapters in a book. An asterism used this way is thus a type of dinkus: nowadays this usage of the symbol is nearly obsolete. [2] More commonly used dinkuses are three dots or three asterisks in a horizontal row. [8] [9] A small black and white drawing [10][ full citation needed] or a fleuron (❧) [9] may be used for the same purpose. Otherwise, an extra space between paragraphs is used. A dinkus may be used in conjunction with the extra space to mark a smaller subdivision than a sub-chapter.
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