paraph

[prettygoodword]

paraph - n., a flourish made after or below a signature.


Originally done to make forgery harder. So that's it's name -- I always called it a swash. From French paraphe, from Old French paraffe, abbreviated signature, from Medieval Latin paraphus, paragraph sign, short for paragraphus, paragraph.

---L.

Comments

[janni.livejournal.com]

Cool. Who knew there was a word for that?

paraph

[(Anonymous)]

Larry, If memory serves, in Mexico people register their marks? The registered mark is what they use when they sign checks and other legal documents. It's more convenient in a country where everyone has 2 surnames and where not everyone is literate. My ex-boyfriend's mark was like drawing his initials one on top of the other--ATS, Antonio Tovar Sandoval. Wonder if they would call these paraphs... Karen

Re: paraph

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

That's a good question. I'd probably call it a chop, after the signature stamps of east Asia, but it's something to look up, if I can.

---L.