{"id":601,"date":"2016-02-09T17:24:30","date_gmt":"2016-02-09T16:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/?p=601"},"modified":"2025-12-17T08:13:25","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T07:13:25","slug":"how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Read Gothic Handwriting \u2014 Part 3: Grouping Letters"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019m continuing my quest to get better at <strong data-start=\"497\" data-end=\"527\">reading Gothic handwriting<\/strong> in old Norwegian sources.<!--more--> In this part, I group common letterforms and point out the small differences that help you tell them apart\u2014especially in <strong data-start=\"675\" data-end=\"714\">Norwegian church books (kirkeb\u00f8ker)<\/strong> and other handwritten records where \u201cGothic\u201d script was widely used.<\/p>\n<p>Before you get going on this part, I hope you have had the opportunity to study the two first parts in the series on Gothic handwriting. These are found here:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/gothic-handwriting\/\">https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/index.php\/2016\/02\/02\/gothic-handwriting\/<\/a><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-box-title\">In this article<\/div>\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\"><\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/#Small_round_letters\" >Small round letters<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/#Small_letters_with_two_peaks\" >Small letters\u00a0with two peaks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/#Small_letters_with_one_and_three_peaks\" >Small letters with one and three peaks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/#The_letters_r_and_v\" >The letters r and v<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/#Letters_that_goes_below_the_writing_line\" >Letters that goes below the writing line<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/#Tall_letters\" >Tall letters<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/#Letters_that_go_both_high_and_low\" >Letters that go both high and low<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/gothinc-handwriting-2\/\">https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/index.php\/2016\/02\/06\/gothinc-handwriting-2\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"992\" data-end=\"1185\">As I\u2019ve said earlier: this is my first serious journey into reading Gothic handwriting too. I\u2019m learning as I go, and I strongly recommend studying the source material linked at the end of the article.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1187\" data-end=\"1444\">After you\u2019ve practiced identifying single letters, you quickly discover the real challenge: <strong data-start=\"1279\" data-end=\"1324\">many Gothic letters look nearly identical<\/strong>. I\u2019ve found Knut Geelmuyden\u2019s way of grouping letters by shape extremely helpful.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Small_round_letters\"><\/span>Small round letters<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"611\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/gotisk-aaeoo-kopi\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-a%C3%A6o%C3%B8-Kopi.jpg?fit=279%2C100&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"279,100\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Gotisk a\u00e6o\u00f8 &amp;#8211; Kopi\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-a%C3%A6o%C3%B8-Kopi.jpg?fit=279%2C100&amp;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-611 size-full aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-a%C3%A6o%C3%B8-Kopi.jpg?resize=279%2C100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Gothic handwriting small round letters a \u00e6 o \u00f8 in Norwegian records\" width=\"279\" height=\"100\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1488\" data-end=\"1711\">These small round letters rise to the first \u201clevel\u201d above the line. The letters <strong data-start=\"1568\" data-end=\"1582\">a, \u00e6, o, \u00f8<\/strong> are easy to confuse\u2014especially when the loop isn\u2019t fully closed. When that happens, they can start to resemble \u201cpeaked\u201d letters.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1713\" data-end=\"1824\"><strong data-start=\"1713\" data-end=\"1721\">Tip:<\/strong> If the circle is open, don\u2019t decide too early. Read the whole word and let context confirm the letter.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Small_letters_with_two_peaks\"><\/span>Small letters\u00a0with two peaks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"613\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/gotisk-enunn\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-enunn.jpg?fit=777%2C235&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"777,235\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Gotisk enunn\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-enunn.jpg?fit=777%2C235&amp;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-613 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-enunn.jpg?resize=423%2C128&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Gothic handwriting, small letters with two peaks\" width=\"423\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-enunn.jpg?w=777&amp;ssl=1 777w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-enunn.jpg?resize=300%2C91&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-enunn.jpg?resize=768%2C232&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 423px) 100vw, 423px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1951\" data-end=\"1995\">This group includes <strong data-start=\"1971\" data-end=\"1982\">e, n, u<\/strong>, and <strong data-start=\"1988\" data-end=\"1994\">nn<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1997\" data-end=\"2342\">\n<li data-start=\"1997\" data-end=\"2066\">\n<p data-start=\"1999\" data-end=\"2066\"><strong data-start=\"1999\" data-end=\"2004\">e<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"2009\" data-end=\"2014\">n<\/strong> often look similar, but <strong data-start=\"2039\" data-end=\"2044\">e<\/strong> tends to be narrower.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2067\" data-end=\"2125\">\n<p data-start=\"2069\" data-end=\"2125\"><strong data-start=\"2069\" data-end=\"2074\">u<\/strong> is often marked with a small curved dash above it.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2126\" data-end=\"2210\">\n<p data-start=\"2128\" data-end=\"2210\">A dash above <strong data-start=\"2141\" data-end=\"2146\">n<\/strong> or <strong data-start=\"2150\" data-end=\"2155\">m<\/strong> can indicate the letter is doubled (<strong data-start=\"2192\" data-end=\"2198\">nn<\/strong> or <strong data-start=\"2202\" data-end=\"2208\">mm<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2126\" data-end=\"2210\">\n<p data-start=\"2128\" data-end=\"2210\">It\u2019s also worth remembering that <strong data-start=\"2246\" data-end=\"2251\">u<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"2256\" data-end=\"2261\">v<\/strong> may be used interchangeably; the intended sound depends on the word and context.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Small_letters_with_one_and_three_peaks\"><\/span>Small letters with one and three peaks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"615\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/gotisk-icmen\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-icmen.jpg?fit=510%2C189&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"510,189\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Gotisk icmen\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-icmen.jpg?fit=510%2C189&amp;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-615 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-icmen.jpg?resize=397%2C147&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Gothic handwriting. Small letters with one and three peaks\" width=\"397\" height=\"147\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-icmen.jpg?w=510&amp;ssl=1 510w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-icmen.jpg?resize=300%2C111&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 397px) 100vw, 397px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2481\" data-end=\"2557\">This group includes <strong data-start=\"2501\" data-end=\"2518\">i, c, m, e, n<\/strong>\u2014and it\u2019s where many readers get stuck.<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2559\" data-end=\"2966\">\n<li data-start=\"2559\" data-end=\"2608\">\n<p data-start=\"2561\" data-end=\"2608\"><strong data-start=\"2561\" data-end=\"2566\">i<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"2571\" data-end=\"2576\">c<\/strong> are notoriously easy to mix up.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2609\" data-end=\"2713\">\n<p data-start=\"2611\" data-end=\"2713\">The <strong data-start=\"2615\" data-end=\"2620\">i<\/strong> should have a dot, but dots (and other marks) can be missing or placed slightly to the side.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2714\" data-end=\"2819\">\n<p data-start=\"2716\" data-end=\"2819\"><strong data-start=\"2716\" data-end=\"2721\">i<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"2726\" data-end=\"2731\">j<\/strong> were often treated as the same letter, with the intended reading determined by context.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2820\" data-end=\"2966\">\n<p data-start=\"2822\" data-end=\"2966\"><strong data-start=\"2822\" data-end=\"2827\">m<\/strong> can be confused with a combination of letters (for example shapes that resemble <strong data-start=\"2908\" data-end=\"2917\">i + c<\/strong>) or with two-peaked letters like <strong data-start=\"2951\" data-end=\"2956\">n<\/strong> or <strong data-start=\"2960\" data-end=\"2965\">u<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2968\" data-end=\"3112\"><strong data-start=\"2968\" data-end=\"2976\">Tip:<\/strong> When you suspect <strong data-start=\"2994\" data-end=\"2999\">m<\/strong>, count the \u201cstrokes\/peaks\u201d and look at neighboring letters. Gothic handwriting rewards slow, careful comparison.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_letters_r_and_v\"><\/span><strong>The letters r and v<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"618\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/gotisk-rv\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-rv.jpg?fit=335%2C183&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"335,183\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Gotisk rv\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-rv.jpg?fit=335%2C183&amp;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-618 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-rv.jpg?resize=245%2C134&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Gothic handwriting, The letters r and v\" width=\"245\" height=\"134\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-rv.jpg?w=335&amp;ssl=1 335w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-rv.jpg?resize=300%2C164&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3229\" data-end=\"3352\">The letters <strong data-start=\"3241\" data-end=\"3246\">r<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"3251\" data-end=\"3256\">v<\/strong> can be easy to mix up. A reliable way to separate them is to look closely at the ending stroke:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3354\" data-end=\"3516\">\n<li data-start=\"3354\" data-end=\"3447\">\n<p data-start=\"3356\" data-end=\"3447\"><strong data-start=\"3356\" data-end=\"3361\">r<\/strong> ends with a short line stretching to the right at the first level above the baseline.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3448\" data-end=\"3516\">\n<p data-start=\"3450\" data-end=\"3516\"><strong data-start=\"3450\" data-end=\"3455\">v<\/strong> ends with a line that descends down toward the writing line.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Letters_that_goes_below_the_writing_line\"><\/span><strong>Letters that goes below the writing line<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"617\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/gotisk-pxq\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-pxq.jpg?fit=244%2C151&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"244,151\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Gotisk pxq\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-pxq.jpg?fit=244%2C151&amp;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-617 size-full aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-pxq.jpg?resize=244%2C151&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Gothic handwriting Letters that goes below the writing line p, x, q.\" width=\"244\" height=\"151\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3642\" data-end=\"3730\">The letters <strong data-start=\"3654\" data-end=\"3665\">p, x, q<\/strong> all drop below the writing line, but they differ in key details:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3732\" data-end=\"3999\">\n<li data-start=\"3732\" data-end=\"3774\">\n<p data-start=\"3734\" data-end=\"3774\"><strong data-start=\"3734\" data-end=\"3739\">p<\/strong> usually has a loop below the line.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3775\" data-end=\"3846\">\n<p data-start=\"3777\" data-end=\"3846\"><strong data-start=\"3777\" data-end=\"3782\">x<\/strong> has no loop; the descending line typically curves to the right.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3847\" data-end=\"3999\">\n<p data-start=\"3849\" data-end=\"3999\"><strong data-start=\"3849\" data-end=\"3854\">q<\/strong> should have a crossbar, but in messy handwriting the crossbar may be faint or missing. Sometimes the tail continues to the right without a loop.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"616\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/gotisk-jgyz\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-jgyz.jpg?fit=418%2C183&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"418,183\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Gotisk jgyz\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-jgyz.jpg?fit=418%2C183&amp;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-616 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-jgyz.jpg?resize=260%2C114&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Gothic handwriting Letters that goes below the writing line j, g, y, z.\" width=\"260\" height=\"114\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-jgyz.jpg?w=418&amp;ssl=1 418w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-jgyz.jpg?resize=300%2C131&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 260px) 100vw, 260px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4128\" data-end=\"4226\">The letters <strong data-start=\"4140\" data-end=\"4154\">j, g, y, z<\/strong> also extend below the writing line and can be difficult to distinguish.<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"4228\" data-end=\"4432\">\n<li data-start=\"4228\" data-end=\"4312\">\n<p data-start=\"4230\" data-end=\"4312\">In <strong data-start=\"4233\" data-end=\"4238\">g<\/strong>, the loop can be very small\u2014or not fully closed\u2014making it resemble <strong data-start=\"4306\" data-end=\"4311\">y<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4313\" data-end=\"4375\">\n<p data-start=\"4315\" data-end=\"4375\"><strong data-start=\"4315\" data-end=\"4320\">y<\/strong> may have an umlaut above it, but marks can be missing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4376\" data-end=\"4432\">\n<p data-start=\"4378\" data-end=\"4432\">A sloppy <strong data-start=\"4387\" data-end=\"4392\">z<\/strong> can look like <strong data-start=\"4407\" data-end=\"4412\">y<\/strong> without the umlaut.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><\/h5>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tall_letters\"><\/span>Tall letters<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"610\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/bltdk-kopi\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/bltdk-Kopi.jpg?fit=668%2C208&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"668,208\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"bltdk &amp;#8211; Kopi\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/bltdk-Kopi.jpg?fit=668%2C208&amp;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-610 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/bltdk-Kopi.jpg?resize=343%2C107&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Gothic handwriting. Tall letters\" width=\"343\" height=\"107\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/bltdk-Kopi.jpg?w=668&amp;ssl=1 668w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/bltdk-Kopi.jpg?resize=300%2C93&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 343px) 100vw, 343px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4548\" data-end=\"4629\">These letters rise to the second level above the writing line: <strong data-start=\"4611\" data-end=\"4628\">b, l, t, d, k<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"4631\" data-end=\"4781\">\n<li data-start=\"4631\" data-end=\"4685\">\n<p data-start=\"4633\" data-end=\"4685\"><strong data-start=\"4633\" data-end=\"4644\">b, l, t<\/strong> often resemble their modern Latin forms.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4686\" data-end=\"4781\">\n<p data-start=\"4688\" data-end=\"4781\"><strong data-start=\"4688\" data-end=\"4693\">k<\/strong> may look like the modern <strong data-start=\"4719\" data-end=\"4724\">k<\/strong>, but it can also resemble a capital <strong data-start=\"4761\" data-end=\"4766\">L<\/strong> in some hands.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Letters_that_go_both_high_and_low\"><\/span>Letters that go both high and low<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"614\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-3\/gotisk-hsf\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-hsf.jpg?fit=301%2C208&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"301,208\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Gotisk hsf\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-hsf.jpg?fit=301%2C208&amp;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-614 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-hsf.jpg?resize=201%2C139&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Gothic handwriting. Letters that go both high and low\" width=\"201\" height=\"139\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-hsf.jpg?w=301&amp;ssl=1 301w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-hsf.jpg?resize=300%2C207&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-hsf.jpg?resize=392%2C272&amp;ssl=1 392w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gotisk-hsf.jpg?resize=130%2C90&amp;ssl=1 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4905\" data-end=\"5046\">The letters <strong data-start=\"4917\" data-end=\"4928\">h, s, f<\/strong> rise high above the line and also drop below it. In real records they\u2019re often hard to separate, and context matters.<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"5048\" data-end=\"5363\">\n<li data-start=\"5048\" data-end=\"5160\">\n<p data-start=\"5050\" data-end=\"5160\"><strong data-start=\"5050\" data-end=\"5055\">f<\/strong> often resembles the modern letter, with loops above and below connected by a smaller loop in the middle.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"5161\" data-end=\"5226\">\n<p data-start=\"5163\" data-end=\"5226\"><strong data-start=\"5163\" data-end=\"5168\">h<\/strong> also has loops, but they may not be joined in the middle.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"5227\" data-end=\"5363\">\n<p data-start=\"5229\" data-end=\"5363\"><strong data-start=\"5229\" data-end=\"5234\">s<\/strong> is often written without loops; the lower stroke typically returns to the writing line and connects directly to the next letter.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Well, these strange letters are beginning to make some sense. We are getting better at reading Gothic handwriting. I hope you will be back. <a href=\"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-4-letters-to-words\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>In the next installment I will start to put the letters together to form words.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Sources:<\/p>\n<p>Geelmuyden,\u00a0Knut:<a href=\"https:\/\/lindas-sogelag.no\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/GOTISK_PUBLIKASJON_20170322.pdf\"> &#8220;Gotisk skrift &#8211;\u00a0En kort veileding\u00a0i lesing av gamle kilder&#8221;\u00a0Bergen 2015<\/a>\u00a0Available for download as PDF. (in Norwegian)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019m continuing my quest to get better at reading Gothic handwriting in old Norwegian sources.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":499,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","nf_dc_page":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"default","_google_business_share_type":"default","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gothic-handwriting"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - 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This is an invitation to share my experiences when I sat down to learn to better read handwritten Norwegian sources. I published this on the blog\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Gothic handwriting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Gothic handwriting","link":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/category\/norwegian-genealogy\/gothic-handwriting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/fountain-pen-442066_640.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/fountain-pen-442066_640.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/fountain-pen-442066_640.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5740,"url":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/the-gothic-syllabus\/","url_meta":{"origin":601,"position":1},"title":"The Gothic syllabus","author":"Martin Roe Eidhammer","date":"January 9, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is a study on the Gothic handwriting found in older Norwegian Church records.Reading old handwritten records can be hard. Some time ago I realized that I needed to get better at this. 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In this series, I\u2019m sharing a beginner-friendly, practical approach to learning how to read it, one step at a time. Gothic script grew\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Gothic handwriting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Gothic handwriting","link":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/category\/norwegian-genealogy\/gothic-handwriting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/calligraphy-511183_640.jpg?fit=640%2C425&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/calligraphy-511183_640.jpg?fit=640%2C425&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/calligraphy-511183_640.jpg?fit=640%2C425&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":595,"url":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/gothinc-handwriting-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":601,"position":3},"title":"Gothic handwriting &#8211; 2","author":"Martin Roe Eidhammer","date":"February 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"In the last \"installment\" of this \"study\" I promised to be back with more. In this post, I focus particularly on Gothic handwriting and my attempts to recognize the letters. I have gone through some records from the early 1700s and tried to identify the letters there. As we see,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Gothic handwriting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Gothic handwriting","link":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/category\/norwegian-genealogy\/gothic-handwriting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/fountain-pen-442066_640.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/fountain-pen-442066_640.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/fountain-pen-442066_640.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":633,"url":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/how-to-read-gothic-handwriting-4-letters-to-words\/","url_meta":{"origin":601,"position":4},"title":"How to read Gothic handwriting &#8211; 4 &#8211; Letters to words","author":"Martin Roe Eidhammer","date":"February 15, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"In this installment I will look at some words that frequently appear in church records. I hope you have had a look at the previous installments of the quest into Gothic handwriting. If not, you find them starting here. In this post, I will explain how to read Gothic handwriting,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Gothic handwriting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Gothic handwriting","link":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/category\/norwegian-genealogy\/gothic-handwriting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/spring-1689754_640.jpg?fit=640%2C459&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/spring-1689754_640.jpg?fit=640%2C459&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/spring-1689754_640.jpg?fit=640%2C459&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":745,"url":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/gothic-handwriting-5-closing-remarks\/","url_meta":{"origin":601,"position":5},"title":"How to read Gothic handwriting &#8211; 5","author":"Martin Roe Eidhammer","date":"February 21, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the last installment in my little study of Gothic handwriting. If this topic interests you, I recommend that you start with the first installment and read through. \u00a0 Learning to read Gothic handwriting takes time. In my exploration of studying Gothic handwriting, understanding context is key. If a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Gothic handwriting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Gothic handwriting","link":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/category\/norwegian-genealogy\/gothic-handwriting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/calligraphy-511183_640.jpg?fit=640%2C425&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/calligraphy-511183_640.jpg?fit=640%2C425&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/calligraphy-511183_640.jpg?fit=640%2C425&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=601"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10544,"href":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/601\/revisions\/10544"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinroe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}