• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Apparent Error On Public Inscriptions

S

Sean Allen

proper brummie kid
Hi guys I am a new member and loving this forum and I have just returned back to Ireland from a wonderful week in Birmingham and I plan to return to live there in October with my girl who is from Birmingham.

I hope I am posting this in the right place, but can anyone explain why the letter u in the words Municipality and Industry on the Mosaic above the main door of the council house overlooking Victoria Square is replaced with the letter V?

Is this a spelling error by Italian firm Salviati who did it mistaking the U for a V in the plans or is there another reason? I would guess it is a typo as in the 1800's those below had no zoom lens to see the mistake and I would imagine Mr Salviati and Co would be saying to the ganger who spotted it after the cement hardened 'say nout say nout just smile just smile' but I wonder do you guys know anything about it and what is the real reason. Thanks Sean

mosaic.jpg
 
A very common featvre, Sean, with civic bvildings or monvments in times past as they emvlated the Latin style script.

I doubt it was an error as someone in authority had to approve the design. But you never know!

It would not surprise me if this feature is found on civic or religious pre-Free State buildings in Eire. particularly Dublin.
 
The Latin and ancient Roman alphabet did not have a letter U and the letter V was used in its place. Gradually U came to be used as the vowel form and V as the consonant forum.

One web site I found says

"For a very long time, U and V were allographs. What’s an allograph? An allograph is a variation of a letter in another context. Uppercase and lowercase letters are allographs. Before the use of the letter U, the shape V stood for both the vowel U and the consonant V. In many civic buildings the letter V is used in places were it would be pronounced as a U".
 
Thank you guilbert53 for that great bit of info and thanks for searching for it as it backs up perfectly what Radiorails said, thank you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top