Upper Case G

[J&K Tutoring]

My Chinese students are being taught a 'new' upper case letter G. It looks like an upper case C with the addition of only a tiny vertical 'leg' at the lower right. Looks nothing like any G I've seen on any keyboard or in print. Doesn't seem to come up in a Google search or Google images either.

1. Is there a name for this thing or for the boob who thought it necessary to 'fix' the letter G?

2. Similar problem with upper case Q: Students are forced to very carefully start the diagonal leg from the edge of the circle, rather than simply crossing it.

 

[Skrej]

The straight part is called a 'chin'. The horizontal line on top of the 'chin' is called a bilateral serif. The small line off the bottom of the Q is called a tail.

I found a few fonts in Word that seem similar to what you're describing. The Q thing seems more common - about a third or so of the fonts I have don't cross the tail on the Q. Even good old Times New Roman doesn't cross the Q tail.

As to why your students are being taught this style, who knows. It almost sounds like somebody's been injecting some calligraphy into their basic printing skills.

I think the name for your boob is 'typographer'. :lol:



Here are some typography glossaries you might find interesting.
Illustrated glossary
A less extensive illustrated glossary
A more extensive illustrated typography glossary

 

[J&K Tutoring]

Thanks for the reply- especially for the technical terms. That information may help me do a better search. The only one of your examples that comes close is the Bradly hand bold, but that one is much more stylized than the careful printing they are learning.

The G my kids have been taught has the chin, but it does not extend past the curve as your other examples do. Students make the round part, then go straight down and stop.

 

[Tdol]

Who's teaching this to them?

 

[J&K Tutoring]

Chinese school system.

 

[Tdol]

Do you teach them normal ways to write these? They seem to be easier.

 

[J&K Tutoring]

Yes we do. I posted hoping to get some insight into this thing- where it came from and how widespread it is (apparently not very).

At primary school level here, teachers are not a lot better educated than their students (especially in English), and are not interested in answering questions or considering alternatives. Students either do as they are taught or face criticism and lower grades.

We talk to our students about this issue and urge them to do as they are told in class, but to know that they will not be seeing this as they continue in their English education.

We spend a significant part of our private lessons in 'unlearning' bad habits.