Section sign facts for kids

The section sign (§) is a special symbol. It looks like two "S" letters joined together. We use it to point to specific parts, or "sections," in a document. You'll often see it in legal papers. This symbol is also known as the section symbol, section mark, or double-s. In some parts of Europe, people might call it a paragraph mark.

What is the Section Sign?

The section sign is a typographical glyph. This means it's a special character used in writing. Its main job is to help people find specific sections in long documents. Think of it like a page number, but for a section instead of a whole page.

How is it Used?

The section sign helps us refer to exact parts of a text. This is very useful in official documents.

In Legal Documents

The section sign is often used when talking about specific parts of legal code. For example, instead of saying "Title 16 of the United States Code Section 580p," lawyers might write "16 U.S.C. § 580p". This makes it shorter and clearer.

When you see two section signs together, like §§, it means "sections" (plural). So, "§§ 13–21" means "sections 13 through 21." This is similar to how "pp." means "pages" when talking about multiple pages.

Other Uses

Sometimes, the section sign is used in footnotes. This happens when other common symbols, like the asterisk (*) or dagger (†), have already been used on a page. It helps to keep footnotes organized.

The section sign is also sometimes a symbol for the justice system. For example, the Ministry of Justice in Austria once used this symbol in its logo. This shows how important the symbol is in legal work.

In Brazil, the sign can be used to show numbered paragraphs that follow the first main paragraph of an article.

See also

In Spanish: Párrafo (signo ortográfico) para niños