Nordic Handwriting: Difference between revisions

== Gothic Handwriting ==

Gothic handwriting was not called such until the last half of the 1800’s. Earlier it was customary to call it Danish or Norwegian script. But when the modern handwriting, Latin script, became the national script then the old script had to be called something else.  

The word Gothic was originally a belittling expression which means barbaric. It comes from the humanists of the Italian renaissance. Their fondness for the antique had its counterpart in that they did not like the slender, pointed forms which had predominated in architecture, fine arts, and literary works up to their time.  

That which came to be called Gothic script is a rather narrow and angular script which was in use from the end of the 1200’s to the end of the middle ages. Many of the same strokes are again found in the newer Danish or Norwegian handwriting. Therefore it was not unnatural that this later handwriting was also named Gothic. To prevent confusion it is now usual to call the Gothic script from the middle ages older Gothic script. The later script is then called the newer Gothic script. It was developed in Germany as the foundation of the older writing of the early 1500’s and came to Norway a few decades later.