The letter ℘: name and origin? (2017)

One thing I've always struggled with Math is keeping track of symbols I don't know the name of yet.

Googling for "Math squiggle that looks like a cursive P" is not a very elegant or convenient way of learning new symbol names.

I wish every proof or equation came with a little table that gave the English pronunciation and some context for each symbol used.

It would make it a lot easier to look up tutorials & ask questions.

I can relate. Ages ago, before Safe Search and search result tailored to one‘s history and preferences, I was trying to figure out how to write that big union symbol (∪) in LaTeX and googled for Big Cup LaTeX. I got _very_ different and unexpected results.

Eons ago, I was exploring ways to run some outdoor overhead wire between my house and the shed.

One method I considered involved using those little self-wedging widgets that squeeze down tighter as the thing being suspended is pulled harder. (These widgets were once commonly used with overhead POTS telephone lines.)

So I asked around and the broad consensus in my area was that one of these widgets is called a "horse cock."

And while everyone who knew what I was talking could say it with a very straight face, I did not even bother with trying to Google "horse cock" before deciding to go in a different direction with that project.