How to pronounce $ in linux?

How would one read things like these in linux : $, $*, $?, $#, $@ ?

Is there any convention that people follow while talking/explaining about these things?

Thanks

Solution 1:

The "$" character is commonly referred to as the "dollar sign". I would pronounce each character of the variable name as follows:

• $ - dollar sign
• * - asterisk
• ? - question mark
• # - pound (sign) or hash (symbol)
• @ - at (symbol)

Occasionally, certain combinations have shortened forms. The opening characters of an executable script (#!) are pronounced as "shebang" or "hash bang". I'm not aware of shortened forms for any of your examples.

Solution 2:

In my experience among Linuxers verbalising orally, there is no universal fixed convention attached to the pronunciation of these symbols.

They are called by the locally applicable name for the symbol itself as suggested by Nathan Osman, or sometimes by what they do as operators in maths or in bash - whatever the speaker thinks will be understood by the listeners.

$ seems to always be "dollar" or "dollar sign"

But * might be "asterisk" "star" or "glob"

# is "hash" (as in hashtag) in British English, "pound" in US English, or possibly "number sign" as in #1 #2 #3 in either, but sometimes I hear it called "comment sign"

It's much easier to explain code by writing it down. Talking about it usually ends in a lot of gesturing and sooner or later resorting to scribbling on beermats...

Solution 3:

The other answers here are pretty good. But I sould like to add that the $ is also commonly called "string" as it is often asociated with a string.

Also, I have heard ! called "bang" and * called "splat".

In addition, I have heard ^ called "carrot".