The Slash Symbol (Forward, Backward, Meaning, Examples, Uses)

What is the slash symbol? How does it function? What is the intended function of the symbol? The slash, also called a stroke, oblique, or forward slash, is a punctuation mark used in the English language. Previously used for marking commas and periods, it is now used for representing fractions, division, inclusive or exclusive, and as date separators.

Slashes: the different types

Slashes can be classified into three different types namely, forward, backward, and vertical slashes.

Backward slash symbol

Backward slashes, or backslashes, are usually used in computers and are not seen much in the context of general English writing.

• It is used in coding languages like Python as escape characters.
• It is used by Windows to denote folder locations or paths like C:Program Files\Windows Defender.

Vertical slash symbol

A vertical slash, also called an upright or straight slash, is commonly used in mathematics and coding languages. It can also mean phrases like “it is true that” or “such that.”

Forward slash symbol

In English writing, forward slashes are used for numerous purposes. Typically, a forward slash means “per,” “or,” or “and or.” Common situations where forward slashes can be used include:

It is used to separate or break lines in poetry and prose. This is usually done when numerous small lines are strung together into one long line.

Example:

1. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano,/ A stage where every man must play a part,/ And mine a sad one. ( a quote from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice)
2. “The female, and the two chicks,/each no bigger than my thumb,/scattered.” (a line from Mary Oliver’s poem Hummingbirds)

Slashes are frequently used to denote “or.”

Example:

1. Respected Sir/Madam 
2. The event was attended by Chairman/CEO Schnider.
3. Anna will drink coffee/juice.
4. Please click the Reload/Refresh button on your browser.

When the words “and” and “or” are written beside one another, forward slashes can be used to distinguish them. This makes the text clearer and easier for the reader to comprehend compared to repeating ‘and.”

Example:

1. The mother instructed her kids to buy a gallon of milk and/or a bag of potatoes from the grocery store.
2. Anna couldn’t wait to go scuba diving and/or snorkeling while visiting Thailand next summer.
3. Remember to take rain boots and/or waterproof shoes on your vacation to Mawsynram.

It can be used for separating month, day, and year when writing dates.

Example:

1. Anna’s grandfather passed away on 11/25/2007. (November 25, 2007; American English format)
2. The airplane was invented on 17/12/1903 by the Wright brothers. (17th December 1903; British English format)

It is used in some abbreviations.

Example:

1. This is John’s a/c number. (account)
2. n/a (not available, not applicable)
3. Caleb White c/o Anna White (care of)
4. w/o (without)

It is used for writing fractions like 1/4 (one-fourth), 2/6 (two-sixth), or 1/3 (one-third).

It is used to denote “per” when writing measurements of quantities like speed and price.

Examples:

1. The little boy is running at 5 m/s. (meters per second)
2. The rice costs $3/kg. ($3 per kg)

It is used to show the conflict or connection between phrases or words in a sentence.

Example:

1. The manager sometimes works in her home office/ bonus room.
2. The pro-choice/pro-life debate has become the focal point of all discussions this election season.

It is used to separate the name of a book or movie from the name of its author, director, or distribution company based on Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules.

Example:

1. To Kill a Mockingbird/ by Harper Lee
2. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith/ 20th Century Fox

In phonetics, forward slashes can be employed to denote changes in letter pronunciation. The slashes serve as phoneme indicators in this case. When letters or groups of letters are enclosed by two slashes, it means that the pronunciation is based on sounds (phonemic pronunciation).

Example:

1. Consider the phoneme /j/. It refers to the sounds “j,” “g,” “ge,” and “dge” in “jet,” “cage,” “barge,” and “judge” respectively.
2. The phoneme /ch/ refers to the sounds “ch” and “tch” in “chip” and “match,” respectively.

Use of the forward slash to denote “or” should be minimized by authors since it can imply laziness. Similarly, the term “and/or” is frequently regarded as quite impolite.

More punctuation marks

Sources:

1. Merriam Webster – slash noun (1) – Definition
2. Wikipedia – Slash (punctuation)
3. Thesaurus.com – What Are Forward Slashes ( / ) And How Do You Use Them?
4. Symbols.com – Slash