Sometimes, a word seems to include an f in a place where the rest of the letters indicate that there should be an s. It’s possible to see such an f in a word, yet know that it should actually be an s. This can happen because long s can look a lot like f; both characters may have a tall ascender, rise above the rest of the letters in the word, and break through the baseline. Recognizing which letter is which goes beyond matching the character to its modern equivalent.
First, look at the cross-bar. Usually, an f will have a wider cross-bar that runs to the left and right of the main stem of the letter. A long s may not have a cross-bar, or it might have a very short cross-bar, or the cross-bar of a long s might be the connecting stroke between itself and the next letter in the word. That said, this isn’t an absolute rule. Ink spread, the speed of the writer, and ligatures can all distort the appearance of the cross-bar.
Second, consider the placement within the word. Generally, you’re likely to find long s at the start and in the middle of a word, and a more common s at the end. But there are exceptions to this rule; f can also be found in any position where the letters require it. So, don’t use position alone as an indicator of which letter it is.
Third, pick a line that includes several tall forms, and then transcribe each long s or f onto its own piece of paper. Transcribe it with the letters next to it, not just the long stem. Then, compare the bottom of the letter, the cross-bar, how high the ascender goes, and how the letter connects to the letter that follows it. Looking at several examples written by the same scribe is better than looking at one isolated example.
Fourth, pay attention to the bottom of the letter. A long s might dip slightly below the baseline or bend inward, toward the next letter. An f might have a deeper dip or a more prominent loop or different connecting stroke. Remember that these features will depend on the script style; compare examples of these letters directly from the manuscript, rather than relying on a modern reference alphabet.
Finally, you can check the context of the word to help you decide. Maybe the word repeats a name, title, or other phrase, and that helps confirm that the letter is indeed an s. But don’t decide to read it as an s simply because it makes the word recognizable. Keep the word spelled as it was written, and if the form of the letter doesn’t support a firm decision, note that the word is uncertain. Even if the word you think it’s supposed to be is a good guess, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is correct.
Compare the long s or f to at least two other instances on the same page. Does the long s you identify behave in the same way as the other s’s in the passage? Does the f you identify have the same cross-bar and descender as other examples of f in the passage? If you’re unsure, mark the letter as uncertain rather than forcing it into one letter or the other. Good paleography involves showing where the source document supports a clear identification and where it does not.
