P.S. I Love You!
What Does P.S. Mean? A Tiny Message with a Very Long History!
Have you ever finished writing a letter, signed your name, and then suddenly remembered one more thing you wanted to say?
Don't worry. It happens to everyone!
That's exactly why we have P.S.
P.S. is short for the Latin words post scriptum, which simply mean "written after." It is a little message you add at the very bottom of a letter after you have already finished writing and signed your name.
Imagine you make a birthday card for your mom. You write your special message, sign your name, and then remember one more thing.
Instead of trying to squeeze the new sentence into the middle of your beautiful card, you simply write:
P.S. I love you!
A Tradition from Ancient Rome
Believe it or not, people have been using P.S. for more than 2,000 years!
Long ago, during the ancient Roman Empire, people spoke a language called Latin.
In Latin:
Post means after.
Scriptum means written.
Put them together, and post scriptum means written after.
That's exactly what a P.S. is!
How Did the Romans Write Letters?
The Romans didn't have notebooks, laptops, or even paper like we use today.
Many everyday notes were written on wax tablets. These were wooden boards covered with a layer of soft wax. Instead of using a pencil, people scratched letters into the wax with a pointed metal tool.
If they forgot something after finishing their message, they had a problem.
There was no backspace key.
There was no eraser.
There was no easy way to squeeze new words into a crowded message.
They could smooth out all the wax and write the whole thing again, but that took a lot of time.
Instead, they simply added the extra thought at the bottom and labeled it post scriptum so the reader knew it had been written afterward.
Pretty clever!
Do People Still Use P.S. Today?
Absolutely!
People still add P.S. to letters, greeting cards, postcards, and even emails. Sometimes it's used for an important reminder. Other times it's just a funny thought or one last friendly message.
A P.S. can make a letter feel extra personal because it sounds like you're whispering one last idea before saying goodbye.
Try It Yourself!
The next time you write a letter, don't be afraid to add a P.S. at the bottom.
Maybe you'll write:
P.S. Thanks for being an awesome friend!
P.S. I can't wait to see you next week!
P.S. Tell your dog I said hi! 🐶
Who knew two tiny letters could have such a big history?