märgid

Märgid is the Estonian plural form of märk, meaning sign, mark, or symbol. In a broad sense, märgid refers to any glyphs that convey information, including the signs and symbols used in writing, signage, and symbolism. In Estonian orthography, märgid include both punctuation marks and diacritic letters that shape the written language.

Within writing, märgid encompass punctuation marks such as the period, comma, question mark, exclamation mark, colon, semicolon, and dash, which help organize text and convey tone. In addition, diacritic marks used on letters—most notably ä, ö, ü, and õ—are also considered märgid, as they modify pronunciation and distinguish distinct phonemes in Estonian.

Beyond typography, märgid can refer to signs and symbols encountered in everyday life, including road signs, labels, icons, and mathematical or logical symbols. In educational or digital contexts, the term may also be used for markers or annotations applied to data, code, or manuscripts.

Etymology: märk is a native Estonian word with cognates in related Finnic languages, and märgid is its plural form. The term is commonly used in discussions of language, typography, and semiotics to describe the various signs and symbols that carry meaning.

See also: märk, tähis, sümbol, diakriitiline märgis.