The Cursive 'z'

[theoddcopy]

I've never been a fan of the cursive 'z'

 

It's probably one of the main reasons I don't use cursive perhaps.

 

Mostly because the word "pizza" looks super weird.

 

Any of you dedicated cursive writers stick with the traditional 'z' we were all taught, or does anyone have a way to get around the most awkward letter to write?

[Orpilorp]

I have the same problem, I struggle with the z. Just slow down a bit in order to keep the horizontal line horizontal.

[theoddcopy]

I have the same problem, I struggle with the z. Just slow down a bit in order to keep the horizontal line horizontal.

 

 

Which should be easy for me, I mean, how often do I actually write a 'z' in cursive, right?

[Ted F]

I'm just curious but what do you consider the traditional cursive 'z'? By the way, a fun word to write is 'syzygy'.

[theoddcopy]

I'm just curious but what do you consider the traditional cursive 'z'? By the way, a fun word to write is 'syzygy'.

 

I was taught the 'z' the has the awkward dip on the tail, which makes it easy to confuse with a 'y' if you don't do it well.

 

I assumed that was the traditional one, could be wrong. I've been wrong before.

[tinta]

In the early 1950s (in Hungary) I was taught a small case cursive z that almost looked like a printed z, except that the two horizontal strokes were given an upward & downward wave (~). This usually meant that the pen nib would be lifted either before or after) the letter. In the Magyar language there are four "letters" of the alphabet that are based on the letter z:

z itself & dzs, sz, zs (each having a unique sound). Example: Zsazsa Gabor the actor

 

When I emigrated to Canada (first to Vancouver) I was "forced" to use the approved Palmer inspired school script. Never liked the downward loop, but Sister Mary with her steel ruler (in Toronto) changed my ways. This meant that I had to round the body of my small z & include a downward loop like a y or g or j.

However, in my own personal cursive script (which I have developed over the next sixty years) I write my small case z as I was first taught.

Edited January 2, 2017 by tinta

[bobje]

These may be more ornate versions than you're considering.

 

[ac12]

I'm also working on the Z z as I am not particularly happy with that letter in the Palmer style.

 

Upper case is easy to change, as the letter more or less stands on its own. I do a S like a S, not the Palmer S, and might do the A and Z as well.

Lower case is more difficult as it is in the flow of writing. My lower case s is like a Palmer s, for that reason. Similarly, making the lower case z look like a printed z is more difficult, as it breaks the flow of writing.

[LizB]

I stick with the curly "3" style cursive z - I think it looks more suitable (I guess as my name is Liz I find myself writing z a lot). I find when joining to the next letter it helps me if I form the letter and then stop (albeit momentarily), so the rhythm of my writing recognises the end of the letter before starting a new one. So with my style of cursive, I join from the z by looping back up to the top of the next letter then taking that tiny pause, then continuing. Not sure if this helps much. I like the look of the curly z, and I think it suits this style. (I use the straight-lined z when using a more italic style, because I think that is the correct z. I'm such a boring rule-follower).

 

[knarflj]

I find when joining to the next letter it helps me if I form the letter and then stop (albeit momentarily), so the rhythm of my writing recognises the end of the letter before starting a new one. So with my style of cursive, I join from the z by looping back up to the top of the next letter then taking that tiny pause, then continuing.

 

 

 

Thanks for that tip, Liz (and the photo). You've inspired me to work on my 'z'.

 

Jenny

[Piper 987]

By the way, a fun word to write is 'syzygy'.

I even know what that means!!

[theoddcopy]

I stick with the curly "3" style cursive z - I think it looks more suitable (I guess as my name is Liz I find myself writing z a lot). I find when joining to the next letter it helps me if I form the letter and then stop (albeit momentarily), so the rhythm of my writing recognizes the end of the letter before starting a new one. So with my style of cursive, I join from the z by looping back up to the top of the next letter then taking that tiny pause, then continuing. Not sure if this helps much. I like the look of the curly z, and I think it suits this style. (I use the straight-lined z when using a more italic style, because I think that is the correct z. I'm such a boring rule-follower).

 

 

Thanks for the tip and the visual demonstration. It looks so much better when you do it, The other day I caught my self writing "jazzy" and "razz mataz" over and over again just to practice.

[inkstainedruth]

Interesting thread. I find that I also have a lot of problems with cursive <z>. For some reason my hand does NOT like writing the word 'marzipan" in cursive.

The video link was interesting, but seemed to be all capital Zs, which is not so much of a problem.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Bookman]

I have two friends I write to frequently (a long-time friend and her grandson), and both have double-r and double-z in their last names. The double-z was a struggle at first. I got over it initially by coming to a complete stop when I arrived at the first z; I concentrated on forming the letter properly, then did it again (stop-write-move on). I don't stop anymore, but I do slow down.

[juulz]

This thread inspired me! My first post on FPN!

 

http://515-park.com/images/Cursive-Z.png

 

[LizEF]

This thread inspired me! My first post on FPN!

 

 

 

Nice. Welcome, Juulz. Glad the Z inspired you.

[MrsHobie]

I have a problem with "z", but not exactly the same as yours

I don't have problems with my hand writing it (in fact in French we don't have lots of "z", it's a 10-point letter at the scrabble game) but due to my profession ! I'm a maths teacher, and the complex numbers are called "z" ...

So the curly "3" style cursive z is not a problem on ruled paper, or when there is a grid, but on the white board it soon become awful for my students who can read "3" instead of "z" and I have to write it carefully, with the loop at the beginning (or capital letter ...), so that there is no mistake ...

 

http://img15.hostingpics.net/thumbs/mini_769172abecedairelettrez.jpg