The age of the quill pen is long past us, like the age of the horse and buggy. Even though we’re still using pens and pencils now and 30 years, we might be a lost art. So, you still have to determine how people can make their mark. You know that would mark me though I make their mark, tell me you do know

I could make it up, but I would never lie to you. Yeah, of course. What does it mean? Imprint? Make your imprint and make your impression.

Right? No, what do you mean? Well, colloquially it means to make a splash you know make your mark on society. Yeah, the impression most people in the Middle Ages couldn’t write. So, you just did like a stamp? Yeah, it’s not a stamp. They couldn’t write. So by making your mark that gave them a piece of coal, and they would make a mark as their signature. So that’s what made us it was really it was the first signatures was the mark. Eventually, like well, that Mark looks like his mark. Well, that Mark looks like a net. So, they started customizing their mark, which became an autograph.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did the phrase “make your mark” come from?

From the Middle Ages, when most people couldn’t write. Given a piece of coal, they would make a mark as their signature — the mark was the first signature.

What does “make your mark” mean colloquially?

To make a splash — to make your mark on society, your imprint, your impression.

How did marks turn into signatures?

People began customizing their marks so one person’s mark could be told from another’s. That customization eventually became the autograph.

Is the handwritten signature disappearing?

The age of the quill pen is long past, like the horse and buggy. We still use pens and pencils now, but in 30 years handwriting may be a lost art — and people will still need a way to make their mark.