# Letter-ordered lists

**URL:** <https://talk.commonmark.org/t/letter-ordered-lists/173>\
**Category:** Extensions\
**Created:** [September 4, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/letter-ordered-lists/173 "2014-09-04T00:28:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 25

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**Author:** ![Crissov](https://cdn.commonmark.org/user_avatar/talk.commonmark.org/crissov/32/1455_2.png) [@Crissov](https://talk.commonmark.org/u/Crissov)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 7:45am UTC](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/letter-ordered-lists/173/25 "2019-09-18T07:45:54Z")

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Initial letters with an abbreviation dot are similar to numbers with an ordinal dot (some languages use `1., 2., 3., 4.` where English has `1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th`, e. g. in [dates](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/ordered-list-detection-has-precedence-over-title-detection/1251)). The solution to distinguish them from list markers at the start of a line should be similar as well, especially for lists that [interrupt a paragraph](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/list-inserted-into-middle-of-paragraph/2108) without a [preceding blank line](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/blank-lines-before-lists-revisited/1990) and for [single-item lists](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/should-single-element-lists-be-supported/1957), which together constitute an [issue that blocks v1.0](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/issues-we-must-resolve-before-1-0-release-6-remaining/1287).

Since `i.` and `i)` would be even more ambiguous if Roman numerals were to be supported as ordinal list values, one could amend and restrict the valid syntax choices, e. g.:

| Type | Tight | Loose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| numeric decimal, single-digit | **`1.`, `1)`**, `(1.)`, `(1)`, `#1` | **`1.`, `1)`**, `(1.)`, `(1)`, `#1` |
| numeric decimal, multiple-digits | `(12)`, `#12` | **`12.`, `12)`**, `(12.)`, `(12)`, `#12` |
| lowercase Roman numeral | `(i.)`, `- i.`, `* i.`, `+ i.` | `i.`, `(i.)`, `- i.`, `* i.`, `+ i.`, `- i`, `* i`, `+ i` |
| uppercase Roman numeral | `(I.)` | `I.`, `(I.)` |
| lowercase Latin, single-letter | `a)`, `(a)` | `a)`, `(a)` |
| uppercase Latin, single-letter | `A)`, `(A)` | `A)`, `(A)` |
| lowercase Latin, multiple-letters | — | `ab)`, `(ab)` |
| uppercase Latin, multiple-letters | – | `AB)`, `(AB)` |
| lowercase Greek, single-letter | `α.`, `α)`, `(α)` | `α.`, `α)`, `(α)`, `- α`, `* α`, `+ α` |

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_[View the full topic](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/letter-ordered-lists/173)._