Asterisk

The asterisk has a different meaning in grammar and in historical linguistics.

1. In grammar, the asterisk means a construction that is impossible according to the rules of the language:

*He are a nice boy.
*You spoken a mouthful.
*I see pink cat.

2. In historical linguistics, the asterisk means a form that is postulated, but for which we have no written evidence.

The French past participle vendu is derived from a non-Classical Latin form *vendútum.