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punctuation

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Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

noun The use of standard marks and signs in writing and printing to separate words into sentences, clauses, and phrases in order to clarify meaning.
noun The marks so used.
noun The act or an instance of punctuating.

from The Century Dictionary.

noun In writing and printing, a pointing off or separation of one part from another by arbitrary marks; specifically, the division of a composition into sentences and parts of sentences by the use of marks indicating intended differences of effect by differences of form.
noun In zoology, the punctures of a punctate surface.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

noun (Gram.) The act or art of punctuating or pointing a writing or discourse; the art or mode of dividing literary composition into sentences, and members of a sentence, by means of points, so as to elucidate the author's meaning.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

noun A set of symbols and marks which are used to clarify meaning in text by separating strings of words into clauses, phrases and sentences.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

noun the use of certain marks to clarify meaning of written material by grouping words grammatically into sentences and clauses and phrases
noun something that makes repeated and regular interruptions or divisions
noun the marks used to clarify meaning by indicating separation of words into sentences and clauses and phrases

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Medieval Latin punctuatio ("a marking with points, a writing, agreement"), from punctuare ("to mark with points, settle"); see punctuate.

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Examples

Now,. most people could figure that out,. still my punctuation is as you say not perfect.

The "Infallible" Shoulder Shot 2009
Now,. most people could figure that out,. still my punctuation is as you say not perfect.

The "Infallible" Shoulder Shot 2009
On this Mr. Everett remarks, "now the points, commonly so called, have nothing to do with the division of a sentence into its members, or with what we call punctuation; but Mr. English intended to intimate, that according to the accents, the verse should be divided as he proposes." (p. 110, of Mr. Everett's work.)

Five Pebbles from the Brook George Bethune English 1807
The system of pointing ( "punctuation" derives from the Latin word punctus ` point ') is too valuable.

VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol X No 2 1983
Watkins says that fashions in punctuation change rapidly.

Barriers to Reading Comprehension « Literacy Articles « Articles « Literacy News 2009
Always end a sentence in punctuation of some sort.

Superhero Nation: how to write superhero novels and comic books » David’s Second Review Forum 2009
Latto: In “Our Forgotten Constitution: A Bicentennial Comment,” 97 Yale L.J. 281 (1987), Akhil Amar shows that the printed copy of the Constitution that was distributed to the states for ratification, differed in punctuation, spelling and capitalization from the engrossed (handwritten) parchment signed by the delegates to the Convention in Philadelphia, which is the version now enshrined in the National Archives.

The Volokh Conspiracy » Error in Many Versions of the United States Constitution 2010
Remember, punctuation is always at the end of the dialogue and on the inside of the quotes.

Superhero Nation: how to write superhero novels and comic books » David’s Second Review Forum 2009
In “Our Forgotten Constitution: A Bicentennial Comment,” 97 Yale L.J. 281 (1987), Akhil Amar shows that the printed copy of the Constitution that was distributed to the states for ratification, differed in punctuation, spelling and capitalization from the engrossed (handwritten) parchment signed by the delegates to the Convention in Philadelphia, which is the version now enshrined in the National Archives.

The Volokh Conspiracy » Error in Many Versions of the United States Constitution 2010
See if they'll throw in punctuation for dummies while you're at it.

Iain Dale and Ann Widdecombe 2009

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Comments

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mialuthien commented on the word punctuation

As evinced here:
1. A woman, without her man, is nothing.
2. A woman: without her, man is nothing.

July 14, 2008
bilby commented on the word punctuation

My librarian gave us this barbershop motto in about Grade 4:
What do you think
I shave you for sixpence
and give you a drink
Redub:
What?! Do you think
I shave you for sixpence?
AND give you a drink?!

July 14, 2008
mialuthien commented on the word punctuation

That's a good one! I'm sure there are more.

July 14, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word punctuation

There was that one about ... some Russian leader renowned for his cruelty ... wish I could remember which one ... whose wife allegedly intercepted a note he had written to his chief of police,
"Pardon impossible. To be sent to Siberia."
And changed it to read:
"Pardon. Impossible to be sent to Siberia."
Surely that's apocryphal, and also it's kind of lame compared with the other two on this page so far.

July 14, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word punctuation

There was that one about ... some Russian leader renowned for his cruelty ... wish I could remember which one ... whose wife allegedly intercepted a note he had written to his chief of police,
"Pardon impossible. To be sent to Siberia."
And changed it to read:
"Pardon. Impossible to be sent to Siberia."
Surely that's apocryphal, and also it's kind of lame compared with the other two on this page so far.

July 14, 2008
dontcry commented on the word punctuation

A panda eats shoots and leaves.
A panda eats, shoots, and leaves.

July 15, 2008
mialuthien commented on the word punctuation

These are really some nice ones. And I've read that clever little book, Dontcry! You've probably got it, too.

July 15, 2008
plethora commented on the word punctuation

My female parental unit bought me that lovely book for Christmas :)

July 15, 2008
mialuthien commented on the word punctuation

Female parental unit! May I add it to my words, Plethora? That's so adorable.

July 16, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word punctuation

We used to say maternal unit. It's shorter.

July 16, 2008
frogapplause commented on the word punctuation

I know someone who refers to her estranged mother as "The Incubator".

July 16, 2008
kewpid commented on the word punctuation

I guess an estranged father would be a sperm donor? How cold :|

July 16, 2008
bilby commented on the word punctuation

Let's not mention wombats.

July 16, 2008
plethora commented on the word punctuation

I cannot take credit for that coinage, I'm afraid :(

July 16, 2008
trivet commented on the word punctuation

What about the wombat?

July 16, 2008
shevek commented on the word punctuation

"Go get him surgeons" (Macbeth I.ii.49).
There's no punctuation in the Shakespeare, so I suppose one could read it either:
1) Go, get him surgeons!
2) Go get him, surgeons!
Watch out, or I'll sic my Shakespearian surgeons on you!

July 17, 2008
johnmperry commented on the word punctuation

From my schooldays:
King Charles I walked and talked half an hour after his head was cut off.
->
King Charles I walked and talked. Half an hour after his head was cut off.

July 21, 2008
mialuthien commented on the word punctuation

"Dear Jack, I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy – will you let me be yours? – Jill."
And:
"Dear Jack, I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men I yearn! For you I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart I can be forever happy. Will you let me be? – Yours, Jill."
From Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss.
:)

July 21, 2008
bilby commented on the word punctuation

Thanks Mia.

July 21, 2008
johnmperry commented on the word punctuation

The original joke was "Eats, roots, shoots, and leaves."

July 21, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word punctuation

Yes, that was the original joke, but the book title is something else. Also roots doesn't mean the same thing in the U.S. as it does in Australia (or the U.K.? dunno), so the joke doesn't work here.

July 21, 2008