On the use of Punctuation

[ShadowHM]

I came across this essay recently, and found myself both amused and instructed. A winning combination, IMO. :)

Notes on Punctuation

[Dako-ta]

Hi, Shadow,

[quote=ShadowHM,Mar 14 2006, 08:24 PM]
I came across this essay recently, and found myself both amused and instructed. A winning combination, IMO. :)

Ah, that's good. I've saved that, might come in handy someday. :D

I've read at least one of Thomas's books (Lives of a Cell, I'm fairly certain of, though more years ago than I care to think about). I might even have The Medusa and the Snail buried in a box someplace, but have never gotten around to reading it.

Hmmm, I was looking for a particular, long quote from Mark Twain, and came across this, which seems appropriate in this thread (and which I don't recall coming across before):

A Plan for the Improvement of English Spelling: For example, in Year 1 that useless letter ''c'' would be dropped to be replased either by ''k'' or ''s'', and likewise ''x'' would no longer be part of the alphabet. The only kase in which ''c'' would be retained would be the ''ch'' formation, which will be dealt with later. Year 2 might reform ''w'' spelling, so that ''which'' and ''one'' would take the same konsonant, wile Year 3 might well abolish ''y'' replasing it with ''i'' and Iear 4 might fiks the ''g/j'' anomali wonse and for all. Jenerally, then, the improvement would kontinue iear bai iear with Iear 5 doing awai with useless double konsonants, and Iears 6-12 or so modifaiing vowlz and the rimeining voist and unvoist konsonants. Bai Iear 15 or sou, it wud fainali bi posibl tu meik ius ov thi ridandant letez ''c'', ''y'' and ''x'' -- bai now jast a memori in the maindz ov ould doderez -- tu riplais ''ch'', ''sh'', and ''th'' rispektivli. Fainali, xen, aafte sam 20 iers ov orxogrefkl riform, wi wud hev a lojikl, kohirnt speling in iusxrewawt xe Ingliy-spiking werld.

Mark Twain


Here's another:

An average English word is four letters and a half. By hard, honest labor I've dug all the large words out of my vocabulary and shaved it down till the average is three and a half.

Mark Twain


Not particulary relevant, but I couldn't resist:

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of congress. But I repeat myself.

Last week I stated that this woman was the ugliest woman I had ever seen. I have since been visited by her sister and now wish to withdraw that statement.

Mark Twain


Thanks, Shadow.

Regards,

Dako-ta

"Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed."

Mark Twain

[Griselda]

Thanks for the link. My favorite quotation regarding punctuation is from Kurt Vonnegut; I think that's because I use too many semicolons when I write.

Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons.  They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing.  All they do is show you've been to college.

[Wyrm]

If you like stuff like this, you should take a look through Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. The entire book is about punctuation (and no, it's not as boring as that makes it sound).

[ShadowHM]

If you like stuff like this, you should take a look through Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss.  The entire book is about punctuation (and no, it's not as boring as that makes it sound).
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Thanks for the reminder, Wyrm. :) I did read a review of that book when it came out, and made a mental note to acquire it. Unfortunately, mental notes have a habit of vanishing. :o

Another book I do own and like, for some of the same reasons, is Troublesome Words by Bill Bryson. (I am a fan of virtually anything he writes, and The Mother Tongue is another of those interesting books about the idiosyncrasies of this wierd and wonderful language we use.)

[Occhidiangela]

Thanks for the reminder, Wyrm.   :)   I did read a review of that book when it came out, and made a mental note to acquire it.   Unfortunately, mental notes have a habit of vanishing.   :o

Another book I do own and like, for some of the same reasons, is Troublesome Words by Bill Bryson.    (I am a fan of virtually anything he writes, and The Mother Tongue is another of those interesting books about the idiosyncrasies of this wierd and wonderful language we use.)
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Bill Bryson is a personal favorite. Have you read "A Short History of Nearly Everything?" Yet another master work from a master writer.

OBTW: Made in America is a lovely supplement to The Mother Tongue. :)

Occhi