95. General Theory of Punctuation.—Punctuation is a way of showing by various signs (or points) which words in a written composition bear a close relation to one another. Read, for example, the following passage:—
The period at the end of the first sentence shows that all the words preceding it are to be taken together. Notice the similar use of the other periods. Notice the semicolon which is used to separate the two clauses of the first sentence. Each clause is complete in itself and might be taken separately; yet they are sufficiently related to be included in one sentence. The semicolon is therefore used to show a slighter separation between the thoughts than would be indicated by the use of the period. The commas show a still slighter separation, being used to divide the lesser groups of words. Notice this use of the two commas in the first sentence. In the second sentence the commas before and after "heeding nothing of all this" show that these words belong together, and that "But Pandora" belongs to "lifted the lid," etc. Notice the use of the interrogation point and the exclamation point in the last paragraph. These various marks, then, are used to help the reader. They show the grammatical structure or grouping. Let us now study these marks in detail, beginning with those that indicate the close of the larger groups,—the period, the exclamation point, the interrogation point. 96. The Period.—The period marks the end of a declarative or imperative sentence. The period is also used after an abbreviation. (For a list of common abbreviations, see p. 267.) 97. The Question Mark.—The question mark is placed at the end of every direct question. It is not used with an indirect question. Shall I go? I ask you, "Shall I go?" I asked whether I should go. 98. The Exclamation Point.—The exclamation point is used after exclamatory words, phrases, and sentences. When an exclamatory sentence begins with an interjection, it is usually sufficient to place a comma after the interjection and to reserve the exclamation point until Help! You rascal! Be off with you! Ah, you are back again! Oh, what a mess I have made of it! Oh, I didn't see you. Hear me, O King! Oh! I am wounded! 99. The Semicolon.—Semicolons have two uses:— 1. To separate the principal clauses in a compound sentence. To our left we beheld the towers of the Alhambra beetling above us; to our right we were dominated by equal towers on a rocky eminence. Some suppose them to have been built by the Romans; others, by the Phoenicians. He received only ten guineas for this stately, vigorous poem; but the sale was rapid and the success complete. There was now a sound behind me like a rushing blast; I heard the clatter of a thousand hoofs; and countless throngs overtook me. When his men had thus indemnified themselves, in some degree, for their late reverses, Cortes called them again under their banners; and, after offering up a grateful acknowledgment to the Lord of Hosts for their miraculous preservation, they renewed their march across the now deserted valley. The principal clauses in a compound sentence may also be separated by a comma, provided that a coÖrdinate conjunction is present. It was a moonlight night, and the fresh north wind rustled solemnly in the palm trees. We examined their sculptures by the aid of torches, and our Arab attendants kindled large fires of dry corn-stalks, which cast a strong red light on the walls. The forehead and nose approach the Greek standard, but the mouth is more roundly and delicately carved, and the chin and cheeks are fuller. When a coÖrdinate conjunction is not present, it is incorrect to separate such clauses by a comma. See § 6. When a coÖrdinate conjunction is present, and the choice lies between a comma and a semicolon, the semicolon is to be used:— (a) When the writer wishes the break or separation between the principal clauses to be emphatic. (b) When the principal clauses are long and already divided into their parts by commas. 2. To separate clauses or phrases from each other in a series of similar phrases or subordinate clauses, when commas would not be sufficient to indicate clearly where each clause or phrase began and ended.
100. The Colon.—The colon indicates that what follows it is an explanation or specification of what precedes it. It is used:— 1. To introduce a list, a quotation, or an explanatory proposition. When the explanation begins a new paragraph, a dash is usually placed after the colon, as in the second sentence of this section.
2. In a compound sentence in which the principal clauses are not connected by a conjunction, to show that the following clause explains or illustrates the preceding clause.
3. After such phrases of address as Dear Sir,
101. The Comma.—As we have seen, the period is used to close a declarative sentence, and the semicolon and colon are used to mark off the greater divisions of a sentence. The office of the comma is to point off the smaller divisions of a sentence. It is used in the following ways:— 1. In a compound sentence, to separate the different clauses, when there is not a sufficient break in the thought to make the semicolon necessary. See above, §99, 1.
2. To separate the different parts of a compound predicate, unless the connection between them is very close.
3. In a complex sentence in which the dependent clause precedes, to separate the dependent clause from the principal clause. When the dependent clause follows, the comma is, as a rule, not needed. If you are wise, you will trust him implicitly. Although I saw him, I could not wait. I would not stop until he called out to me. 4. To mark off an explanatory relative clause.
5. In general, to indicate the beginning and the end of a group of words, whether a phrase or a clause, which must be regarded as a unit, particularly if it occurs parenthetically.
6. To separate similar words or phrases used, in a series, in the same construction, and not joined by conjunctions.
If the members of the series are joined by conjunctions, commas are unnecessary. When, however, a conjunction joins the last two members of the series, the comma is employed.
7. To indicate the omission of words logically necessary to the construction.
8. To mark off phrases when they open a sentence or are not closely connected with the context. Phrases occurring in their usual places and closely connected with the context are, however, not marked off by commas.
9. To mark off adverbs and adverb phrases which have a connective force. Notice the difference between (a) "you will see, then, that you have been misled," and (b) "you will then see that you have been misled."
10. To mark off words or phrases (a) in direct address or (b) in apposition. Notice, however, that in expressions like "the Emperor William," William is rather a noun limited by Emperor than a noun in apposition with Emperor.
11. Before a direct quotation. See the more formal use of the colon, § 100, 1.
12. In dates, addresses, as in the following examples:— Jan. 1, 1899. 13. To prevent ambiguity or to make a sentence more easily understood.
III. Supply commas where needed, giving reasons.
102. Parentheses and Brackets.—Parentheses are to inclose explanatory matter which is independent of the grammatical construction of the sentence. Brackets have the same general office, but are generally used only to inclose corrections, explanations, or similar matter, introduced by the author into the statement of some one else.
103. The Dash.—The dash is used to indicate a sudden change in thought or construction. Two dashes have the general effect of parentheses. Yes—no—I scarcely know what to say. You were saying that— I suppose—but why should I tell you? His father, his mother, his brothers, his sisters,—all are dead. At last he succeeded in opening the box and found in it—nothing. He had two constant motives—love of man and love of God. The two motives—love of man and love of God—were constant. 104. The Apostrophe.—The apostrophe is used (1) to indicate the omission of a letter or letters, (2) in forming the possessive case, and (3) in forming the plurals of letters and figures. Don't, shan't, o'er, John's, horses', his abc's. 105. Quotation Marks.—Double inverted commas indicate that the inclosed matter is a quotation. Single inverted commas indicate a quotation within a quotation. Double quotation marks are also sometimes used to indicate the title of a book, magazine, or newspaper, or the name of a ship. See also § 106. A direct quotation is one in which the exact words of a speaker or writer are repeated. When a direct quotation is broken by words of the author, each part of the quotation should be inclosed in quotation marks. A short informal quotation, if it constitutes a sentence, is preceded by a comma or a comma and a dash. If a quotation is long, or if it is desired to give it with a little more formality, it may be preceded by a colon. If the quotation begins a paragraph, it is preceded by a colon and a dash. See § 100, 1. "To be or not to be." The word "coward" has never been applied to me. "Sir," said I, "you insult me." I said to him, "Sir, you insult me." This was his reply: "I tell you that he said only last night, 'You will never see me again.'" This "History of English Literature" is worth reading. The wreck of the "Polar Star." An indirect quotation repeats the thought of some speaker or writer without giving his exact words. Quotation marks are not used to indicate indirect quotations. [Direct quotation] "Well, my boys," said Mr. Webster, "I will be the judge." [Indirect quotation] Mr. Webster told his boys that he would be the judge.
The father of Daniel Webster was a farmer. His garden had suffered somewhat from the visits of a woodchuck that lived in a hole close by. One day Daniel and his brother Ezekiel set a steel trap for the trespasser, and caught him alive. And now the great question was, "What shall be done with the rogue?" "Kill him," said Ezekiel. "Let him go," said Daniel, looking with pity into the eyes of the dumb captive. "No, no!" replied Ezekiel, "he'll be at his old tricks again." The boys could not agree; so they appealed to their father to decide the case. "Well, my boys," said Mr. Webster, "I will be judge. There is the prisoner, and you shall be counsel, Daniel for him and Ezekiel against him. It rests with you whether the woodchuck shall live or die." Ezekiel opened the case. The woodchuck, he said, was a thief by nature. He had already done much harm, and would do more, if he were set free. It had cost a great deal of labor to catch him. It would be harder to catch him a second time; for he would have gained in cunning. It was better on every account to put him to death. His skin would be worth something, although it would not half repay the damage he had done. The father looked with pride upon his son, little dreaming, however, that he was then showing signs of that power that made him so sound a jurist in his manhood. "Now, Daniel, it is your turn. I'll hear what you have to say." Daniel saw that the argument of his brother had sensibly moved his father the judge. The boy's large, black eyes looked upon the timid woodchuck, and, as he saw the poor thing trembling with fear, his heart swelled with pity. God, he said, had made the woodchuck. He made him to live, to enjoy the air and sunshine, the free fields and woods. The woodchuck had as much right to live as any other thing that breathes. God did not make him or anything in vain. He was not a destructive animal like the wolf or the fox. He ate a few common things, to be sure; but they had plenty of them, and could well spare a part. And he destroyed nothing except the little food needed to sustain his humble life. That little food was as sweet to him, and as necessary to his existence, as was the food on their mother's table to them. God gave them their food. Would they not spare a little for the dumb creature that really had as much right to his small share of God's bounty as they themselves to theirs? Yea, more; the animal had never broken the laws of his nature or the laws of God, as man often did, but had strictly lived up to the simple instincts that had been given him by the good Creator of all things. Created by God's hands, he had a right from God to his life and his liberty, and they had no right to deprive him of either. The young orator then alluded to the mute but earnest entreaties of the animal for his life, as sweet, as dear to him, as their own was to them; and to the just penalty they might expect, if, in selfish cruelty, they took the life During this appeal for mercy tears had started to the father's eyes, and were fast running down his sunburnt cheeks. Every feeling of his manly heart was stirred within him,—gratitude for the gift of so eloquent and noble a boy, pity for the helpless and anxious prisoner at the bar. The strain was more than he could bear. While Daniel was yet speaking, without thinking that he had won his case, his father sprang from his chair, and, in entire forgetfulness of his character as judge, exclaimed to his elder son, "Zeke! Zeke! let that woodchuck go!" Sometimes you may wish to quote, not a whole sentence, but a word or two. Such a partial quotation should be inclosed in quotation marks, but you should not begin it with a capital or place a comma before it, unless the comma is needed there for some other reason.
106. Italics.—The term "italics" refers to a special kind of type used in printing; thus, italics. Ordinary type is referred to as "roman." In writing, a single line drawn underneath a word is understood to be the equivalent of italics. Italics are used for (1) words especially emphasized, for (2) words from a foreign language, and, sometimes, as in this volume, for (3) names of books, newspapers, magazines, and ships. See § 105, ¶ 1. 107. The Hyphen.—The hyphen is used as follows:— 1. Between the parts of some compound words, son-in-law, simple-hearted, vice-president. With regard to many words, usage varies. The tendency is to omit the hyphen and write the words as one, e.g. football, horsecar. According to some authorities, compound numerals and fractions retain the hyphen, e.g. twenty-nine, one hundred and thirty-first, two-thirds. 2. To separate two vowels which are not pronounced 3. To mark the division of a word at the end of a line. Usage varies as to the way in which many words shall be divided. The subject can be best studied by noticing the practice of good printers. The pupil may bear in mind, however, (a) that he should not divide words of only one syllable; (b) that he should be guided by pronunciation; (c) that syllables should begin, if possible, with a consonant. For example, photog-raphy, Napo-leon, litera-ture.
108. Capitals.—The pronoun I and the interjection O are written with capital letters. Capital letters are used at the beginning of words as follows:— 1. The first word of a sentence, a line of poetry, and a direct quotation.
2. Names and titles of the Deity and personal pronouns referring to Him, e.g. the Almighty, the Holy Spirit, I pray that He will aid me. 3. Proper nouns and adjectives, including names of streets, the months, the days, races, sects, parties, nations, and parts of the country. For example, John Personal titles, whenever they are equivalent to proper nouns. In compound titles, each part begins with a capital. The President and the Governor of Rhode Island are here. 4. The first word in the title of a book, article, or composition and every noun and adjective in the title, but not other words. When a verb or adverb is an important or prominent word in the title, it may also be begun with a capital.
5. Personified nouns, and names of great events or bodies of men.
II. Which words in the following sentences should begin with capitals? Why? 1. He added, with a look of curiosity, "you must be a stranger." 2. "I like," said he, "to lie down upon the grass." 3. In 1827 he entered the senate, serving there until the president appointed him secretary of state. 4. At length I reached fourth street. 5. It was easter morning. 6. He has always voted the republican ticket. 7. There are more negroes in the south than in the west. 8. No one imagined that he would make a good emperor. 9. The king died on tuesday. 10. I shall see you this summer.
1. It was a dull dark gloomy day. 2. He was a rosy faced smiling and cheerful young gentleman. 3. Some of us were disappointed others overjoyed. 4. A pretty little white dog came running up to me. 5. Samuel the youngest of the three was by far the tallest. 6. My letters have brought no response consequently I have ceased writing. 7. Well Philip I am glad to see you again. 8. With hearty thanks for your kindness to me a stranger I am my dear sir your obedient servant John Smith. 9. Now Wegg said Mr. Boffin hugging his stick closer I want to make an offer to you. 10. The champion moving onward ascended the platform. 11. At the flourish of clarions and trumpets they started out at full galop. 12. The lake greatly to my surprise seemed as far off as before. 13. Terrible as was his anger he still spoke calmly. 14. To make a long story short I could never find a trace of him again. 15. His expressions too were frequently incorrect. 16. After the fourth encounter however there was a considerable pause. 17. However strong you may be you must not waste your strength. 18. My friend who is called Sir Roger came at once to see 21. None was so dissatisfied as Cedric who regarded the whole scene with scorn. 22. The message which I wished to send is simply this. 23. I will never do not interrupt me I will never consent to such a plan. 24. As often as he came and he came very often he stood long at the gate before entering. 25. Though they dwelt in such a solitude these people were not lonely. 26. If you insist I will speak frankly. 27. At ten o'clock the great war chief with his treacherous followers reached the fort and the gateway was thronged with their savage faces. 28. Some were crested with hawk eagle or raven plumes others had shaved their heads leaving only the fluttering scalp-lock on the crown while others again wore their long black hair flowing loosely at their backs or wildly hanging about their brows like a lion's mane. 29. Their bold yet crafty features their cheeks besmeared with ocher and vermilion white lead and soot their keen deep-set eyes gleaming in their sockets like those of rattlesnakes gave them an aspect grim uncouth and horrible. 30. For the most part they were tall strong men and all had a gait and bearing of peculiar stateliness. 109. List of Common Abbreviations.—The following is a list of common abbreviations, particularly those of foreign words or phrases. Abbreviations of names of states and other very familiar abbreviations are omitted. A.B. or B.A. (Latin, Artium Baccalaureus), Bachelor of Arts. |