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Happy Punctuation Day!
By Becky Jungbauer | September 25th 2009 10:47 PM | 1 comment | Print | E-mail | Track Comments
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About Becky Jungbauer

A scientist and journalist by training, I enjoy all things science, especially science-related humor. My column title is a throwback to Jane Austen's famous first line in Pride and Prejudice


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Happy. punctuation day; everyone!1



1 Technically the 6th National Punctuation Day was yesterday, but I was still recovering from tuberculosis/black plague, so I'm a day late.

Comments

rholley's picture
Becky,

One of the most vexatious small rules (probably made up by the civil service) was that of a "pecking order", where in the strength stakes comma < semicolon < colon < full stop.  That completely vitiates the function of the middle two in particular.

One thing that still puzzles me, and that is how to embed a question in a longer sentence.  How would you punctuate the following, as one sentence:

I would like to ask him where are you going but perhaps it's better not to

Two versions please (a) as a standalone written sentence (b) as quoting me having just said it?

Robert H Olley | 09/26/09 | 04:30 AM

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