Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Punctuation-at-a-Glance


       PUNCTUATION-AT-A-GLANCE:  © Susanna Rich The Flexible Writer (Allyn & Bacon, 2003)


Name
Mark
Origin
Meaning
Gesture
Use
Example
apostrophe
“step up”


contract
possess
flick away
beckon
contraction
possession
quote inside quote
it’s
John’s
“He’s‘good’”
comma
,
“cut”
“separate”
introduce

mark off
introduction
list
modifier
transition
At first,
a,b,c,d
Bo, the son,
however,
colon
:
“limb”
point
index fin-gers point
list
emphasis
these: a,b,c
She knew it: this was it.
dash
“rush”
emphasize
rush
emphasis
interruption
Jane—my love—
ellipsis
“fall short”
omit
cut
omission
And then…
exclamation
!
“shout out”
emphasize
jab
emphasis
Help!
hyphen
-
“under one”
treat as one
connect
link
line ending
high-priced
          end-
ing
parentheses
(   )
“put aside”
set aside
hide
insertions
Jane (whom I adore)
period
.
“cycle”
end
finish
sentence
Walk.
question mark
?
“ask”
inquire
invite
questions
Why?
quotation
marks
    
“exactly”
highlight
highlight
direct quote
irony
titles
“Why?”
It’s “cool.”
“Noel”
semicolon
;
“half limb”
half stop
balance
sentences
Run; stop.
underlining & italics
(only one)
_________
italics
“emphasize”
draw attention
draw attention
emphasis
mention
titles
She knew.
I is a letter.
Moby Dick
capitalization
Capitalization
“head”
show importance
lift
beginnings
proper nouns
I am I.
Mississippi


    
       Punctuation is a fundamental tool for transcribing human voice, gestures, and body language onto the page.  If you were Jane, how would you prefer your beloved to refer to you?

            Jane (whom I adore)     *implies secrecy or something to be taken for granted
            Jane—whom I adore      *implies exuberant display
            Jane: whom I adore!      *emphasizes
            Jane, whom I adore?      *is an aside, a by-the-way
            Jane, whom “I adore”    *implies irony, an inside joke
            Jane, whom I Adore      *implies big love
            Jane, whom I ADORE   *is a billboard, flashing lights

As you write, imagine what hand gestures would accompany your words if you were speaking them in person, and how you would like others to perceive your message.