Punctuation

Punctuation, by Frederick W. Hamilton

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Punctuation, by Frederick W. Hamilton This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Punctuation A Primer of Information about the Marks of Punctuation and their Use Both Grammatically and Typographically
Author: Frederick W. Hamilton
Release Date: March 9, 2007 [EBook #20787]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PUNCTUATION ***

Produced by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier, Sigal Alon and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Transcriber's Note:
1. Italicized text is rendered as text, bold text is rendered as =text=.
2. Superscripted characters are preceeded by ^ (carat).
3. Subscripted characters are surrounded by curly braces ({}) and preceeded by (underline character).

TYPOGRAPHIC TECHNICAL SERIES FOR APPRENTICES--
PART VI, NO. 33
PUNCTUATION
A PRIMER of INFORMATION ABOUT THE MARKS OF PUNCTUATION AND THEIR USE BOTH GRAMMATICALLY AND TYPOGRAPHICALLY
BY
FREDERICK W. HAMILTON, LL.?D.
EDUCATIONAL DIRECTOR UNITED TYPOTHET? OF AMERICA

PUBLISHED BY THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION UNITED TYPOTHETAE OF AMERICA 1920

COPYRIGHT, 1920 UNITED TYPOTHETAE OF AMERICA CHICAGO, ILL.

PREFACE
This book, like the others in this Part, makes no pretense at originality. The author has studied and compared a considerable number of works by the best authorities on the subject and has endeavored to adapt the best of their contents to the use of printers' apprentices. Every author has his own set of rules. At first sight, each set appears inconsistent with those given by other writers. This inconsistency, however, is generally more apparent than real. It arises from differences in point of view, method of approach, and system of classification.
An attempt has been made to compile from these sources a set of rules which would bring before the pupil a correct and comprehensive view of the best current usage, well illustrated by examples and accompanied by practical typographical hints. The fact has been kept steadily in mind that this book is intended for a certain definite class of pupils and no pains have been spared to fit it to their needs.
Any treatise consisting, as this one necessarily does, mainly of rules is practically useful only as a basis for constant and persistent drill. It is, of course, valuable for reference, but the emergencies of the day's work leave no time for consultation. These rules must be learned, and not only learned but assimilated so that their correct application becomes instinctive and instantaneous. This result can be secured only by practice. Hence the emphasis laid on the exercises indicated in the paragraphs introductory to the review questions.

CONTENTS
PAGE INTRODUCTION 1
THE COMMA 7
THE SEMICOLON 14
THE COLON 16
THE PERIOD 18
THE DASH 20
THE PARENTHESIS 23
THE BRACKET 25
THE INTERROGATION 26
THE EXCLAMATION 27
THE APOSTROPHE 28
THE HYPHEN 30
QUOTATION MARKS 31
GENERAL REMARKS 34
SUMMARY 35
SUPPLEMENTARY READING 36
REVIEW QUESTIONS 37
GLOSSARY OF TERMS 40

PUNCTUATION

INTRODUCTION
Punctuation is a device by which we aid words to tell their story. Words have done this at times without such aid, and may now do so, but at constant risk of serious misunderstanding. This can be easily seen by reading the following lines printed as they would have been written in an ancient manuscript.
WETHEPEOPLEOFTHEUNITEDSTATES INORDERTOFORMAMOREPERFECT UNIONESTABLISHJUSTICEINSUREDO MESTICTRANQUILITYPROVIDEFOR THECOMMONDEFENCEPROMOTETHE GENERALWELFAREANDSECURETHE BLESSINGSOFLIBERTYTOOURSELVES ANDOURPOSTERITYDOORDAINAND ESTABLISHTHISCONSTITUTIONFOR THEUNITEDSTATESOFAMERICA
Probably this particular passage could be read without danger of serious misunderstanding. The two well-known passages which follow, however, are cases where either a simple statement may become a ridiculous travesty or a serious arraignment may become a eulogy by punctuation.
Punctuate the following so as to express two very different meanings:
Lord Palmerston then entered on his head a white hat upon his feet large but well polished boots upon his brow a dark cloud in his hand a faithful walking stick in his eye a menacing glare saying nothing.
Punctuate the following in two ways: one to represent a very bad man, and the other a very good man:
He is an old man and experienced in vice and wickedness he is never found in opposing the works of iniquity he takes delight in the downfall of his neighbors he never rejoices in the prosperity of his fellow-creatures he is always ready to assist in destroying the peace of society he takes no pleasure in serving the Lord he is uncommonly diligent in sowing discord among his friends and acquaintances he takes no pride in laboring to promote the cause of Christianity he has not been negligent in endeavoring to stigmatize all public teachers he makes no effort to subdue his evil passions he strives hard to build up satans kingdom he lends no aid to the support of the gospel among the heathen he contributes largely to the devil he will never go to heaven he must go where he will receive the just recompense of reward.
Punctuation being intended for the sole purpose of making