Ever feel like you just don't fit in? Why don't the girls like you? How come you're always picked last for everything? Why does everyone stop talking when you enter the room? Why does your mom spit in your breakfast every morning? Maybe it's because you're still using 20th century punctuation!
The future is now, my friend. For example, check out a writing sample from blogosphere cool-kid Steven Den Beste and trench-coat mafia reject David Theroux; DT in red, SDB in blue.
Dear Steve,Thanks for your note.
Since you regularly and critically address public policy issues, including foreign policy, we thought that you might be interested in some of our articles.
If not, we will not send them to you.
Just let me know.
As for "link slutting," sending you a personal note about a new article hardly fits.
That would be "not".
Notice how Mr. Thorax puts his comma inside the quotes! I know, ridiculous. That's so 1990s. It's no wonder SDB didn't link to such plebeian drivel.
Review your notes -- there will be a test. Class dismissed.
Two "heh"s, one "hah", and a "bwahahahaha!".
Note that the '!' is within in the quote marks and a period follows, meaning that the '!' is part of what I'm quoting. If I merely meant to quote a non-exclamatory laugh in an exciting, energetic manner, I would have written '"bwahahahaha"!' instead.
This is making my head hurt...
For years, I kept wanting to write "Harry S. Truman," but it had to be "Harry S Truman." So I finally and permanently burned the latter into my brain, so now I'm wrong the other way.
Now, as to spelling, what is this "judgement" thing? I was always taught that only the British and such spelled it that way, but now more and more American publications are putting the "e" in as well.
I admit I have a hard time placing a comma or period outside of a quote, even when it should be that way. The comma and period look stark naked to me, like they're getting ready to go on a solo skinny dip.
Do these things herald the return of Christ?
JT: There's a "." in Truman's name? It must've been an urban legend that there wasn't. As for "judgement", I've never spelt (!) it any other way.
And, most likely yes.
Truman caused the confusion himself by saying that since the "S" didn't stand for anything, there shouldn't be a period. However, after it was learned that Truman signed his name both with and without the period and didn't care how it was done, the press started uniformly (Chicago Manuel of Style, AP Stylebook, etc.) using the period.
In the summer of 1992, I completed my clinical pastoral education at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C. When the hospital was originally named, they didn't put in an apostrophe and it has remained thus ever since. Personally, I would prefer they would change their name to St. Elizabeth's or St. Elizabeth, because except for the larger newspapers and magazines, many publications assume a typo and add in the apostrophe. (Which is what happened when I submitted a news release to my local paper.)
One of my grandfathers was born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. In that case, it seems to have been an apostrophe omission by the post office way back. Same for Chickasha, Oklahoma, which should have been Chickasaw, after the Indian tribe.
Out here in Ohio, we have a retail store named Meijer. However, EVERYONE calls it Meijers. One time I said something about going shopping at Meijer and the lady I was talking to didn't know what store I was talking about for a few minutes. When I tried to describe it, she said, "Oh, you mean Meijers." No, I don't massacre the English language lady, you do!
Oh and I've never seen "judgement" but I hate seeing "humour" and "colour". However, being a performing arts major, I prefer "theatre" over "theater".
Amazing. I'm going to have to unlearn and revise my writing for the 21st century? I'mm have to try this 21st century punctuation at the mixer this Friday and see how far I get.
Thanks for the post, Michael!
How Grammatically Sound Are You?
Results? Grammar God. One try.