This section is from the book "Facts Worth Knowing", by Robert Kemp Philip. Also available from Amazon: Inquire Within for Anything You Want to Know.
Punctuation teaches the method of placing Points, in written or printed matter, in such a manner as to indicate the pauses which would be made by the author if he were communicating his thoughts orally instead of by written signs.
1648. Writing and printing are substitutes for oral communication; and correct punctuation is essential to convey the meaning intended, and to give due force to such passages as the author may wish to impress upon the mind of the person to whom they are being communicated.
1649. The Points are as follow; - The Comma y
The Semicolon ;
The Colon :
The Period, or Full Point .
The Apostrophe '
The Hyphen, or Conjoiner -
The Note of Interrogation ?
The Note of Exclamation ',
The Parenthesis ( )
The Asterisk, or Star * As these are all the points required in simple epistolary composition, we will confine our explanations to the rules which should govern the use of them.
1650. But we will first state that the other points are the paragraph
; the section §; the dagger +; the double dagger J; the rule -; the parallel ||; the bracket [ ]; and some others. These, however, are quite unnecessary, except for elaborate works, and in these they are chiefly used for notes or marginal references.
*1651. The comma , denotes the shortest pause; the semicolon; a little longer pause than the comma; colon: a little longer pause than the semicolon; the period, or full point , the longest pause.
1652. The relative duration of these pauses is described as -
While you count Comma . . . One Semicolon . . Two Colon .... Three Period . . . Four. This, however, is not an infallible rule, because the duration of the pauses should be regulated by the degree of rapidity with which the matter is being read. In slow reading, the duration of the pauses should be increased.
1653. The other points are rather indications of expression, and of meaning and connection, than of pauses, and therefore we will notice them separately.
1654 The mispacing of ever so slight a point, or pause,, as the comma' will often alter the meaning of a sen* tence. The contract made for lighting the town of Liverpool, during the year 1819, was thrown void by the misplacing of a comma in the advertisements - thus - "The lamps at present are about 4050, and have in general two spouts each, composed of not less than twenty threads of cotton." The contractor would have proceeded to furnish each lamp with the said twenty threads; but this being but half the usual quantity, the commissioners discovered that the difference arose from the comma following instead of proceding the word each. The parties agreed to annul the contract, and a new one was ordered.
1655. The following sentence shows how difficult it is to read without the aid of the points used as pauses: -
Death waits not for storms or sunshine within a dwelling in one of the upper streets respectable in appearance and furnished with such conveniences as distinguish the habitations of those who rank among the higher classes of society a man of middle age lay on his last bed momently awaiting the final summons all that the most skilful medical attendance all that love warm as the glow that fires an angel's bosom could do had been done by day and night for many long weeks had ministering spirits such as a devoted wife and loving children are done all within their power to ward off the blow but there he lay his raven hair smoothed off from his noble brow his dark eyes lighted with unnatural brightness and .contrasting strongly with the pallid hue which marked him as an expectant of the dread messenger.
1656. The same sentence, properly pointed, and with capital letters placed after full points, according to the adopted rule, may be easily read and understood: -
Death waits not for storm or sun-shins. Within a dwelling in one of the upper streets, respectable in appear ance, and furnished with such conveni ences as distinguish the habitations of those who rank among the higher classes of society, a man of middle age lay on his lust bed, momently awaiting the final summons. All that the most skilful medical attendance - all that eve. warm as the glow that fires an angel's bosom, could do, had been lone; by day and night, for many long weeks, had ministering spirits, such as a devoted wife and loving children are, done all within their power to ward off the blow. But there he lay, his raven hair smoothed off from his noble brow, his dark eyes lighted with Unnatural brightness, and contrasting strongly with the pallid hue which marked him as an expectant of the dread messenger.
1657. The apostrophe ' is used to indicate the combining of two words in one - as John's book, instead of John, his book; or to show the omission of parts of words, as Glo'ster, for Glouces-ter-tho' for though. These abbreviations should be avoided as much as possible. Cobbett says the apostrophe "ought to be called the mark of laziness and vulgarity." The first use, however, of which we gave an example, is a necessary and proper one.
1658. The hyphen, or conjoiner - is used to unite words which, though they are separate and distinct, have so close a connection as almost to become one word, as water-rat, wind-mill, etc. It is also used in writing and printing, at the end. of a line, to show where a word is divided and continued in the next line. Look down the ends of the lines in this column, and you will notice the hyphen in seven \ places.
1659. The note of interrogation(?) in-dicates that the semence to which it is nut asks a question, as "What is the meaning of that assortion? What am I to do?"
1660. The note of exclamation or of admiration (!) indicates surprise, pleas ure, or sorrow, as ' Oh ! Ah ! Goodness. Beautiful! I sm astonished! Woe if me !"
1661 The parenthesis ( ) is used to prevent confusion by the introduction to a sentence, of a passage not necessary to the sense thereof. "I am going to meet Mr. Smith (though I am no admirer of him) on Wednesday next." It is better, however, as a rule, not to employ parenthetical sentences.
1662. The asterisk, or star * may be employed to refer from the text to a note of explanation at the foot of a column, or at the end of a letter. *** Three stars are sometimes used to call particular attention to a paragraph.
 
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