punctuation marks are the traffic signals of language

“. . . punctuation marks are the traffic signals of language: they tell us to slow down, notice this, take a detour, and stop. ” ―

The Semantic Implications of Punctuation in English

Syntax and Semantics? • Syntactic implication means pure grammar • Semantic implication means pure meaning • They work side by side.

• I love eating chocolate chips msakhan and flafel. Food items OR Are chocolate chips adjectives to the word msakhan? Syntactically, this affects the proposed structure (nouns modifying each other to play the role of adjectives VS a list of nouns)

Semantically? • I love eating chocolate chips msakhan and flafel. 1 - I enjoy eating several types of food such as chocolate, chips, msakhan and flafel. 2 - I enjoy eating msakhan which is made of chocolate chips.

Why use the comma? • To separate between the items and show that they are a list of something. (Syntax) • To clarify the intended meaning of the list (One entity of ideas or a series of ideas)

Comma: A short pause

“Miss Ingram was a mark beneath jealousy: she was too inferior to excite feeling. Pardon the seeming paradox I mean what I say. She was very showy but she was not genuine she had a fine person many brilliant attainments but her mind was poor heart barren by nature nothing bloomed spontaneously on that soil no unforced natural fruit delighted by its freshness. She was not good she was not original she used to repeat sounding phrases from books she never offered nor had an opinion of her own. She advocated a high tone of sentiment but she did not know the sensations of sympathy and pity tenderness and truth were not in her”

“Miss Ingram was a mark beneath jealousy: she was too inferior to excite feeling. Pardon the seeming paradox; I mean what I say. She was very showy, but she was not genuine; she had a fine person, many brilliant attainments, but her mind was poor, her heart barren by nature; nothing bloomed spontaneously on that soil; no unforced natural fruit delighted by its freshness. She was not good; she was not original; she used to repeat sounding phrases from books; she never offered, nor had, an opinion of her own. She advocated a high tone of sentiment, but she did not know the sensations of sympathy and pity; tenderness and truth were not in her”

Comma + FANBOYS AND FOR NOR BUT FANBOYS SO OR Yet

Syntactically, • Two independent sentences cannot be separated by a FANBOY without a comma. • Two independent sentences cannot be separated by a comma only. • She is selfish but I forgive her. • She is selfish, but I forgive her.

Semantically, • Each FANBOY serves a particular meaning; therefore, each comma preceding them gives the same meaning. For? And? Nor? But? Or? Yet?

Setting off nonrestrictive or nonessential information I will give the document to my brother, Tom. I will give the document to my brother Tom.

Setting off nonrestrictive or nonessential information I will give the document to my brother, Tom. (The writer has only one brother. The brother's name is nonessential and therefore set off with a comma. ) I will give the document to my brother Tom. (The writer has more than one brother. In this case, the specific brother—Tom—is essential information and should not be set off with a comma. )

Setting off nonrestrictive or nonessential information Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter has been made into several movies. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s first novel, Fanshawe, was published anonymously in 1828.

Setting off nonrestrictive or nonessential information Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter has been made into several movies. (Hawthorne wrote more than one novel. ) Nathaniel Hawthorne’s first novel, Fanshawe, was published anonymously in 1828. (Hawthorne had only one first novel. )

Do commas always serve a semantic implication? No. Sometimes, it is only a structural necessity: 1 - With numbers: 5, 000. 2 - Degrees and certifications: The report was prepared by Christopher Smith, Ph. D. 3 - Direct address: Lori, please stop by my office before you leave for the day. 4 - Dates: The store closed its doors for good on Wednesday, October 15, 1958. See https: //www. thepunctuationguide. com/comma. html#numbers for further uses

Full Stop: Stop Fully

Syntactically, • It tells you the sentence is over. Drinking coffee early morning is not a good thing for your body (stop) However, drinking fresh juice can make you healthy (stop) Drinking coffee early morning is not a good thing for your body. However, drinking fresh juice can make you healthy.

Dramatic Effect I saw him he was holding a gun I couldn’t breathe he shot my brother I froze.

Dramatic Effect I saw him he was holding a gun I couldn’t breathe he shot my brother I froze. I saw him. He was holding a gun. I couldn’t breathe. He… shot… my brother. I froze.

• The prince proposed to Cinderella • The prince proposed to… Cinerella Thoreau notes: “I learned. . . that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, . . . he will meet with. . . success. . He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary. . In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex. .

Ellipsis • Syntactically, it shows something has been deleted (in a formal context). • Semantically, it is used to show a longer pause with certain effects (fear, happiness, sorrow and others). • I need to go…

The Myth of Exclamation Marks • Exclamation? This is emotive expression of something. It could show surprise, shock or demand. • Stop! • Listen! • Idiot! • Wow! • Thanks! • Good morning!

Semantically, I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed!

Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me – The Carriage held but just Ourselves – Emily Dickinson And Immortality. We slowly drove – He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility –

Know the Three Dashes Hyphen (very short) - En dash (slightly wider than a hyphen) – Em dash (the widest) —

Their uses? Go to https: //www. thepunctuationguide. com/hyphe n. html Generally, they do not have a semantic implication (except for the En Dash used by poets and writers.

|| Are you familiar with this punctuation mark?

Caesura Feminine Masculine

Feminine caesural pause occurs after a nonstressed and short syllable in a poetic line. This is softer and less abrupt than the masculine version. For instance: “I hear lake water lapping || with low sounds by the shore…

Masculine pause occurs after a long or accented syllable in a line. It creates a staccato effect in the poem, such as: “of reeds and stalk-crickets, || fiddling the dank air, lacing his boots with vines, || steering glazed beetles”

Inverted Commas “Israel” did try to work its way through fake cries. He is “leaving” the house. If you know what I am saying.

The Democrats say the Republicans will lose the election. The Democrats, say the Republicans, will lose the election. Call me fool if you wish. Call me, fool, if you wish.

I saw a man eating shark. I saw a man-eating shark. You will be required to work twenty four-hour shifts. You will be required to work twenty-four hour shifts.

A clever dog knows its master. A clever dog knows it's master.