I have assumed, for several reasons, the seeming impropriety of criticising the above books: (1) they are recognized as the best authorities on the conventional use of marks, I acknowledge my indebtedness to them, and I show my appreciation of them by quoting no others in my discussion of the subject; (2) criticism of usage by any other class of writers is worthless; (3) my own work, if it will not stand comparison with the above-named works, has no value, and I invite such comparison by my specific criticism of some of their examples which exhibit the fundamental principles of punctuation.

In no work known to me has an attempt been made to show the sense relations between parts of language with such relations indicated by marks, themselves differentiated by these sense relations. A single illustration will serve to show the truth of this broad assertion concerning the sense relations between groups of words determined by marks, yet not recognized by writers on punctuation. Practically all such writers use a comma after etc., the comma of course following the period. The two Manuals of the University of Chicago Press and the Handbook of The Riverside Press specifically name this as the proper punctuation. That such punctuation disregards the sense relations determined by the meaning of language, is proved, I think, beyond question by illustrative Sentence 7-1 herein.

If my own work is of any value, or possesses any degree of originality, it is to be found in my efforts to show that the sense relations between groups of words are a large factor in determining the meaning of language, and that a mark of punctuation, or even its absence, sometimes determines a sense relation, and at other times only serves readily to point it out. Neither the comma in illustrative Sentence 1-1 nor the semicolons in Sentence 7 determine meanings: they simply suggest them. The absence of commas in Sentence 3, and their presence in Sentence 3-1, determine meanings.

As the difficulties in punctuation arise largely from the subtle relations between groups of words into which all language, often the simplest, is divided, the study of punctuation becomes in reality the study of language. Upon the importance attached to the clear understanding and correct use of language, depends the value of punctuation.

I desire to express my high appreciation of the helpful suggestions and criticisms made by three friends, each of whom has read the proof of this work one or more times, bringing to the arduous task large knowledge of the subtle principles of punctuation and of language. Of these friends, Mr. W. F. Webster, Principal of the East High School, Minneapolis, is well known in educational circles as a teacher of English, as a lecturer, and as the author of a widely used text-book on composition and literature. Mr. S. R. Winchell, of Chicago, is likewise well known in educational circles as a high-school and college teacher, and as the author of several text-books on English and Latin. Dr. William Davis, of St. Paul, is an unusually critical scholar and a lover of good English, with an extensive editorial experience.

Minneapolis, Minnesota,
February 1, 1916.

CONTENTS

CHAPTERPAGE
Preface[v]
Introduction[xiii]
I

The Functions of Marks and HowPerformed

[1]
REAL AND APPARENT MEANINGS[6]
II

The Fundamental Purposes of Punctuation—Grouping

[14]
THE NAMES OF MARKS[15]
THE RELATIVE VALUES OF MARKS[16]
PUNCTUATION OF SERIES[21]
III

Modified Parenthesis, Explanatoryand Restrictive Terms, Afterthought,and Appositives

[30]
IV

Grouping Done by the Semicolon andthe Colon

[50]
V

Some Uses of the Dash

[74]
VI

Punctuation by Reason and Convention

[91]

FIRST, SECOND, WHEN, NOW, BECAUSE,ETC.

[94]

YES, NO, AGAIN, ETC.

[102]
VII

Comma, Semicolon, Colon, and Period—TheirDifferentiation

[107]
COMMA AND SEMICOLON[121]
VIII

Comma, Dash, and Parentheses—TheirDifferentiation

[131]
COMMAS AND PARENTHESES[136]
DASHES AND PARENTHESES[137]
IX

Miscellaneous Uses of Marks

[147]
ADJECTIVES BEFORE A NOUN[147]
DOUBLE OBJECT[147]
A “LONG” SUBJECT[148]
DOUBTFUL MODIFIERS[150]
INTERMEDIATE RESTRICTIVE GROUPS[152]
NOT—BUT[157]
O AND OH[159]
X

Conventional Uses of Marks

[163]
THE PERIOD[164]
THE COLON[169]
THE SEMICOLON[171]
THE INTERROGATION-POINT[174]
THE EXCLAMATION-POINT[174]
ELLIPSIS[175]
XI

Quotation-Marks

[177]
XII

Brackets and Parentheses

[185]
XIII

Abbreviation and Miscellany

[194]
FORMS OF ADDRESS[194]
FIRM OR CORPORATION NAMES[195]
FIGURES[196]
TIME OF DAY[196]
TEMPERATURE, ETC.[196]
BIBLE REFERENCES[199]
FOOT-NOTES[199]
STAR, DAGGER, ETC.[201]

PER CENT, ETC., &C., 4TO, I.E., E.G., etc.

[201]
THE APOSTROPHE[201]
WHEREAS—RESOLVED[202]
XIV

Compound Words

[203]
XV

Close and Open Punctuation

[208]

Press Notices of the First Edition

[221]