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From "Eats Shoots and Leaves"

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August 26, 2004, 22:34
shufitz
From "Eats Shoots and Leaves"
You've probably seen the book Eats Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, a current best seller by Lynne Truss. The forward is by Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes, who says (p.xii),A little careless. Truss actually said (pp. 77-78),

Beyond that, what do you think of the last comma in the McCourt passage? This of all books would be a poor place to make a punctuation error, wouldn't it?
August 27, 2004, 01:20
arnie
One hundred years ago commas were much more liberally sprinkled on the page. The fashion nowadays is for less commas, and I, for one, agree with that. (Or should that be: "I for one agree with that"?)

It is quite common, though not strictly necessary, to put a comma before quoted speech, thus:

Gilbert said, "Welcome to the Pleasure Dome!"
Stated George, "Entrance is only $10!"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: arnie,


Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
August 27, 2004, 02:12
Richard English
I agree. I usually do this and I tend, also, to use the "Oxford" comma before the final "and" in a list.


Richard English
August 27, 2004, 21:52
Kalleh
I think I use way too many commas.

In this case, though, doesn't the that make the use of a comma incorrect?
August 27, 2004, 22:29
Chris Doyle
I agree with shufitz and Kalleh. I think McCourt's last sentence should read either:

His son, yes, Aldus Manutius the Younger, declared in 1566 that "the main object of punctuation was the clarification of syntax."

or:

His son, yes, Aldus Manutius the Younger, declared in 1566, "the main object of punctuation was the clarification of syntax."

I doubt Aldus the Younger said "that" in his original declaration about punctuation. The comma is not the sole error here. The quotation mark is in the wrong place.

[I don't know how to indent text in this message box. Sorry.]
August 28, 2004, 17:04
shufitz
Chris, to indent a block of text precede it with {list} and end it with {/list}, using square brackets rather than the curly brackets shown here here. That will also put a pair of "new line" symbols before and after the block, so any more that you put in will create excess vertical space.

Glad to have someone agree with me on the comma. Also, as you note, the quotation mark was placed to include the word 'that' as part of the quotation. Agreed that this is a misplacement if McCourt is quoting Manutius, but it is correctly placed, I think, if he's quoting Truss's phrasing of Manutius's comment.
August 28, 2004, 17:54
wordnerd
I found a quote from Manutius. What a great name for a book on puntuation: Interpungendi ratio.
October 22, 2004, 04:49
Caterwauller
I've been waiting for my turn to read the Truss book - for 3 months now! Sigh!

I am glad I don't have to read Manutius - what a run-on!


*******
"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
~Dalai Lama
October 22, 2004, 06:01
arnie
CW,

Is it against the librarians' code to buy a book? Wink

It's not expensive -- Amazon has it for $12.25 new; less for used copies.


Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
October 22, 2004, 08:59
Kalleh
My thoughts exactly, arnie! It is all over the place now, often at 30% off cost.

The other one I am anxious to see is the American version of Michael Quinion's book. Richard had sent me a copy of the British version. The British version is "POSH" and the American version is "Ballyhoo, Buckaroo and Spuds." Does anyone know if the latter is out yet? I thought it was due out in October.
October 22, 2004, 10:40
arnie
Yep, it's out. Amazon has it for $13.97.

I haven't got around to it yet. I have looked in a shop near me a couple of times but didn't see it.


Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
October 22, 2004, 14:00
Caterwauller
quote:
Originally posted by arnie:
CW,

Is it against the librarians' code to __buy__ a book? Wink



BUY? BUY A BOOK????? Are you kidding me????


*******
"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
~Dalai Lama