Journal: News & Comment

Thursday, September 22, 2005
# 10:27:00 PM:

On, punctuation!

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Leif Sonstenes of LD Communications, like me, is a member of the Editors' Association of Canada. At last night's monthly meeting, he brought a printout of his excellent "Translatability Tips for Writers," available by email from his website. In it, he quotes from Lynne Truss's surprise punctuation bestseller, Eats, Shoots & Leaves, which, astoundingly, I have yet to read.

It contains the best example I've ever seen of why punctuation matters:

Dear Jack,

I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, and thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy—will you let me be yours?


Jill. 		Dear Jack,

I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, and thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men I yearn! For you I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart I can be forever happy. Will you let me be?

Yours,
Jill.

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