Lynne Truss Quote
Punctuation has been defined many ways. Some grammarians use the analogy of stitching: punctuation as the basting that holds the fabric of language in shape. Another writer tells us that punctuation marks are the traffic signals of language: they tell us to slow down, notice this, take a detour, and stop. I have even seen a rather fanciful reference to the full stop and comma as the invisible servants in fairy tales – the ones who bring glasses of water and pillows, not storms of weather or love. But best of all, I think, is the simple advice given by the style book of a national newspaper: that punctuation is a courtesy designed to help readers to understand a story without stumbling.
Punctuation has been defined many ways. Some grammarians use the analogy of stitching: punctuation as the basting that holds the fabric of language in shape. Another writer tells us that punctuation marks are the traffic signals of language: they tell us to slow down, notice this, take a detour, and stop. I have even seen a rather fanciful reference to the full stop and comma as the invisible servants in fairy tales – the ones who bring glasses of water and pillows, not storms of weather or love. But best of all, I think, is the simple advice given by the style book of a national newspaper: that punctuation is a courtesy designed to help readers to understand a story without stumbling.