Post by Twilitbeing on Nov 16, 2009 5:56:33 GMT
Ive seen far too many writers who despite being native English speakers show no real understanding of how commas quotations semicolons and other pause marks should be used nor what the respective meanings of various ending symbols are
As was just demonstrated, it really makes sentences, even very simple ones, difficult to read and understand. Do you speak in a solid, monotonous line without pauses, stops, or intonation? Does your voice sound the same at the end of question as it does during a statement? No and no. So why should people read your writing that way?
For instance, here is my opening statement as it should be typed: "I've seen far too many writers who, despite being native English-speakers, show no real understanding of how commas, quotations, semicolons, and other pause marks should be used, nor what the respective meanings of various ending symbols are."
Read that to yourself, pronouncing it as the marks denote. You see how much more natural that sounds, how much easier is it to understand? Furthermore, you can accomplish this effect without following standard grammar rules in some cases. My most recent 'question' contains a comma splice - technically incorrect, but more powerful than a comma-conjunction or a full stop in this case. In academics, use the correct form; in fiction, make it sound correct.
My challenge for you, therefore, is as follows:
James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect
By adding punctuation and changing nothing else, give this sentence meaning. You'll find that the result can be read and understood with little effort, which should be true of almost any sentence (in a mechanical sense, that is). I didn't invent it; if you knew the answer already or looked it up out of impatience, please don't reveal the solution.
As was just demonstrated, it really makes sentences, even very simple ones, difficult to read and understand. Do you speak in a solid, monotonous line without pauses, stops, or intonation? Does your voice sound the same at the end of question as it does during a statement? No and no. So why should people read your writing that way?
For instance, here is my opening statement as it should be typed: "I've seen far too many writers who, despite being native English-speakers, show no real understanding of how commas, quotations, semicolons, and other pause marks should be used, nor what the respective meanings of various ending symbols are."
Read that to yourself, pronouncing it as the marks denote. You see how much more natural that sounds, how much easier is it to understand? Furthermore, you can accomplish this effect without following standard grammar rules in some cases. My most recent 'question' contains a comma splice - technically incorrect, but more powerful than a comma-conjunction or a full stop in this case. In academics, use the correct form; in fiction, make it sound correct.
My challenge for you, therefore, is as follows:
James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect
By adding punctuation and changing nothing else, give this sentence meaning. You'll find that the result can be read and understood with little effort, which should be true of almost any sentence (in a mechanical sense, that is). I didn't invent it; if you knew the answer already or looked it up out of impatience, please don't reveal the solution.