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PUNCTUATION.

DEFINITION.

§ 681. PUNCTUATION, from the Latin punctum, a point, is the art of dividing written composition by points or stops, for the purpose of marking the different pauses which the sense and the pronunciation require.

What is the true principle of punctuation? One opinion on this point is, that it is the business of punctuation to divide written language into such portions as a correct speaker would divide it into. This opinion is supported by historical reasons found in the practice of old manuscripts, and by the increased facilities which this mode of punctuation affords to the public reader. This view of punctuation is the Rhetorical view. The other opinion on this point is, that punctuation should attend only to the Grammatical structure of a sentence, and should never separate the subject from the predicate, or the case governed from the verb that governs it. Such was the opinion of the critic caricatured by Sterne. "And how did Garrick speak the soliloquy?" "Oh! against all rule," says the critic; "most ungrammatically. Between the nominative case, which your lordship knows should govern the verb, he suspended his voice a dozen times, three seconds and three fifths, by a stopwatch, my lord, each time.".

The current practice is generally more in accordance with the grammatical than the rhetorical view. The following are the common rules, though there is considerable diversity among authors and printers in their application.

THE COMMA (,).

§ 682. The comma (,) denotes the smallest division in the construction of sentences on the printed page, and the shortest pause in reading.

RULE I.

A comma should not come in between the subject or nominative and the verb or predicate; as, "America claimed nothing but her independence."

Exception 1. When the subject of a simple sentence is accompanied by several adjuncts, a comma should be introduced immediately before the verb; as, "The injustice and barbarity of this censure on all former editors of the New Testament, will appear," &c.

Exception 2. When the connection between a subject and the verb is interrupted by one or more important words, a comma should be inserted both before and after them: "To do good, if we have the opportunity, is our duty, and should be our happiness."

EXAMPLES.

1. The book is the author's pledge to immortality.

2. The friend of order has made half his way to virtue. Exception 1. The weakest reasoners among my aquaintance, especially on the subject of religion, are generally the most positive.

Exception 2. His style, in point of grammatical construction, is open to endless objection.

RULE II.

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Two or more words in the same construction are separated by a comma; as, "Reason, virtue, answer one great aim;" We are fearfully, wonderfully framed."

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Exception. When the two words, however, are closely connected by a conjunction, no comma is admitted between them; "The study of natural history expands and elevates the mind." But if the parts connected are not short, the comma may be inserted; as, "Intemperance destroys the strength of our bodies, and the vigor of our minds."

EXAMPLES.

1. A woman sensible, gentle, well educated, and religious. 2. In a letter, we may advise, exhort, comfort, and request.

Exception. But Frederick was too old and too cunning to be caught, and the ambitious and far-seeing Catharine had ulterior views of her own.

RULE III.

When words in the same construction are joined in pairs by a conjunction, they are separated in pairs by a comma; as, "Hope and fear, pleasure and pain, diversify our lives."

EXAMPLE.

A Christian spirit may be manifested either to Greek or Jew, male or female, friend or foe.

RULE IV.

Expressions in a direct address, the Nominative Absolute, the Infinitive Absolute, the Participle Absolute, and words like hence, besides, first, are separated by commas from the body of the sentence; as, "Come hither, Hubert;" "His father dying, he succeeded to the estate;" "To do her justice, she was a goodnatured, reasonable woman;" "Properly speaking, he is guilty of falsehood;" "Besides, the issue is doubtful."

EXAMPLES.

1. John, will you obtain the work from the library?
2. The city being taken, we fortified it with great care.
3. To speak confidentially, he has ruined himself.

RULE V.

Nouns in Apposition, when accompanied with adjuncts, and Nouns attended by Participles or Adjectives with dependent words, are separated by a comma; as, "Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles, was eminent for his zeal and knowledge;" "The king, approving the plan, put it in execution;" "But he, anxious to refer the cause to arbitration, refused."

Exception. But if such nouns are single, or form only a proper name, they are not divided; as, "Paul the Apostle suffered martyrdom."

EXAMPLES.

1. That distinguished patriot, Benjamin Franklin, was at the court of St. Cloud.

2. Humboldt, the great philosopher, resides at Berlin. Exception. Wellington the statesman died in 1851.

RULE VI.

When sentences contain correlative words, and have each a nominative and a verb expressed, they are separated by a comma; as, "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."

Exception. But when the correlative expressions belong to one and the same sentence, the comma should be omitted; as, "How much easier is it to get wisdom than gold!"

EXAMPLES.

1. As virtue is its own reward, so vice is its own punishment. 2. How much easier is it to go with the popular current, than it is to oppose public opinion!

Exception. The child in the humble walks of life is as richly gifted as in the highest. See WILSON, p. 73.

RULE VIL

Words placed in opposition to each other, or with some marked variety, require to be distinguished by a comma; as, "Though deep, yet clear; though gentle, yet not dull."

EXAMPLES.

1. The goods of this world were given to man for his occasional refreshment, not for his chief felicity.

2. It is the province of superiors to direct, of inferiors to obey.

RULE VIII.

A remarkable expression or short observation, somewhat in the manner of a quotation, should be marked with a comma; "It hurts a man's pride to say, I don't know."

EXAMPLES.

1. Vice is not of such a nature that we can say to it, Hitherto shalt thou come, and no farther.

2. We are strictly enjoined, "not to follow a multitude to do evil."

RULE IX.

Relative Pronouns generally admit a comma before them, except when closely connected with the antecedent; as, “He preaches sublimely, who lives a sober, righteous, and pious life;" "Self-denial is the sacrifice, which virtue must make."

EXAMPLES.

1. The gentle mind is like the still stream, which reflects every object in its just proportion and in its fairest colors. 2. He, who is good before invisible witnesses, is eminently so before the visible.

RULE X.

When an Infinitive Mode or a sentence is a subject, but is placed after the verb, it has generally a comma before it.

EXAMPLES.

1. It ill becomes good and wise men, to oppose and degrade one another.

2. Charles's highest enjoyment, was to relieve the distressed and to do good.

RULE XI.

When a verb is understood, a comma may often be properly introduced; as, "From law arises security; from security, curiosity; from curiosity, knowledge."

EXAMPLES.

1. If spring put forth no blossoms, in summer there will be no beauty, and in autumn, no fruit. So if youth be trifled away without improvement, manhood will be contemptible, and old age miserable.

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