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Monday, August 2, 2010
Punctuation marks are power tools: Learn how to use them
I never told you why punctuation marks are the power tools of writing, did I? Let me explain:
If you look at writing as written language aimed to convey meaning, and you break the written language into small parts, you’ll find:
1. Words (in all their different variations) and phrases
2. Sentences
3. Paragraphs
4. Punctuation marks
The words and word phrases are building blocks combined to form sentences. Sentences are single ideas presented as units of meaning. A few sentences together form a paragraph. Each paragraph should say something about one thought. Punctuation marks are the tools used to make your meaning clear.
Let us look at the following example:
Mary is a pretty smart woman.
What does this mean?
This is a colloquial way of saying that Mary is very clever and astute. In this sentence, “smart” is an adjective that describes a noun, “woman”. “Pretty” gives us more information about the adjective “smart” and is therefore an “adverb”. Pretty confusing, isn’t it?
You could create the same meaning by using different words, as in the sentences: (1) Mary is a very clever woman; and (2) Mary is an astute woman.
Now, to make it even more confusing: How would you indicate that Mary is beautiful, well dressed and maybe astute, as well? This is where punctuation marks become useful.
When you insert a comma between “pretty, smart”, both of these words take the function of the adjective. In other words, the comma changes the meaning of the sentence to say two things: “Mary is a pretty woman” and “Mary is a smart woman”. When we put these two sentences together, it becomes: “Mary is a pretty, smart woman”. Not so confusing, after all.
Can you see why a comma is a powerful writing tool? And how the wrong use of a comma can be a fateful mistake in an advertisement or in a contract? There are only a handful of punctuation marks that you have to know to make sure your writing says what it is meant to say. Learn how to use them. It is worth it.
Now for the test:
You are now aware that apostrophes as well as commas can be used incorrectly in your writing. Below is another fun exercise to test your knowledge. It is one of my favourite examples from the delightful book by Lynne Truss, Eats, Shoots & Leaves.
The letter was intended to be a “Dear Johnny”, in which a lady is saying her boyfriend off, but the writer got confused with her punctuation and the letter ended up as an outpouring of her love. Quite a grave mistake, I’d say.
Change the punctuation marks (not the words or the word order) to change the letter to mean the opposite.
Dear Jack
I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, 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
Win!
Send the corrected Dear Jack letter to: susanwilliams.williams2@gmail.com to stand a chance to win a three-hour training session for four people in Johannesburg. Closing date: 31 August 2010. The Editor’s decision will be final.
Indicate in your email:
1. Name of owner/manager
2. Business name
3. Business address and contact details
4. Type of business
5. Why you would like to win this competition
For more information on workshops, specifically aimed at listening and business writing skills, as well as other narrative methods to grow your business, please contact Prose&Coms, at: susanwilliams.williams2@gmail.com
This blog appears as a regular column the Afridevelopment newsletter for small business owners. http://afrid.co.za/cms/index.php
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Punctuation power tools
Punctuation marks are the power tools of writing. Unfortunately, most people don’t know how to use them, and their punctuation errors are displayed for all and sundry to see. Just look around you for the misuse of the apostrophe (nicknamed “the greengrocer’s apostrophe”) on black boards, billboards and on menus: “Banana’s, pawpaw’s and potato’s – half-price today!”, one black board might announce, while the Italian restaurant around the corner might be selling “pizza’s”, the music store “dvd’s and cd’s” and the second-hand bookstore might proudly spell out: “book’s galore”. My all-time horror is to read “it’s” where it should be written “its”. So, please bear with me for a short lesson in punctuation.
What’s wrong with the examples above?
Ah, the apostrophe. The apostrophe is never used in English to indicate a plural form of a noun. That means bananas, pawpaws and potatoes, as well as pizzas, DVDs, CDs and books are all spelled without an apostrophe. And “it’s” means: it is. “It’s” doesn’t indicate the possessive form. To give an example: “The dog wags its tail” means the dog has a tail which it wags. The tail belongs to the dog. This sentence can never be written as: “The dog wags it’s tail.”
Then, just as one thinks one should follow Lynne Truss’s proposal in Eats, Shoots and Leaves to go around with an eraser or some correction fluid to correct the punctuation errors all around one, one finds an example of a word that should contain an apostrophe and it doesn't!
Have you ever passed a “mens toilet” or a “ladies hairdresser”, or had an appointment at the “doctors rooms”? (The correct way of writing them is obviously: men’s toilet, ladies’ hairdresser and doctors’ rooms (if there is more than one doctor at the consultancy, otherwise it would be: doctor’s room.)
If you don’t know how to use punctuation marks effectively, enrol for a grammar or business writing course or buy yourself a good style guide such as The Oxford Style Manual, which explains the use of punctuation in writing in detail. Keep it in the office and consult it regularly. It is amazing how much one can learn about writing just by looking up the grammar rules.
If you want to learn about punctuation and be entertained at the same time, buy yourself the book by Lynne Truss, Eats, Shoots and Leaves - it is delightful to read, well researched and a good book to have on your bookshelf.
This blog appears as a regular column the Afridevelopment newsletter for small business owners. http://afrid.co.za/cms/index.php
What’s wrong with the examples above?
Ah, the apostrophe. The apostrophe is never used in English to indicate a plural form of a noun. That means bananas, pawpaws and potatoes, as well as pizzas, DVDs, CDs and books are all spelled without an apostrophe. And “it’s” means: it is. “It’s” doesn’t indicate the possessive form. To give an example: “The dog wags its tail” means the dog has a tail which it wags. The tail belongs to the dog. This sentence can never be written as: “The dog wags it’s tail.”
Then, just as one thinks one should follow Lynne Truss’s proposal in Eats, Shoots and Leaves to go around with an eraser or some correction fluid to correct the punctuation errors all around one, one finds an example of a word that should contain an apostrophe and it doesn't!
Have you ever passed a “mens toilet” or a “ladies hairdresser”, or had an appointment at the “doctors rooms”? (The correct way of writing them is obviously: men’s toilet, ladies’ hairdresser and doctors’ rooms (if there is more than one doctor at the consultancy, otherwise it would be: doctor’s room.)
If you don’t know how to use punctuation marks effectively, enrol for a grammar or business writing course or buy yourself a good style guide such as The Oxford Style Manual, which explains the use of punctuation in writing in detail. Keep it in the office and consult it regularly. It is amazing how much one can learn about writing just by looking up the grammar rules.
If you want to learn about punctuation and be entertained at the same time, buy yourself the book by Lynne Truss, Eats, Shoots and Leaves - it is delightful to read, well researched and a good book to have on your bookshelf.
This blog appears as a regular column the Afridevelopment newsletter for small business owners. http://afrid.co.za/cms/index.php
Friday, June 11, 2010
Waka waka oooeeeeeeh: This time for Africa!
Today was the kick-off of the 2010 World Cup, with Bafana Bafana and Mexico sweating it out to finish 1-1. Well done to the teams. What a great start!
As one of the many restaurant dwellers, who sat more than double the time it would usually take on the highway to reach my destination, I had lots of time to reflect and watch my fellow travelers on their way to support our team.
All around me vuvuzela’s were braying like lonely donkeys at the break of dawn, everytime we had to stand and wait for yet another traffic light to turn green.
I saw groups of people – standing on the streets – not rushing anywhere, some joining the blaring noise coming from the cars. I saw people in cars, smiling at each other: whites, blacks, coloureds, Indians – the whole lot of us giving one another the heads up, because the time was here, at last: The 2010 World Cup has arrived in Johannesburg.
Yesterday’s traffic jams in Sandton was behind us. Today’s traffic jams just resulted in pulling up of the shoulders and a shrug: What did you expect, Sista, Bra? It’s World Cup and our team is playing! Be happy and sing da song: Waka waka, oeeeeeehh. Tsamina mina eh eh.
We ordered our food, plus an additional order: One goal for Bafana. The waiter said: “we don’t have “one goal” on the menu, Sir.” Our friend said: “Just write it down and bring it with the food.”
Waka waka oeeehoee, you’re a good soldier!
Just as the food arrived, the goal was placed neatly into the nets.
“We did it! You asked for it! We did it! I wrote it down!”
Never before had I seen a waiter serving food with so much gusto. He did it too! By being a waiter, and serving the food with the attitude of sharing: Waka Waka oeeehoee, we do it for Africa.
And never before had I enjoyed a meal as much as this.
Never before was there such a feeling of oneness between us and the rest of the guests (who brayed their vuvuzelas evertime Bafana got the ball), the waitrons and the restaurant staff.
We were all together. This time for Africa. We’re all Africa!
As one of the many restaurant dwellers, who sat more than double the time it would usually take on the highway to reach my destination, I had lots of time to reflect and watch my fellow travelers on their way to support our team.
All around me vuvuzela’s were braying like lonely donkeys at the break of dawn, everytime we had to stand and wait for yet another traffic light to turn green.
I saw groups of people – standing on the streets – not rushing anywhere, some joining the blaring noise coming from the cars. I saw people in cars, smiling at each other: whites, blacks, coloureds, Indians – the whole lot of us giving one another the heads up, because the time was here, at last: The 2010 World Cup has arrived in Johannesburg.
Yesterday’s traffic jams in Sandton was behind us. Today’s traffic jams just resulted in pulling up of the shoulders and a shrug: What did you expect, Sista, Bra? It’s World Cup and our team is playing! Be happy and sing da song: Waka waka, oeeeeeehh. Tsamina mina eh eh.
We ordered our food, plus an additional order: One goal for Bafana. The waiter said: “we don’t have “one goal” on the menu, Sir.” Our friend said: “Just write it down and bring it with the food.”
Waka waka oeeehoee, you’re a good soldier!
Just as the food arrived, the goal was placed neatly into the nets.
“We did it! You asked for it! We did it! I wrote it down!”
Never before had I seen a waiter serving food with so much gusto. He did it too! By being a waiter, and serving the food with the attitude of sharing: Waka Waka oeeehoee, we do it for Africa.
And never before had I enjoyed a meal as much as this.
Never before was there such a feeling of oneness between us and the rest of the guests (who brayed their vuvuzelas evertime Bafana got the ball), the waitrons and the restaurant staff.
We were all together. This time for Africa. We’re all Africa!
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