Dammit, people! Use complete sentences! With punctuation!

[Bertha Venation]

:nuke:
AAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!

We get global emails about three times a week............ from a woman who uses ellipsis points.......... instead of punctuation

to ask who sent this or that package............ and what client it should be billed too........... thank you............... and have a nice day.......... please help

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. Oh no....I do that all the time....instead of commas...it's a bad habit

I've gotten into....Please don't hold it against me. ;)

[Bertha Venation]

6. Why, my dear . . .

what would you LIKE me to hold against you? :evilgrin:

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. Is it "dammit" or is it "damn it".......???!!!

[lil-petunia]

4. U.s.e.P.u.n.c.t.u.a.t.i.o.n.? D.e.f.i.n.e.C.o.m.p.l.e.t.e.S.e.n.t.e.n.c.e.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

11. It's dammit.

[sui generis]

3. sometimes I forego ellipsis points for hyphens -- know what I mean?

-- nt

[Richardo]

12. That's what I do -- and they're called 'em dashes'

Hiyo nit-pick! Away! :D

[calico1]

5. I think the correct

term is "damn it." :silly:

[Bertha Venation]

7. When you're ranting, who cares if it's dammit or damn it?

;)

[DemWitch]

8. Correct Punctuation...

Is a good thing... I dunno why more people don't do it... It's not that difficult to hit a comma or period... or even a colon or semi-colon... know what I mean... That and good grammer is good things...

:)

[Bridget Burke]

9. Good satire, but not great....

You've apparently located your shift key.

[hlthe2b]

17. I get lazy on the web and I do love .................(!)

But, in "real life," I keep having people ask me why I "overpunctuate." I assume that they are referring to frequent use of semicolons with two independent clauses. Semicolon use appears to something that many elementary and high schools are not teaching very well. Of course one could say that about grammar and punctuation in general. I think a lot of professionals learn to write in complex (long) sentences, and then are told to simplify after years of habit. The semicolon is my way of "cheating" now and then. I can write shorter clauses, but link them with semicolons!

I think more people learn correct punctuation from mimicking the style of publications, than every learned it in school. Thus, those who read a lot and those who go on to college have the advantage. Of course, this is probably less true if they read "e.e. cummings!"

[sui generis]

23. some people have problems with their periods and colons?

don't know where I'm going with that . . .

[terrya]

10. And Spell check can be your friend.

I'm appalled at the blatantly stupid misspellings I've seen. This morning, before I went to work, I saw this cable shopping show...and they actually had the words "Christmas Trendz" on the screen. Yes, with a z. I guess some have the continuing dumbing down of this culture as a priority.

Just use Spell check when on line, OK, people? It's very easy to use.

[Richardo]

13. What he said. And, someone who does not win is a 'loser', not a 'looser'

:eyes:

[KG]

15. shure will!

:hi:

[Plaid Adder]

14. My mother writes all her emails like that. Drives me nuts.

I've never understood that. It's too much trouble to hit the shift key? Come on, people!

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[Bill McBlueState]

16. Vocalized Pauses

I bet people who use ellipses all the time in their written communication use a lot of ums and ahs in their oral communication. Both habits can be a sign of a person who has a hard time tying thoughts together.

[LynzM]

20. I'd disagree with that, at least to some extent.

I tend to use them a lot, more than I should... ;) But I'm a fairly well-spoken person, and try hard to avoid 'um' when I speak. I've had several professors who were really picky about that, and made a conscious effort to change it, and it does stick, if you work at it.

That said, I'm sure there are some people whose speech matches their typing patterns :scared:

[bif]

18. k

i will

[dreamcollector]

19. Will you accept Canadian Spelling?

Just wunnering cuz I'm Canajun and my spelling is always impeckaboble --bul ble. I notis many Americans are terribul spellers. But then so are my Canadian kids. Maybe it's just youth.

[MallRat]

21. "With punctuation!" Isn't that a sentence fragment, Bertha?

Shame. :-)

-MR

[DrGonzoLives]

22. Proper punctuation. And diction is. Good.

n/t