Punctuation: What's the Point?

Punctuation: What’s the Point?

There is plenty of talk about “our evolving language” and emails and blogging sure give punctuation a flogging, so I suppose it’s time to ask ourselves, “Is punctuation obsolete?” There may be the hint of an answer in these two identical letters (originally published in Games magazine in 1984).

The words are the same, and only the squiggles set them apart:

Dear John:

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?

Gloria

Then there’s:

Dear John:

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,

Gloria

Hmmm. Maybe the squiggles are worth a bit of attention after all! (Reminds me a little of comedian Victor Borge’s “Phonetic Language” skit.)

Peter Rowe