Punctuation Today

In an ever-changing world, punctuation rules should be strictly adhered to; the proper usage of punctuation is necessary to express clarity and provide organization in a universal way.

Punctuation is similar to the Periodic Table of the Elements. Both provide neat and organized structures that help us understand what we are reading. Without the Periodic Table of the Elements, all of chemistry would be in chaos. Nitrogen could be interchanged with carbon. Even worse, a noble gas could be interchanged with an alkali metal! This could be catastrophic because noble gases are meant to be non-reactive for the most part. Without organization, someone could mistakenly use an alkali metal instead, causing severe explosive reactions in the wrong situation. Similarly without punctuation, all sense of order would be lost in writing. If punctuation marks could be placed anywhere in a sentence, they would all lose their meanings. With the loss in meaning, punctuation would serve no purpose. Since punctuation helps clarify writing, there should be no deviance from the standard rules. Hitchings states, "Rules for grammar and punctuation are vital for clear, effective and consistent communication" (Source A). He recognizes that punctuation helps the reader understand texts. Addionally, Thomas writes, "But with a semicolon there you get a pleasant little feeling of expectancy; there is more to come; to read on; it will get clearer" (Source D). He juxtaposes the period and the semicolon, asserting that there is indeed a difference. Punctuation clarifies and provides the reader with an expectation. It also can provide emphasis when the writer wishes for it. When Dolnick says, "A writer was simply not to use semicolons. Ever," he still utilizes punctuation, the periods, to emphasize his point (Source E). Along with emphasis, punctuation has always been a part of society.  Although Hitchings says that punctuation comes and goes, punctuation still exists and continues to exist (Source A). The fact that it has not disappeared bolsters the idea that readers and writers still need punctuation. Although many continue to believe that punctuation is not necessary, one could only imagine what the world would be like without a standard punctuation system.