Everyone knows that the punctuation mark is a period, a comma, a question mark and an exclamation point. What else are there and why are they needed?
Essence
The punctuation mark is a non-alphabetic graphic unit of language that helps structure written text. Their use is regulated by punctuation rules that are specific to each language. They are not always easy to learn, so there are a lot of mistakes in this section. So, when learning foreign languages, very few programs include punctuation. However, this section is no less important than grammar or spelling, although it is only needed in writing. So what are punctuation marks?
List
The basic punctuation units in any language are the dot, the comma, and the question and exclamation marks. With their help, you can correctly express your thought, although not always with sufficient accuracy. In total, ten icons are used in modern Russian: in addition to the alreadynamed, this is a dash and a colon, which will be discussed separately. In addition, these are brackets and quotes that have a separator function. Also, an ellipsis that ends a thought, and a semicolon, playing the same role, but within the same sentence.
As you can see, the list is not long, but each of the listed punctuation units has its own purpose. Sometimes they are interchangeable, but more often they are not.
Classification
There are several options for separating punctuation units. First, on the basis of pairing. That is, in the case of setting one punctuation mark, it is necessary to supplement it with a second one. Parentheses, quotation marks, as well as double commas and dashes can be classified as paired.
According to the second classification, all punctuation marks can be divided into 3 categories. For example, these:
- Signs of emphasis. They are intended to mark the boundaries of various syntactic constructions and isolation. It is to this category that paired signs belong. They allow you to clearly structure the sentence and see its significant parts.
- Section signs. They mark the boundary between independent sentences, including those in complex structures. In addition, they indicate the type of sentence according to the purpose of the utterance. This includes everything that was not included in the first paragraph.
- Sometimes a red line is highlighted separately. It denotes a change in topic or a new twist in a story or discourse.
Functions
It may seem that in the modern world, punctuation is already an atavism. As a rule, sentences can be distinguished even without dots, and even without commas, it is most often clear what is at stake. What can we say about other signs that are much less common? And yet, it is extremely difficult to do without them.
Firstly, they allow you to make mental pauses and delimit phrases without turning the text into a meaningless jumble of letters and words. Secondly, they convey a huge number of different shades - uncertainty, half-assertion, etc. Without such a powerful tool as punctuation, this would be very difficult to achieve. In addition, it would be extremely difficult to understand official documents, agreements and contracts without punctuation marks. A comma placed in the wrong place can completely change the meaning of the whole sentence - and this is not a joke.
So the role of punctuation marks is important, no matter how their opponents argue otherwise. After all, many linguists are of the opinion that any unnecessary introductions to a language simply don't stick, while the meaningful parts are retained anyway. And then, the famous "execution cannot be pardoned" - this is just one example, but in fact there are thousands of them. Any punctuation mark is an important part of a sentence that should not be neglected.
History of emergence and development
It's hard to imagine how you can do without punctuation, but the current situation has developed relatively recently, and perhaps the process of development of this language section is still ongoing. Nevertheless, it is very interesting to observe how the origin and development ofpunctuation.
The oldest punctuation mark is a dot, which is found in ancient Russian written monuments. But its use was not regulated in any way, and the location on the line was different - not at the bottom, but in the middle. The rules for staging it became more similar to modern ones around the 16th century.
The comma became widespread approximately in the 15th century. Its name comes from an obsolete verb meaning stop, delay. In this case, the word "stammer" will be the same root. And the most observant will notice one more thing. For example, the fact that "punctuation" etymologically goes back to the same root.
Most of the other signs were in common use before the 18th century. Lomonosov, Karamzin and many other prominent scientists contributed to their popularization. The modern punctuation rules of the Russian language were adopted in 1956 and are still in effect.
Proper use of punctuation
It's not always easy to punctuate. At the end of a sentence, there are four options to choose from, and even within a phrase … It is not surprising that so much time is devoted to the study of punctuation. Remembering all the rules, perhaps, will be somewhat difficult, but the main ones are simply necessary.
Commas: correct usage
Because this sign is the most common, it is not surprising that it is the one that causes the most problems. A comma is a sign that separates simple sentences from complex ones. Still sheused in enumerations, to highlight introductory constructions, applications, to separate participial, adverbial and comparative phrases, and for many other purposes. To list them all, perhaps, is quite difficult, since this is a huge part of the school curriculum. However, keep in mind that the comma also always sets off the treatment. Punctuation marks require careful attention, and neglecting the rules for their placement for a native speaker is, first of all, disrespect for one's own person.
Direct speech and dialogue
It is this topic that causes the greatest difficulty for both schoolchildren and adults. And if there are fewer problems with the dialogue, because dashes are simply put before each line, then punctuation marks in direct speech become just a stumbling block, especially if introductory words are still used.
In order to format this part of the text correctly, you need to know that the replica itself, along with its own punctuation marks, is enclosed in quotation marks. If introductory words are used, then a comma is used instead of a period, which in this case is taken out of the statement. Question and exclamation marks are always preserved. As for the design of the author's words, it depends on the articulation of the replicas. If they are a single sentence interrupted by an explanation, then it is written with a small letter and is separated with a dash and a colon. Only one pair of quotes is put - at the beginning and at the end of direct speech. It probably sounds a little confusing in theory, but it's easy to figure it out in practice.
Using dashes and colons
Grammar in Russian implies the existence of non-union sentences, and this means the demand for the above punctuation marks. Their purpose is about the same, and they both can be replaced by a comma, which, however, will not convey the desired shades.
A colon is necessary if the next part or even a whole simple sentence more fully reveals the meaning of the previous one, adds details, etc. A dash - in the reverse situation. Of course, they have other functions, but they are also a large enough part of the school curriculum that deserves a detailed review.
Differences in punctuation between Russian and European languages
When studying our native language, we do not always think about what punctuation marks exist in foreign dialects, and whether they have the same function. Of course, the rules of punctuation are also different, but we are not talking about them now.
Spanish is a prime example. Interrogative and exclamatory sentences in it are highlighted more noticeably, because the corresponding signs are placed not only at the end, but also at the beginning of phrases, so they are paired along with quotation marks or brackets.
By the way, in English you can often find a dash instead of an ellipsis at the end of a direct speech. And the Greeks can put [;] instead of a question mark. It's hard to guess without knowing. So it is not always worth thinking about the rules that the Russian language sets. Punctuation marks and how they are used are different everywhere.
Oriental languages
Japanese and Chinese remain true to tradition, despite the influence of Europe. So, the point looks like a circle and is sometimes placed in the center of the line, and sometimes in the same way as a regular one. This was done to avoid confusion, since the European character could be mistaken for part of the last hieroglyph.
There are also two types of commas: regular and teardrop. The first, for example, separates simple sentences as part of a complex one, and the second - homogeneous members.
Little known punctuation marks
It may seem that the above list is more than exhaustive. But, oddly enough, this is not the case. So, what are the punctuation marks that few people know about, and they are practically not used? A little more than a dozen of the most famous are distinguished:
- Interrobang. This combination of a question mark and an exclamation mark in one unit looks exotic, but interesting. Of course, it is easier and more familiar to write "?!", especially since the meaning will be the same, but supporters of the introduction of interrobang believe that it looks more representative in writing.
- Rhetorical question mark. It was in use for about 20 years at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. In fact, it is a mirror image of a regular question mark.
- Asterism. Previously, the chapters or their parts were separated from each other by this very sign, which is three asterisks arranged in the form of a triangle. But quite a long time ago they were replaced by the same asterism, butlocated in the form of a straight line.
- An ironic sign. It may seem that it is too similar to rhetorical, although it is smaller, located above the line and has a completely different function, as the name implies. Was invented in the 19th century.
- Love sign. Its function is also obvious from the name, and it itself is a combination of two interrogative questions, mirrored to each other, with one dot.
- Consensus sign. It is a combination of two exclamations with one dot. Expresses a show of goodwill or a greeting.
- Sign of confidence. Performs the function of emphasizing a strong opinion regarding the stated statement. Represents an exclamation mark with a short horizontal line through it.
- Interrogative comma. It is used to emphasize interrogative intonation within a single sentence. By analogy with it, there is an exclamation point.
- Sarcast sign. It is a kind of snail with a dot inside and is protected by copyright. Used to separately emphasize that the sentence it follows contains sarcasm.
- Snark sign. It can also be typed on a regular keyboard, since it's just a dot followed by a tilde - [.~]. It is used to show that the sentence it follows is not meant to be taken literally and has a hidden meaning.
An interesting enough set, but for many it seems redundant. And although the role of some of these signs seems to be necessary, language ultimatelypushes out unsuitable and unused things. This is probably what happened in this case.
Nevertheless, natural languages are far from the only discipline that has the concept of punctuation. However, this topic requires separate consideration. It would be much more appropriate to consider the influence of modern trends on punctuation.
Punctuation and netiquette
Since communication on the Internet initially most often implies informality, some simplification and disregard for the rules of the Russian (and not only) language are quite natural. There was even a concept of network etiquette, which includes the question of how to punctuate.
So, for example, a period at the end of a long dialogue is a sign that the interlocutor wants to close the topic. In other cases, it looks rude and cold. A large number of exclamation points means, depending on the context, violent negative or positive emotions. An ellipsis can show despair, thoughtfulness, melancholy, and some other shades of mood that can hardly be called positive. The arrangement of commas in network communication is rarely the subject of serious reflection, because the goal is to convey the essence to the interlocutor, and the design of thought in this case is secondary. Nevertheless, it is impossible to neglect the placement of question marks - this is bad manners.
Although these rules differ from the general ones, they are easy to remember. And, of course, it must be borne in mind that they do not concern business and official correspondence, which must be drawn up correctly andcompetently. The punctuation mark is a powerful tool that must be used carefully.
