PUNCTUATION
WHEN we speak, we make our meaning clear by the expression that we put
into our words and sentences. Some sentences we say all in one breath
and with not much change in emphasis from one word to the next. We may
be pretty sure that such a sentence is short and simple, with all its
elements arranged in their natural order. In this respect compare the
sentences given below.
Notice that the following sentence is spoken as one word group:
Steam and electricity are making one commercial
community of all nations.
A part that is subordinate in idea is subordinate in tone; as,
Steam and electricity, _which are the greatest of all
discoveries_, are making one commercial community of
all nations.
In the usual order of the sentence the subject comes first. Sometimes
for emphasis a participial phrase or an adverbial clause precedes the
subject. Such inversion is always indicated; as,
_If the grape crop is large_, the price of grapes is
low.
Sometimes a word or phrase is thrust into the sentence to give clearness
or force; as,
If, _on the other hand_, the season is poor, the price
of grapes is high.
What, _then_, determines the price of grapes?
We cannot become good speakers until we learn to subordinate in tone
those groups of words that are subordinate in idea, and to bring out
clearly those groups which, for one reason or another, are emphatic. The
same thing is true in music. We cannot become good musicians until we
learn phrasing; that is, until we learn to group the notes to form
distinct musical ideas. But when we write our thoughts, we cannot
indicate the tone in which the words are spoken. We must show in some
other way which groups of words belong together, which are important,
and which are subordinate in idea. For this purpose punctuation marks
have been invented. When we write, we unconsciously speak the thoughts
to ourselves; we hear the divisions between the parts of ideas; and, if
we understand punctuation, we indicate the divisions.
Questions