National Punctuation Day’s Coming
LOWLY COMMAS: This gentleman shows examples of poor uses of punctuation.
People all over the United States are celebrating the new holiday, National Punctuation Day, which is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events as a celebration of the lowly comma, correctly used quotes, and other proper uses of periods, semicolons and the ever mysterious ellipsis.
Jeff Rubin, owner/publisher of The Newsletter Guy, a newsletter publishing company based in Pinole, Calif., founded National Punctuation Day to draw attention to the importance of proper punctuation. It’s a day for librarians, educators, and parents — people who are interested in teaching and promoting good writing skills to their students and their children. It’s also a day to remind business people that they are often judged by how they present themselves.
“Successful people have good communication skills, and that includes knowing how to write properly,” Jeff says. “Punctuation counts. A misplaced comma can alter the meaning of a message.”
It’s not just school children who need to learn the do’s and don’ts of punctuation.
“I’m stunned at how many executives and CEOs send me articles and correspondence that are poorly written and punctuated,” Jeff says. “Did they miss a year of school? I read ad copy and see billboards that scream to be corrected. Poor punctuation knows no sociological boundaries — everyone from high school dropouts to Ph.D.s needs help with punctuation.”
Updated 09-18-2006
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