The Importance of Correct Punctuation

[Desdichado]

The funny thing is if someone uses two spaces after periods on the message boards (or the web in general), it will be converted to one space.

Yes, and it looks wrong, too.

 

[reveal]

I had already read reveal's MLA source, which I consider much more authoritative than any of those. I mean, who the heck is Grammar Book or Writing 911 anyway?

I think the problem with what we've been discussing is that there are too many "grammar authorities" available on the interweb. Places like Grammar Book and Writing 911 try to help but just end up making it more convoluted because they're not all consistent.

I agree that the MLA is probably the best source on this matter and it would be great if everyone followed it but, alas, it's not going to happen.

And this is the reason that I do not get upset when other people use improper punctuation in writing.

 

[reveal]

Yes, and it looks wrong, too.

Edit: Well, what do you now? I had no idea it would automatically strip out a space if you put two after the end of the concluding punctuation on this board. Huh.

 

[Desdichado]

Edit: Well, what do you now? I had no idea it would automatically strip out a space if you put two after the end of the concluding punctuation on this board. Huh.

Yeah, its a "feature" of html -- I've tried to do all kinds of spacing on webpages unsuccessfully in the past. Of course, with CSS you can pull some of that off now.

 

[Warrior Poet]

There is only a single space after a period. I don't care what you like. There is only a single space after a period! If you learn nothing else, THERE IS ONLY A SINGLE ING SPACE AFTER A ING PERIOD. Please don't make me explain the long history behind this.

You'd hate to get correspondence from me. I'm a long-time user of two spaces post-period in academic and personal writing. I was instructed that in journalism and print, for space considerations on page, only one space is used, but in other writing, two is acceptable (and even encouraged). I'm even typing two spaces post-period in the composition of this post, despite knowing it will convert it to one, as Joshua Dyal indicated.

So, yeah, actually, I would care to hear the "long history" behind the number of spaces following end punctuation, or at least point me to a reference.

Warrior Poet

 

[ThirdWizard]

Yeah, its a "feature" of html -- I've tried to do all kinds of spacing on webpages unsuccessfully in the past. Of course, with CSS you can pull some of that off now.

It's a good feature of HTML, though, for web design. HTML is designed to ignore whitespace, else HTML would be the ugliest language on the planet. We do not want a difference between

<img ....> <img ....> etc

and

<img ...>
<img ...>
etc

So the feature is actually very important. If you really need a space you can use   and it will make a space for you. (Too annoying to use for end of sentences, though.)

 

[Abstraction]

Okay, the long and sordid history of two spaces, now one.

A long, long time ago in a place far, far away, they invented typewriters. Pretty much all typewriters before the electric ones had the exact same amount of space per letter. In other words, after you pressed the key, the arm swung up and struck the paper, then the machine advanced the carriage by a set amount. This means that every letter had exactly the same width, even though a capital W took up far more of this space than, say, a period. Because a period floated out away from the letter, especially if the letter in question was also a thin letter like a lower case l, then two spaces were necessary after the period so that one could identify the line break.

Since electrification of type, nearly all type is proportional spaced. Notice there are no big gaps in illicit, nor does the type run together in AVAIL? Notice how the period is tucked in to its sentence and completely related to it?

So the first reason for only a single space after a period is: because it's not needed. The type is designed for only a single space.

There is an argument I hear a lot (especially at home), that a single or double-space is optional. Let me give you the second reason. Readability. If you use two spaces at the end of a sentence, it creates a gap. A gap that is greater than the gaps between words on the same line. This draws the eyes to it naturally, and makes it harder to read text as it causes your eyes to jump back and forth. You really should do everything that you can to ensure that people can read your work easily, or they will not read it at all.

By the way, this isn't just a hobby or fetish of mine. It's my job.

As for any of your professors who argue otherwise, just let have their email addresses. I'll sort it out.

 

[Jdvn1]

I had already read reveal's MLA source, which I consider much more authoritative than any of those. I mean, who the heck is Grammar Book or Writing 911 anyway?

I'm just mentioning where I found it. The Chicago Manual of Style is pretty authoritative too, though.

I've always used two spaces myself, so I'm not deadset on either side.

 

[Desdichado]

Since electrification of type, nearly all type is proportional spaced. Notice there are no big gaps in illicit, nor does the type run together in AVAIL?

Are you sure about that?

There is an argument I hear a lot (especially at home), that a single or double-space is optional. Let me give you the second reason. Readability. If you use two spaces at the end of a sentence, it creates a gap. A gap that is greater than the gaps between words on the same line. This draws the eyes to it naturally, and makes it harder to read text as it causes your eyes to jump back and forth. You really should do everything that you can to ensure that people can read your work easily, or they will not read it at all.

That doesn't make any intuitive sense. Judicious use of white space to better distinguish breaks is one of the prime hallmarks of readable text.

By the way, this isn't just a hobby or fetish of mine. It's my job.

Then in the context of your job, one space is correct. Beyond it, you are not speaking authoritatively.

 

[Abstraction]

Use of white space usually refers to the leading, or space between the lines, interparagraph space and just plain old using less of the page to place text into. It does not normally refer to putting extra spaces after a period because this causes your text not to flow smoothly for the reader.

EDIT: The context of my job is to know what professional standards are. Just like anything else, there are no standards for amateurs. So, yes, you may use two periods after sentence. I can't stop you. If you do, you are labeling yourself an amateur. I can say that authoritively.