The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-05-11
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Jdne.-Yes, she lent it 10 me to read
and have almost finished it.
C.-Wil you be so kind as to inform ME
why the printers make SO many little dots,
and crooked things in the books l am sure
they are not letters.
J.-They are not truly letters; but they
are as useful and necessary as the letters,
for without them we would not know how
TO read.
Glow can they assist in reading?
J-They ale called pauses or stops, and
show us when or where we must make
short pauses, and where we must make a
full stop. This little round dot which
is placed at the end of sentence, is called
period; and when we come to it in read
ing we must stop as if we were done.
C.-Wel can remember that, but here
are two of them What shall do when
| come 10 two of them in reading?
J-You must not stop as long as you do
at the other. 1t is called colon, at which
the readers voice should pause the time of
pronouncing four syllables.
C.-But here is period ; with little
crooked thing under it, what is 1t?
J-It is styled semicOlon; at which the
voice should stop the time OF pronouncing
two syllables. What you call the little
crooked thing when it stands alone is a
comma, denoting pause of one syllable.
C.-I perceive these characters are i'm
portant. But what shall we call this crook
ed mark Z with dot under it think
it will puzzle you to explain its use.
i'll is note of interrogation shows
that question is asked, and the sentence
it should be closed with raised
tone of voice, unless the question is asked,
'y 1cho, which, Ohat, ho,o, aOhy, when,
chere, ayler90re, in which case, it takes
he falling infection.
C.-Thank you nam, for your expana-
ions, will you be SO kind as to inform me
IF the use Of this strait mark with peri-
I'd under it
i'll is note of exclamation, being
mark Of wonder, surprise, or admiration
1t which the readers voice should general
y be suspended long enough TO count four.
C.-But here is mark that seems to
mite words; What name shall give it
J-Itis a hyphen, being used in con
lecting compound words, as, ink-stand. Ii
5 also used when a word is divided, and |
he former part of the word is written at
he end Of one line, and the latter part of it
It the beginning of another. In this case,
he hyphen should always be placed at the
md of the first line.
C.-I thought it appeared to connect
words. But what is the use of these { |
emi or half circles
J-They are called parenthesis, which
Includes something explanatory; which, if
omitted, would not obscure the sense. The
words in parenthesis should be read with
weaker tone Of voice than the rest of the
sentence.
C.-Why look Jane, here is a comma
placed above the line. Do you suppose
he printer made mistake, by placing it
lere, for it certainly does no good above the
inc.
1.-The reason, why, you think it does
10 good there is, because you do not know |
is use. 1t Is an apostrophe which shows
he possessve case, as, James book. 1t
S likewise used to show that some letter or
etters are omittedj as It's, for, it is.
C.-Why do the printers put such eros
5es + in the books, the pretty little stars
ombellsh the pages, but think It's useless
10 have so many of them.
J-They are asterisks or obelsks, be-
ing used to direct the reader to some note
or remark, at the side or bottom of the
page.
C.-What is this mark A that is placed
under the line which resembles an inverted
"