* @return true if it is general punctuation, else false
     */
    boolean isPunctuation( char datum )
    {
        int type = Character.getType(datum);
        return type == Character.END_PUNCTUATION
                || type==Character.DASH_PUNCTUATION
                || type==Character.FINAL_QUOTE_PUNCTUATION
                || type==Character.INITIAL_QUOTE_PUNCTUATION
                || type==Character.START_PUNCTUATION;
    }