Why Punctuation Is Important*

Opinion

I have seen a disturbing tend in writing lately: ignoring or omitting punctuation. I think it started with newspapers dropping the comma before the conjunction in lists, but modernist writers have taken it to extreme. Some, like ee cummings, even do away with case. Lyrics in album librettos are seldom punctuated beyond line breaks. We seem to have forgotten how important those lovely little unspoken marks are in communication.

As I was waiting for a traffic light to turn, I noticed the truck beside me. Printed just beneath the store logo, the back panel proclaimed:

THIS TRUCK IS BEING DRIVEN UNSAFELY CALL (512)###-####

The truck was not being driven unsafely; it was motionless—waiting for the light to change, just as I was. But the first time I parsed the sign, I saw two distinct sentences, “This truck is being driven unsafely. Call…”

Since there was no punctuation to guide me, the lack of case affected how I interpreted the symbols, making me interpret the message in the emphatic. On reflection, I’m also sure that the furniture company meant to say, “If this truck is being driven unsafely, call…” Apparently, someone decided it was too expensive to pay for punctuation and that one little word.

So I want to call and let them know that their truck is telling everyone it is being driven unsafely and asking for help. I won’t, but I want to…

^*Originally posted to my personal blog, I copied it here because it seemed relevant.