Comments on: When It Comes to Punctuation, Let’s Follow the Logical Brits

By: Charles E Flynn

Charles E Flynn — Sun, 15 May 2011 15:48:28 +0000

It is not possible to write about UNIX using American punctuation, without the reader being lead astray. Switching to the American system every time a sentence is free of UNIX commands makes little sense.

By: JB in CA

JB in CA — Fri, 13 May 2011 20:37:45 +0000

Michael Root: Isn't the serial comma also know as the Oxford comma? I'm assuming that's not Oxford, Mississippi.

By: Michael Root

Michael Root — Fri, 13 May 2011 12:16:27 +0000

But certainly the Brits are not right on the “serial comma.” (or, if you prefer, “serial comma”.). It is much clearer to write “a, b, and c” (the usual American style) rather than “a, b and c” (the British style). In the latter, British case, you can’t know if a is being grouped with “b and c” as a unit or if three units are being grouped.

By: Will

Will — Fri, 13 May 2011 12:10:47 +0000

I learned a hard lesson in college: know your professor’s preferences. His way is the correct way!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 12 May 2011 22:05:17 +0000

I never thought it the rule to always put punctuation inside the quotation mark. I thought the punctuation mark should go inside the quote only if, in fact, it is part of the quotation.

It seems reasonable to keep punctuation inside the quotation mark when you are quoting a complete sentence. If, however, you are quoting a word or a phrase, it seems reasonable to keep punctuation outside of the quotation marks. I always thought this was standard.

By: Jon W

Jon W — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:33:00 +0000

The British style is sometimes more logical, sometimes not. I place punctuation inside when it pertains to the quote, (usually) outside when not.

By: Don’t Blame Computer Coding Protocols for Incorrect (i.e., British) Punctuation » First Thoughts | A First Things Blog

Thu, 12 May 2011 19:13:18 +0000

[...] whatever the case might be for punctuating as the British do, the explanation for the ubiquity of the British style on the internet is surely not the [...]

By: Ethan C.

Ethan C. — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:12:20 +0000

Well, here’s a post that I agree with 100%!

By: Carson Chittom

Carson Chittom — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:57:54 +0000

I submit that the British model often prevails on the Internet because

The British style is more logical
Engineers and computer scientists prize logic
At its origins and up until around ten years ago, engineers and computer scientists were the leading figures on the Internet

Okay, that’s not actually a syllogism. I never was any good at logic.