Punctuation

Don Aitken

unread,

Dec 2, 2003, 6:23:02 PM12/2/03

to

I find it odd that nobody has mentioned that the likely Christmas
best-seller in the UK is a book on punctuation. Not really one of my
enthusiasms, but some here seem to be interested in the topic.

--
Don Aitken

Mail to the addresses given in the headers is no longer being
read. To mail me, substitute "clara.co.uk" for "freeuk.com".

Simon R. Hughes

unread,

Dec 2, 2003, 6:32:53 PM12/2/03

to

Thus spake Don Aitken:

> I find it odd that nobody has mentioned that the likely Christmas
> best-seller in the UK is a book on punctuation. Not really one of my
> enthusiasms, but some here seem to be interested in the topic.

I presume you're talking about the zero tolerance one. I made the
mistake of telling my brother that I always feel the need for
more style books.

I read a review. Apparently the author claims that bad
punctuators will go to Hell, but she's not judgemental.
--
Simon R. Hughes

Adrian Bailey

unread,

Dec 2, 2003, 7:20:31 PM12/2/03

to

"Don Aitken" <don-a...@freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:1c6qsv8s6sj23e1tb...@4ax.com...

> I find it odd that nobody has mentioned that the likely Christmas
> best-seller in the UK is a book on punctuation. Not really one of my
> enthusiasms, but some here seem to be interested in the topic.

I'm not impressed by the punctuation mistake on the cover of said book.

Adrian

CyberCypher

unread,

Dec 2, 2003, 7:44:30 PM12/2/03

to

Sounds peachy too me. Does it come printed on bible paper, parchment,
or stone tablets?

--
Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor.

Donna Richoux

unread,

Dec 2, 2003, 8:00:27 PM12/2/03

to

I have no idea what book you are talking about. There's nothing about
punctuation in Amazon.com's top 25, and Amazon.co.uk is down today.

--
Am I better off? -- Donna Richoux

Simon R. Hughes

unread,

Dec 3, 2003, 2:43:57 AM12/3/03

to

Thus spake Donna Richoux:

_Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to
Punctuation_ by Lynne Truss.

Review here:
<http://www.arts.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2003/11/23/botru23.xml>
--
Simon R. Hughes

Laura F Spira

unread,

Dec 3, 2003, 2:49:47 AM12/3/03

to Donna Richoux

I assume he's talking about Eats, Shoot and Leaves by Lynne Truss which
someone here *has* already mentioned (Matti? Mickwick?).

See http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1097631,00.html

--
Laura
(emulate St. George for email)

Laura F Spira

unread,

Dec 3, 2003, 2:50:23 AM12/3/03

to

I assume he's talking about Eats, Shoot and Leaves by Lynne Truss which

Reinhold (Rey) Aman

unread,

Dec 3, 2003, 2:56:38 AM12/3/03

to

Simon R. Hughes wrote:

[...]

> _Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance
> Approach to Punctuation_ by Lynne Truss.

Nice title! "Eats, shoots and leaves" is the punchline of the dirty
"Koala and the Whore" joke (which I posted here years ago).

--
Reinhold (Rey) Aman

Simon R. Hughes

unread,

Dec 3, 2003, 3:19:50 AM12/3/03

to

Thus spake Reinhold (Rey) Aman:

I heard the panda version, which was updated to "eats, roots,
shoots, and leaves" by an Australian.
--
Simon R. Hughes

K. Edgcombe

unread,

Dec 3, 2003, 4:06:15 AM12/3/03

to

In article <scyh3ufpijgn$.1oa0hc37...@40tude.net>,

>>> Thus spake Don Aitken:
>>>
>>>> I find it odd that nobody has mentioned that the likely Christmas
>>>> best-seller in the UK is a book on punctuation. Not really one of my
>>>> enthusiasms, but some here seem to be interested in the topic.

Well, I started a thread on it about a month ago, and several people responded,
so presumably I am nobody. I may not have mentioned Christmas specifically.

Katy

J. W. Love

unread,

Dec 3, 2003, 6:55:08 AM12/3/03

to

Simon wrote:

>Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance
>Approach to Punctuation_ by Lynne Truss.

For a millisecond, since it's possible to eat shoots & leaves (and that one's
eats are therefore shoots & leaves), the first half of the title suggested this
was a cookbook: and as for the missing hyphen, the book evidently propounds a
tolerance approach that we can easily do without.

J. W. Love

unread,

Dec 3, 2003, 8:35:11 AM12/3/03

to

Simon wrote:

>Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance
>Approach to Punctuation_ by Lynne Truss.

For a millisecond, since it's possible to eat shoots & leaves (and that one's

eats are therefore shoots & leaves), the first half of the title suggested this
was a cookbook: and as for the missing hyphen, the book evidently propounds a

"tolerance approach" that punctilious writers will zero out.

Don Aitken

unread,

Dec 3, 2003, 9:39:08 AM12/3/03

to

Sorry, must have missed it.

Bob Cunningham

unread,

Dec 3, 2003, 12:07:35 PM12/3/03

to

On Wed, 03 Dec 2003 07:49:47 +0000, Laura F Spira
<la...@DRAGONspira.fsbusiness.co.uk> said:

[ . . . ]

> I assume he's talking about Eats, Shoot and Leaves by Lynne Truss which
> someone here *has* already mentioned (Matti? Mickwick?).

Distantly related: "Unemployed photographer will shoot for
food".

> See http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1097631,00.html

Good one. Thanks.