Punctuation Purplex

[Chance1234]

1. "O for a muse of fire..."
2. "O for a muse of fire... ..."
3. "O for a muse of fire,..."

I have recently got through some proofs for some items i having printed for my business. The problem is I have three variations on "O for a muse of fire" which area above. If your not familiar with the line its the start of Henry V, so it should be a continuation, but the question is , what out of the above 3 is correct ?

Chance,

Filmmaker, gentlemen and forum1229

 

[hilfy]

Since the full line is:

O! for a muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention.

I think that your first option is the correct one.

-Dell

 

[CajunCenturion]

I think you should include the parenthetical comma in your text because I don't think it is a good idea for begin an ommission with a punctuation mark. Also, I would put a space after the comma.
[tt]"O! for a muse of fire, ..."[/tt]
If you do choose to omit the comma, then you should still have a space after the word fire. The space indicates that the omission begins on a word boundary, and is not an ommision of part of a word.
[tt]"O! for a muse of fire ..."[/tt]

Good Luck
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[Chance1234]

I'm very curious about the second one, when i got my business cards printed, thats what i ended up with. A second company that i am having some stickers printed from have also come back with the double ... ...

Chance,

Filmmaker, gentlemen and forum1229

 

[CajunCenturion]

It would imply to me that two separte sources are being quoted and/or omitted. It doesn't make much sense to me because there is no apparent reference to the second source.

Good Luck
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[hilfy]

I'm very curious about the second one, when i got my business cards printed, thats what i ended up with. A second company that i am having some stickers printed from have also come back with the double ... ...

Were you give the option to approve the text and layout of the business cards before they were printed? If not, why? If you sent it to them with only the single elipse, I would question why they changed it without your approval.

-Dell

 

[ESquared]

Isn't it an ellipsis, not an ellipse? Oh... ellipse has ellipsis as an alternate definition. Sigh.

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It is better to have honor than a good reputation.
(Reputation is what other people think about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.)

 

[Mr3Putt]

E^2
Gah! Another flagrant dictionary-defection.

While all languages are "works in progress", it still rubs me wrong when clearly incorrect terms become accepted.

Reference the wholly evil "irregardless", for example. After generations of snickering, the un-responsible proctectors of our language have given credence to the irr-tolerable.

While double-negatives have long been understood ("It just ain't no good, carrying on this way!"), they're finally creeping into the same damn word!

Let us use "ellipsis".

[red]Note:[/red] [gray]The above comments are the opinionated ravings of Mr3Putt. As such, Mr3Putt accepts no responsibility for damages, real or contrived, resulting from acceptance of his opinions as fact.[/gray]

 

[CajunCenturion]

... the un-responsible proctectors (sic) of our language ...

Who are these irresponsible protectors of our language?

Good Luck
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As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[ESquared]

CajunCenturion,

I think he's referring to the dictionary writers...?

A dictionary is more of a history book than anything. It does more describing than prescribing.

So while it irks me greatly to see "incorrect" words enter the dictionary, I recognize that the editors are merely performing their job function of capturing current usage. So, instead, I direct my ire at people who simply don't care what the correct usage is, the accursed users of the monstrosities!.

Well, I place no blame whatsoever on someone who is merely ignorant, through no fault of his or her own. But knowing misuse, uncaring sloppiness... egad!!!!

-------------------------------------
It is better to have honor than a good reputation.
(Reputation is what other people think about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.)

 

[mscallisto]

Irregardless is a substandard or humorous redundancy for regardless.

The defination is from my dictionary, the word never comes out of my mouth and I too shiver when I hear it especially over the airways.

I agree Mr3Putt

 

[CajunCenturion]

Dictionary writers will be the first to tell you that they are not protectors or guardians of the language. One phrase that I've heard from dictionary editors that I really like, is their intention to be "an authority without being authoritarian".

I completely agree with you that dictionaries describe and not prescribe, as is their intention. I prefer to call them 'present' books which happen to contain some history (etymology).

I too get irked by the use of incorrect and inappropriate words. However, once a word's usage is pervasive enough and widely enough accepted to warrant entry into a reputable dictionary, then I must accept them as valid, at least to the point as defined within the dictionary. That doesn't mean, however, that I have to use the word. Such is the nature of language evolution.

I have read that irregardless is an abomination of the combining if irrespective and regardless. It's an oxymoronic word.

Good Luck
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To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[ESquared]

I never pay much attention to people's ears, anyway! (ear-regardless!)

-------------------------------------
It is better to have honor than a good reputation.
(Reputation is what other people think about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.)

 

[Chance1234]

hilfy

first run of business cards i didnt question the proof, as it was case of i just needed some "flash" cards in a hurry. besides it was a old lady in the printing shop, and i always seem to trust old ladies with grammar.

I am just wondering where CajunCenturion mentionted two seperate sources, could it be the reason for the double quotes is that One, Its the quote from the play, secondly its the tag line for my next film, as on the reverse of the cards it says HenryV 5YLAC films next film

Chance,

Filmmaker, gentlemen and forum1229

 

[ESquared]

Why not just arbitrarily choose to quote the original instead of quoting the quote of the original? That makes more sense to me. Otherwise, soon, you'd have a quote of a quote of a quote of a quote of the original and what would that look like!?!?!

-------------------------------------
It is better to have honor than a good reputation.
(Reputation is what other people think about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.)

 

[Mr3Putt]

CC...

Hopefully you weren't (sic)cing the dogs on me for my "un-responsible" use of prefixes.

For reference, my boss is a lover of "irregardless", which drives myself and my nearest coworker into fits of snicker-hood. Fine, I admit to being hopelessly un-mature.

My cohort and I regularly attempt to misapply negative prefixes including "irr-", "un-", "im-", and "in-". It's a hoot and a wonderfully irrpractical waste of time.

Otherwise, I trust that I wasn't called to the mat for "protectors"... which was both spelled and used correctly.

Footnote: While typing this, "irregardless" was used twice in a vendor phone call. Gah!

[red]Note:[/red] [gray]The above comments are the opinionated ravings of Mr3Putt. As such, Mr3Putt accepts no responsibility for damages, real or contrived, resulting from acceptance of his opinions as fact.[/gray]

 

[CajunCenturion]

No Mr3Putt, the sic had nothing to do with your use of prefixes.

The sic had to do with you phrase "proctectors of our language". I'm still trying to figure out what a 'proctector' is.



Good Luck
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As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[ESquared]

Some spelling errors just slide past the eyeballs right into the gray matter. They can be quite difficult to spot, at times.

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Every joy is beyond all others. The fruit we are eating is always the best fruit of all.

 

[Mr3Putt]

Ah. Good, good.

Unfortunately, they don't exist. I was as you surmised referring to the editors of dictionaries, but as you correctly pointed out, they are 'authorities, not authoritarians'. Well said, that.

It is unfortunate that we so willingly rationalize the incorrect until it falls into acceptance. Soon, we'll have baseball players on steriods, and the fans won't care... oh, wait, that's already happened. Soon, we'll be thrilling to concerts of lip-synching "divas"... uh-oh.

And, if I have my way, soon we'll be berating each other for being unresponsible and irrcooperative. All it takes is time. %-)

[red]Note:[/red] [gray]The above comments are the opinionated ravings of Mr3Putt. As such, Mr3Putt accepts no responsibility for damages, real or contrived, resulting from acceptance of his opinions as fact.[/gray]

 

[CajunCenturion]

If we allow that Mr3Putt, we would be, without question, unresponsible and irrcooperative.

Please, let's hope not, nor be not!

Good Luck
--------------
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein