“Thanks so much. This is very helpful.”
A basic communication after submitting a summary of a project. An “OK,” but no emotional connection there.
However, the actual email included a different punctuation mark:
“Thanks so much! This is very helpful.”
When punctuation speaks!
Exclamation Point
At writers’ conferences, faculty members in the know tell us not to overuse exclamation points. Yes, if something should excite the reader, use one.
“Check out this photo! An awesome panorama of the Grand Canyon, indeed!” This use of the exclamation point would work great in a travel blog.
And of course, if fiction dialogue, it’s a must.
“I can’t believe you did that!” she yelled as the dog took with her steak.
Exclamation points can “speak” excitement, anger, boldness, and more. And in the case of the original email quotation, this punctation mark spoke to me, heart and soul.
When Punctuation Speaks
As a second grader, I decided to become a teacher. Throughout my school years, I took every academic class I could, nailing A’s in every one. I picked my college and prepped as best I could. But when I fell in love and married a year to the day after my high school graduation, a college degree dropped from my to-do list.
After putting my husband through college instead, we settled and began our family. A chance article in a national magazine introduced me to homeschooling, and I knew that was my destiny. I’d not only be a teacher but the best one I could possibly become—a teacher of my own children.
Over the next 30+ years, I thrived in a teaching world. I created our own curriculum, designed projects, and helped develop a diploma program for homeschoolers. And forty years after I first declared I would become a teacher, I became a “real” teacher (without a degree, mind you). I was asked to teach college prep students in higher math, French I, economics, and my favorite of all—creative writing/language arts.
Soon after, I also had the opportunity to teach my first teen track at a writers conference, also a paid position. I felt I’d come full circle and could give back to young writers what God had done for me.
Then things changed. My life became complicated. And though I still looked forward to the writers conferences, I felt unnecessary, too “old school” in my ways. When asked to lead the teen track this year, I wondered if I could help this younger group, if what I proposed would be “OK.”
When I received the email response—“Thanks so much! This is very helpful.”—my heart filled with peace and joy. A smile lit my face and eyes, I’m sure. That exclamation point spoke to me and said, “You’re wanted and capable!”
Ellipses (Plus)
In a day when instant messaging to friends and family has become a major form of communication, does anyone else have trouble understanding the meaning of words typed without thought of full sentences?
“I think we should go to a diner.” In response: “Got it.” (Got what? The message itself? Is it a plan? Which one?)
And then there are the punctuation marks that leave you wondering.
In response to a suggestion of a diner: “I guess …….” (Guess what? Guess it’s a good place? Guess you’ll go but you hate that diner? Guess you’d rather not go now? And did you know ellipses only consist of three dots?)
When Punctuation Speaks
** Disclaimer: Yes, I’m a culprit of the ellipses plus!
But let’s give credit where credit is due. Everyone knows those awkward conversations, the ones you’d rather not take part in. If in person, we sometimes try to change the subject. If on the phone, we often tell the person the soup is boiling over and we have to go.
But when it comes to instant messaging, those ellipses come in handy. Especially since I avoid conflicts as if they are plagues.
I’m probably not the only person whose “friends’ list” includes some with whom we disagree on various topics. Might be friends, might be family members, could even be people we’ve never met. But when any of them send a message with an opinion about something we feel uncomfortable with, replying to that statement with a few words followed by ellipses (plus) can stave off an unwanted continuance of the conversation without hurting feelings.
For example, if asked about such a topic, replying with “I’m unsure ……. Let me get back to you,” may seem the same as “I’m unsure. Let me get back to you.” Yes, it’s a slight nuance, but it’s there. Read both replies. To me, the second says, “I disagree but don’t want to talk about it,” which could come across to the other person as, “He/she doesn’t want to talk to me,” putting the negative feeling on the person, not the topic.
In the first reply, the ellipses with the extra dots drags it out a bit, makes the other person feel the replier has some uncertain feelings about the topic, may even feel uncomfortable about it. It leaves the ball in their court to let it go or pursue it at another time. The ellipses spoke without words to ease a possible confrontation without hurting feelings.
Through our punctuation, we speak emotions. Let’s look at some biblical examples of punctuation speaking.
God’s Intent and Punctuation
My first Bible came through Sunday School at the Derry Street United Methodist Church in Harrisburg, PA. I was in second grade and attending Sunday School. A red, softcover, KJV Bible, my first introduction to reading His Word.
As the years went on, I discovered Psalm 121 and fell in love. What girl who spent years of vacation at a cabin in the mountains of northern PA wouldn’t connect with a passage of Scripture whose first verse mentions looking at the mountains? (Okay, most translations use the word “hills,” but that’s simply a synonym for my beloved mountains!)
When I grew and started studying Scripture more in depth, using multiple translations, I noticed something odd. In the KJV, Psalm 121:1 reads thus:
- I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
However, the NKJV and others have it like this:
- I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help?
When Punctuation Speaks
Do you see the difference? The punctuation! KJV’s ends with a period, meaning it’s a statement, and the other translation ends with a question mark, asking us to consider where our help comes from.
In my earliest years, I learned to think of the mountains as the source of my strength and peace, a place I found God, with the emphasis on the place, not on the finding. To this day, I adore the mountains and spend as much time as possible in them.
When I discovered this seemingly trivial punctation difference, believe
it or not, it shook me. The mountains were NOT my source of strength? God wasn’t in the mountains with me? He made them for me but spends His time up in the heavens?
Now, before you call me a crazy punctuation nerd, think about it. I agree that man “wrote out” the Bible. But I’m thinking He Who gave man the words would’ve used inflection in His voice to let him know which punctuation to put there—punctuation that changes the meaning and/or tone of a sentence and shows the intent of it.
Does Tone Matter?
Let’s look at two other examples.
We’ll start at the beginning—Genesis 1:3:
- Then God said, “Let there be light”: and there was light. (KJV)
The KJV and most translations end in a period and give information: God said it and it was so. But check out this Scripture from The Message:
- God spoke: “Light!” And light appeared.
God was excited to be creating this incredible world for us. He couldn’t wait to get started! THIS is how I envision Our Father during creation!
And in my second example, one from the mouth of Jesus, Himself! In Mark 4—the disciples and Jesus, a boat, and a storm. The disciples wake Jesus, frantic about their impending doom. Jesus calmly rises, balances on the rocking boat, stretches out His arm, and says … says what?
To me, according to the punctuation in the NKJV and NIV translations, He commands that the wind would cut it out in a frantic loud voice (angrily or determinedly). (See opening paragraphs about exclamation points.)
- “Peace, be still!” (from Mark 1:3, NKJV) “Quiet! Be still!” (from Mark 1:3, NIV)
However, I don’t see Jesus as frantic, angry, or overly determined. He wanted to show His friends the power of an inner peace in faith. Check out the KJV’s translation:
- “Peace, be still.” From (Mark 1:3, KJV)
I’ve always drawn peace from that tableau in my mind. In fact, once during a thunderstorm, I held our two-year old daughter while looking out the screen door and recounted this story of Jesus. I didn’t make His voice angry or loud, but more a strong acknowledgement of the need to stop the storm so His followers can believe in the faith that allows all of us to … well, to stop using so many exclamation points! (LOL!)
Remember, punctuation speaks!