Ask AAL No. 2 — The Punctuation Edition
Posted on November 27th, 2012
Punctuation questions! Yes, ask me about punctuation. I love punctuation.
Question: I have an editing question for ya. I’ve always been told that there should be two spaces at the end of the sentence. Recently, I read somewhere (and I can’t remember where) that having two spaces at the end is outdated and there should only be one space. Thoughts?
Answer: It’s true. Just one space now. It’s possible to train yourself to switch to one space (I managed it easily, which surprised me), and now the only time I use two spaces after a period is when I’m texting (so that my iPhone will automatically add the period).
If you don’t want to bother with retraining, finish your piece and in final edits just do a find and replace, using two spaces in the “find” field and one in the “replace” field. In editing, I had to do this for manuscripts all the time before submitting them to the line editors. (This isn’t a bad idea to do, anyway, because often in the editing process, you’ll copy and paste a sentence and an extra space will tag along with the text.
Question: Oxford comma, yea or nay?
Answer: I love commas (when used well). I know a lawyer who litigated a case up to the supreme court of our state and back down over comma placement in poorly drafted legislation. (What a waste of money. If the drafters of the legislation just had grammarians proofreading, the state would have saved a bundle.) Also, look at the mess of the Second Amendment. Commas in the right places would clear that puppy right up. (No kidding: look at the version passed by Congress vs. the one ratified by the States.) Which is not to say there wouldn’t be debate, but it would read a lot better.
As to the Oxford (I prefer serial) comma: fuck, yes. I love them, because I think they make for more precise language. Use them proudly…except when the style guide of your state/court/jurisdiction/publication says otherwise. In which case, you do what your style guide says. Or in my case, use them anyway. (Though I guess my chances of writing for the Economist are in the toilet.)
Ugh, it drives me crazy that so many corporate lawyers eschew the serial comma. Even to the point of REMOVING it when it’s there.
That would drive me crazy, especially given the types of documents you’re working on! You need more precision, not less. Ugh!
That you know this makes you admirably persnickety. That I know what I am about to say just makes me old. I have sent many an associate over the brink on this subject, I’m sure, though they’ve never complained. Hmmm. . . .
You explain the comma rule. There is also a reason for the one-space period rule. The two-space rule is a typewriter-era anomaly that has outlived its usefulness. Typewriters gave every character the exact same amount of space on the page (think Courier). With such “monospaced” fonts, it was thought that the extra space after a period was needed for readability. Because computers allow the use of (much more readable) proportionately-spaced fonts (meaning that wide letters, like “m,” take up more page real estate than skinny letters, like “l”), two spaces are no longer necessary after periods. Indeed, using two spaces creates odd gaps in justified text. As a result, one space has become the default. If, for some inexplicable reason, one is using Courier, two spaces remains the rule. Notice that books and printed appellate briefs (which always used proportionately-spaced fonts) always used the one space rule.
Believe it or not, in their copious spare time, Judges Posner and Easterbrook and their 7th Circuit cronies have published a near treatise on this and other typography issues. Its downloadable from the 7th Circuit’s website and (to geeks like me) very interesting.
You are absolutely correct! One of my frustrations writing-wise (although it is changing) is the word count calculation issue. The industry assumes 250 words per page (based on fixed-width fonts), whereas true word counts are often very different numbers. In looking through my old stuff, all formatted with Courier, I’m glad it’s getting better. (Also that I don’t have to physically mail around 400 page manuscripts and provide SASEs.)
I’m totally hunting down the 7th Circuit typography stuff. I have on my wishlist, but have not yet read, Typography for Lawyers. It just sounds like good, wholesome, geeky fun.
http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/rules/type.pdf
And my fav. I’ve actually done most of this in briefs. But you have to know your audience. Most judges will just think you’re nuts.
http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/rules/painting_with_print.pdf
Thanks so much for these links! (I *love* this stuff.)
I am reading Typography for Lawyers right now! So far, highly recommend it.
AAL, I really wanted you to be a supporter of the Oxford/serial comma, and I am so glad that you are.
Nowwyl, thank you so much for that explanation! I’ve long wondered why the standard changed to one space, and it’s very satisfying to finally know.
GOD. YES! The Oxford comma! I can’t stand when sentences are missing that last comma!!
F– Yeah serial comma. Of course, state style guide says otherwise. And I am the guide’s enforcer. Sigh.
Serial comma for the win. My engineer husband and argue repeatedly over correct grammar and lawyer grammar, and I refuse to yield.
Good to know about the one-space rule. That’s going to be a hard habit to break. And I’m pleased to see so many people on the fuck-yeah-serial-comma team!
You have no idea how happy it makes me to see how many other punctuation geeks there are in the world. No wonder we’ve found each other online.