USED IN
_Writing and Printing._
Before I begin to lay down rules for reading, it will be necessary
to take notice of the several points or marks used in printing or
writing, for resting or stopping the voice, which are four in
number, called
1. The Comma (,) 3. Colon (:)
2. Semicolon (;) 4. Period (.)
These points are to give a proper time for breathing when you read,
and to prevent confusion of sense in joining words together in a
sentence. The _Comma_ stops the reader's voice till he can tell
_one_, and divides the lesser parts of a sentence. The _Semicolon_
divides the greater parts of a sentence, and requires the reader to
pause while he can count _two_. The _Colon_ is used where the sense
is complete, and not the sentence, and rests the voice of the reader
till he can count _three_. The _Period_ is put when the sentence
is ended, and requires a pause while he can tell _four_.
But we must here remark, that the _Colon_ and _Semicolon_ are
frequently used promiscuously, especially in our bibles.
There are two other points, which may be called marks of affection;
the one of which is termed an _Interrogation_, which signifies a
question being asked, and expressed thus (?); the other called an
_Admiration_ or _Exclamation_, and marked thus (!). These two
points require a pause as long as a period.
We have twelve other marks to be met with in reading, namely,
1. Apostrophe (’) 7. Section (§ )
2. Hyphen (-) 8. Ellipsis (--)
3. Parenthesis ( ) 9. Index ( [index] )
[hand pointing rightwards]
4. Brackets [ ] 10. Asterisk (*)
5. Paragraph ( ) 11. Obelisk (†)
6. Quotation (") 12. Caret (^)
_Apostrophe_ is set over a word where some letter is wanting, as in
_lov'd_. Hyphen joins syllables and words together, as in
_pan-cake_. _Parenthesis_ includes something not necessary to the
sense, as, _I know that in me_ (that is in my flesh) _liveth_, &c.
_Brackets_ include a word or words mentioned as a matter of
discourse, as, _The little word_ [man] _makes a great noise_, &c.
They are also used to enclose a cited sentence, or what is to be
explained, and sometimes the explanation itself. _Brackets_ and
_Parenthesis_ are often used for each other without distinction.
_Paragraph_ is chiefly used in the bible, and denotes the beginning
of a new subject. _Quotation_ is used to distinguish what is taken
from an author in his own words. _Section_ shews the division of a
chapter. _Ellipsis_ is used when part of a word or sentence is
omitted, as p--ce. _Index_ denotes some remarkable passage.
_Asterisk_ refers to some note in the margin, or remarks at the
bottom of the page; and when many stand together, thus ***, they
imply that something is wanting, or not fit to be read, in the
author. The _Obelisk_ or _Dagger_, and also parallel lines
marked thus (||), refer to something in the margin. The _Caret_,
marked thus (^), is made use of in writing, when any line or word is
left out, and wrote over where it is to come in, as thus,
_had_
_A certain man two sons:_
^
Here the word _had_ was left out, wrote over, and marked by the
_Caret_ where to come in.
It may also in this place be proper to mention the crooked lines or
_Braces_, which couple two or three words or lines together that
tend to the same thing; for instance,
/ \
| a long |
The vowel _a_ has < a short > Sound
| a broad |
\ /
This is often used in poetry, where three lines have the same rhyme.
The other marks relate to single words, as _Dialysis_ or _Diæresis_,
placed over vowels to shew they must be pronounced in distinct
syllables, as _Raphaël_. The _Circumflex_ is set over a vowel to
carry a long sound, as _Euphrâtes_. An _Accent_ is marked thus
(á), to shew where the emphasis must be placed, as _negléct_; or
to shew that the consonant following must be pronounced double, as
_hómage_. To these may be added the long (¯) and short (˘) marks,
which denote the quantity of syllables, as wātĕr.