PUNCTUATION, GRAMMAR AND APHRODISIA
The hyphen has become the most overused form of punctuation according to the latest edition of English Today, the Sunday Times reports. Not just overused but abused by eminent writers. While not eminent, Sherbhert is fond of the hyphen and may be guilty of this grammatical crime- not sure.
Sherbhert is particularly fond of the colon and its softer colleague the semi-colon. These pepper Sherbhert reports. They are so useful for lists and taking a break, providing relief for the reader. However, proper use of punctuation has to be dynamic. While there must be rules, it should be permitted to use the functions of the colon and the semi in imaginative ways, where the flow and feel are enhanced: that we try to do and hope to avoid the wrath of English Today.
“…a growing body of research suggests that proof-reading may have aphrodisiac properties “(Rhys Blakely, The Times 19.11.19). The same article cites research that love-seekers on dating websites are put off by poor spelling, typos and diction. It seems that simple grammatical errors can be perceived to show lower attractiveness and lower intelligence; and so, deter potential love partners – English teachers and Tinder users take note.
