20070924 Today is National Punctuation Day

Today is National Punctuation Day

September 24^th, 2007

Please join me in a celebration of the semicolon.

Hat Tip: About.com – Grammar & Composition: http://grammar.about.com/b/a/000153.htm

There is even an official “Meat Loaf of National Punctuation Day.” I kid you NOT!

So please tell me; did you celebrate National Punctuation Day? If so how?

How do you feel about punctuation?”

As I keyboard - festivities are in the works over at WTTR.

Cook the Official Meat Loaf of National Punctuation Day! (see PDF recipe)

Celebrate National Punctuation Day®

September 24

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National Punctuation Day founder becomes caped crusader to promote literacy in schools

PINOLE, CA — National Punctuation Day, the holiday that reminds America that a “semicolon is not a surgical procedure,” celebrates its fourth anniversary September 24. But what started as a clever idea to remind corporations and professional people of the importance of proper punctuation has turned into an everyday mission to help school children learn the punctuation skills they need to be successful in life.

Founded in 2004 by former newspaperman Jeff Rubin, NPD is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events and The Teacher’s Calendar, two directories published by McGraw-Hill.

The annual event is widely recognized. Bank of America in Tampa, FL, for example, commemorates NPD with a week-long array of celebrations and trivia contests. Last year, Rubin was a guest on dozens of radio shows, NPD received significant newspaper coverage, and the Dayton Business Journal in Ohio baked cookies and pastries in the shape of punctuation marks.

More: Celebrate National Punctuation Day

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from Jen Hubley

Formal instruction in grammar and punctuation was out of style when I went to school. If you were a big reader, which I was, it was sort of assumed you'd pick up the mechanics on your own.

National Punctuation Day

Fortunately, my Mom was a former English teacher with a horror of sloppy usage. I was the only kid I knew who diagrammed sentences at the dinner table - and not because it was homework.

- Grammar & Composition Guide Richard Nordquist

Basic Rules of Punctuation

As Richard points out, the problem with rules of punctuation is "like many of the so-called 'laws' of grammar, [they] ... would never hold up in court." One of my favorites to abuse: the "law" of "quote." (See how annoying that was?)

- Grammar & Composition Guide Richard Nordquist

The Campaign to Abolish the Apostrophe

It totally fries me to see possessives spelled without apostrophes. As it's happening more and more - "Pike's Peak" into "Pikes Peak," etc. - I guess I'll either have to lighten up or get myself a pair of fireproof pants.

Grammar & Composition Guide Richard Nordquist

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