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The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks in Poetry: a Stylistic Study

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The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks in Poetry: a Stylistic Study Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra University of Al-Qadissiya Abstract Language is a powerful tool in the hands of a poet. Punctuation marks (symbols or signs used to make the writer‟s meaning clear) are the tool one can use to talk to the reader and draw his/her attention to specific points. Punctuation marks are important syntactically and semantically; since each one has its own uses and meanings. Their oddness and unconventional use by some poets such as Cummings, Blake, and Pound helps them to color their poems with special aspects and serves them to convey various meanings. Naturally, stylistics is the science through which the use of language in literature can be dealt with. 1. Punctuation Marks : An ntroduction Truss (2004:77) reveals that the first Actually, when one speaks, one can writing systems were mostly use different linguistic devices to make logographic and /or syllabic and they do his/her meaning clear such as: stress, not necessarily require punctuation intonation, rhythm, pauses sometimes because the entire morpheme or word is by using facial expressions or by using typically clustered within a single glyph. gestures, even if all else fails , by The Greeks began using punctuation repeating what one has said. However, marks, consisting of vertically arranged when one writes, one cannot use any of dots, in around the 5th century B.C. The these devices and if the words are Romans also adopted symbols to strung all together without ever indicate pauses. Punctuation developed indicating where the pauses should be, dramatically when large numbers of no one would understand the thoughts copies of the Christian Bible started to and ideas we are trying to express. The be produced and read aloud and the work that these devices do in speech is copyists began to introduce a range of entirely handled by "punctuation". To marks to help the readers including grasp what punctuation is, it is indentation, various punctuation marks important to pass through its historical and initial capitals. With the invention development briefly. of moveable type in Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries began an increase of 3 مجمة القادسية في اﻵداب والعموم التربوية - المجمد ) 21 ( العددان ) 2 ، 1 ( سنة 1023 م Lecturer Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study printed material. The rise of printing reason for punctuating is to make the meant that a standard system of meaning clear and every punctuation punctuation was urgently required. The mark has particular job to do, so there full stop, colon, and the comma were should be a conventional system of the only ones used until the close of the punctuation which is consistent and 15th century. In process of time, the sensible. If the case is not like this, a semicolon was added and the marks of reader has to wade through the writer‟s interrogation and admiration were strange punctuation, having trouble introduced later. following his /her meaning; at worst, Shaw (1986:137) makes it clear that the reader may be genuinely unable to punctuation is a method by which the understand what the writer has written. meaning of written communication is Depending on many references, made clear through the use of certain Razzak and Helen (2000:43-59) classify marks. punctuation marks into four types: Similarly, Trask (1997:2) explains 1. End punctuation marks: The full stop, that punctuation is not an the question mark, and the exclamation inconsequential bit of decoration and it mark. is not regarded as a deeply personal 2. Non- end punctuation marks: The matter; it is one aspect of written comma, the semicolon, the colon, and the English. Punctuation is placed in text " dash. to make meaning clear and to make 3. Enclosing punctuation marks: reading easier."(MacCaskill, 2012:44). Brackets (square and round), invented Moreover, punctuation usually serves commas or quotation marks. certain general purposes through 4. Punctuation marks used within the certain symbols or signs called word: The apostrophe, the hyphen, and punctuation marks. Shaw (1986:138) the abbreviation dot. summarizes these purposes as follows: It is worth noting that some 1.To end or terminate a statement (by writers such as Trask(1997:53)and using a period , a question MacCaskill(2012:75) add the asterisk mark , or an exclamation mark); these and the slash as punctuation marks marks are called used in writing. " terminal marks". Each of these marks is a sort of 2.To introduce (by using a comma, a short hand device, or road sign that colon, or a dash). assists the reader. Every mark is 3.To separate parts of a sentence or effective and it has its own meaning as it word (by using a comma, a semicolon, a will be shown at section 2. The presence dash, a hyphen, or an apostrophe). or absence of every mark is harmful if it 4.To enclose parts of a sentence or a impedes the flow of the idea the writer whole section (by using parentheses, or intends to convey to the reader. brackets). MacCaskill (2012:44) assures that the Thus, the purpose of punctuation is function of a punctuation mark is the practical, not ornamental, and the basis for the rules governing its use and مجمة القادسية في اﻵداب والعموم التربوية - المجمد ) 21 ( العددان ) 2 ، 1 ( سنة 1023 م 4 Lec. Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study should be the basis for determining phonology or syntax. In his text whether or not it is needed. grammar, Nunberg treats all words Chafe (1987:21-25) argues that uniformly and groups them iteratively punctuation marks should be into certain textual units according to considered in strict connection with the the surrounding punctuation. Dale particular organization structure, and (1991:13-14) proposes that the the written text at the discourse level, semantics of punctuation can be treated not merely the sentence. in terms of rhetorical or discourse Punctuation is considered by relations such as narrative, Ferreiro and Pontecorvo (1999:544) as continuation, explanation, elaboration, one of the main streams of writing parallel, contrast and so forth. He mechanism; it is of psychological and emphasizes the important role of educational importance because punctuation in cueing the correct punctuation is a part of writing that interpretation for many text sentences. needs to be dealt with in text To shed more light on the construction. The appropriate use of importance of the punctuation marks, it punctuation shows that a person has is interesting to summarize what good knowledge of grammar and it Buchholz (1979:227-234) explains. He helps to bring the right kind of clarifies that everybody wants power to expression into writing for which voice, exert control over others; one way to intonation, volume, tone, pauses are seize this control, at least in writing, is used while speaking. through punctuation dynamics: the In addition, Truss (2004:71) makes subtle power to awe the reader into it clear that" on the page, punctuation submission through adept placement of performs its grammatical function, but punctuation. Certain punctuation in the mind of the reader it does more marks, if used well, signed whether the than that. It tells the reader how to turn writer is power figure or not. For the tune."For instance," Don‟t stop" instance, parentheses enhance the means carry on .You are not required devastation because they graphically to stop. Rewriting the same words as represent the inconspicuous relay, as "Don‟t. stop" immediately. Definitely they look much like hands cupped both sentences would be spoken in a around a whisper being mouthed with different manner to show the difference subtle finesse. Subconsciously, they in meaning. represent two sidewise smiles, the Nunberg(1990)and Dale(1991) superior cunning. He states that the explain the syntax and semantics of dash dramatically holds us at bay for a punctuation and its use in moment and then speeds the statement. interpretation. Nunberg (1990:18) The power of semicolon is derived argues that punctuation system is firstly largely from its psychological impact. systematic and linguistic in the sense He thinks that the semicolon is that it obeys principles and constraints, misunderstood; it is mysterious: it is and secondly it is a separate linguistic therefore held in esteem and is even subsystem not reducible to principles of feared. He considers the semicolon as( a 5 مجمة القادسية في اﻵداب والعموم التربوية - المجمد ) 21 ( العددان ) 2 ، 1 ( سنة 1023 م Lecturer Saleema Abdul-Zahra The Deviated Use of Punctuation Marks in Poetry: A Stylistic Study conspicuous punctuation ) that gives included before the end of quotation strength, so sentences with semicolon mark. Points of ellipsis (three evenly spring from a good consciousness. spaced periods) are used in formal Buchholz regards colon the mark of writing to indicate an omission from presidents and full professors, the quoted material. The terminal period ultimate mark of punctuation, for it (full stop) is always retained after commands obedience. The colon, ellipsis to enhance meaning. because it reflects the heights erudition, is therefore used in any endeavor that 2.Question Mark (?) needs style to bolster flattering It is placed to terminate a direct substance. question, whether the question is an From the previous discussion, it is independent sentence or a direct clear that punctuation marks are not quotation. It may be inserted into the only important to clarify specific middle of something, inside parentheses meanings in a text but they also convey to show uncertainty. certain messages about their users to the reader.
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