Punctuation Marks

PUNCTUATION MARK AND PUNCTUATIVE EXPRESSION:
Punctuation marks (formerly sometimes called ‘pointing’) are the use of certain conventional
graphic signs/marks/points and typographical devices as aids to the understanding and correct
reading of written text whether read silently or aloud, which are used to create sense, stress and
intonation in the sentences, aiming at structuring, organizing, controlling and coordinating
writing, in order to give meaningful expressions.
According to Chumsky (2007), he defines punctuation marks as “practicing action or system of
inserting points or other small marks into writing, to aid interpretation; vision of text into
sentences, clauses, etc by signs/points/marks”. They are as follow:
I. Question mark (Alamar tambaya): This refers to the graphic mark ‘?’ used often to
indicate a direct question when placed at the end of an interrogative sentence. For
example: Where did you go yesterday?
II. Exclamation mark (Alamar motsin rai): This refers to the graphic mark ‘!‘ used often
when a person wants to express a sudden strong outcry or add emphasis, especially
expressing surprise, anger or pain. For example: Shit! I’ve just left my bunch of keys at
home!
III. Apostrophe mark (Alamar mallaka/gajartawa): This refers to the graphic mark ‘ ‘s ‘ used
often as part of a word, to indicate ‘possessive case’, or ‘contracted form’ as a result of
the omission of one or more letters e.g. Ahmad’s school bag, I’ve, he’s, he’d, can’t,
won’t,
IV. Bracket mark/Braces/Parentheses (Alamar baka-biyu): This refers to the graphic mark
‘( )’used often for enclosing an additional/supplementary information to a main

statement, so as to clarify or separate it from the context. e.g. I had some delicious lunch
(chickens).
V. Quotation/Inverted Comma mark (Alamar zancan wani): This refers to the graphic mark ‘
” “ ’ used often for indicating a quotation or an extraction from what someone especially
a ‘scholar’ else has said
VI. Colon mark (Alamar aya mai ruwa biyu/tagwayen ayoyi): This refers to the graphic mark
‘:’ used often to separate two parts of a sentence when the first leads to the latter, to
clarify, explain and interpret, or to precede a list of items, a quotation, or an explanation
or expansion
VII. Semi-colon mark (Alamar wakafi mai digo): This refers to the graphic mark ‘;’used often
to separate the parts of a complicated sentence, or items in a detailed list or showing a
pause that is longer than a comma but shorter than full stop or used in indicating a pause
typically between main clauses which are not joined by any form of conjunction or for
separation device in a list, that is more pronounced than that indicated by a colon e.g.
‘We had a wonderful holiday; sadly, they did not’
VIII. Full stop/Period mark (Alamar aya): This refers to the graphic mark ‘.’ used often for
ending an idea used in a declarative sentence and to emphasize that there is nothing more
to say about a subject. For example: My class of students has given me a present
yesterday.
IX. Comma mark (Alamar wakafi): This refers to the graphic mark ‘,’ used often to show a
separation of ideas or any elements within the structure of a sentence or to separate the
items in a list or to show where there is a slight pause in a sentence. For example: Contact
address: Thanks for all your help, John.

X. Dash mark (Alamar sashi/kashi): This refers to the graphic mark ‘–‘used often for
showing a short break and then continues with an idea in a sentence or to set off an idea
within a sentence and may be used alone or in pairs. For example: They decided to
change the company’s plan – foever.
XI. Hyphen mark (Alamar karan-dori): This refers to the graphic mark ‘-‘used often to join
two or more words together into a compound term and is not separated by space or
dividing part of a word when it is realized that the space at the end of a line is not enough
to be used to write a complete word and go down and continue with the rest of the word.
For example: Well-known,
well-educated, father-in-law, mother-in-law, step-father, step-mother, nephew-in-law,
niece-in-law, inspector-general, field-marshal, comptroller-general
XII. Ellipsis (Alamar sabi-zarce): This refers to the graphic mark ‘….’ used often for
indicating certain words used in a sentence have been left out or omitted deliberately, or
suggestion of incomplete thought and they can easily be understood without them e.g
XIII. Caret (Alamar tsallake): This refers to the graphic mark ‘^’ used often to show that a
word or a letter has been left out or omitted or to indicate a paraphrased insertion in a
written or printed text
XIV. Slash (Alamar karan-jirge): This refers to the graphic mark ‘/’ used often for separating
optional items in a list
XV. Italic or Underline (Alamar lakabi/suna): This refers to the graphic mark ‘ ‘ used often to
indicate written or printed or underlined letters leaning to the right

XVI. Asterisk (Alamar ba dai-dai ba): This refers to the graphic mark ‘*’ used often as a
reference to show wrong sentence construction or to an annotation or to stand for
omission
XVII. Stroke (Alamar sa-hannu): This refers to the graphic mark ‘‘ used often by moving a pen,
brush, etc once across a surface: to point with fine brush strokes. For example: ‘At the
strokes of a pen’(= by signing sth)

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PUNCTUATION MARK AND PUNCTUATIVE EXPRESSION:

intonation in the sentences, aiming at structuring, organizing, controlling and coordinating

writing, in order to give meaningful expressions.

According to Chumsky (2007), he defines punctuation marks as “practicing action or system of

sentences, clauses, etc by signs/points/marks”. They are as follow:

example: Where did you go yesterday?

often as part of a word, to indicate ‘possessive case’, or ‘contracted form’ as a result of

‘( )’used often for enclosing an additional/supplementary information to a main

a ‘scholar’ else has said

clarify, explain and interpret, or to precede a list of items, a quotation, or an explanation

to separate the parts of a complicated sentence, or items in a detailed list or showing a

‘We had a wonderful holiday; sadly, they did not’

address: Thanks for all your help, John.

change the company’s plan – foever.

For example: Well-known,

well-educated, father-in-law, mother-in-law, step-father, step-mother, nephew-in-law,

niece-in-law, inspector-general, field-marshal, comptroller-general

written or printed text

optional items in a list

indicate written or printed or underlined letters leaning to the right

reference to show wrong sentence construction or to an annotation or to stand for

strokes of a pen’(= by signing sth)

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