National Punctuation Day

National Punctuation Day is dedicated to the many punctuation marks that exist in the world. Without punctuation marks, texts would be incomprehensible, illegible, and meaningless. We use punctuation throughout our lives, but some of us did not pay enough attention to this topic in school. Every year on September 24, you can take part in punctuation quizzes.

History

It is noteworthy that ancient cultures magically dispensed with dots, commas, and colons. Of course, this was not necessary, because many ancient languages were exclusively verbal. The earliest document in which punctuation was used is the Mesha Stele, dating from 900 BC. The Greeks mention punctuation, but preferred clean lines of text. The first punctuation system was proposed by Aristophanes of Byzantium. He used a single sign, which, depending on the location, indicated pauses in the text. The widespread use of punctuation marks occurred with the distribution of the printed Bible.

Interesting Facts

• A unified punctuation system appeared in 1400, when the printing press was invented. Since then, the system has not changed much.
• The only major change came with the advent of computers, when additional characters were introduced – # and @.
• The question in Latin was not depicted with a sign, but was written with the word – ‘quaestiō’.
• Did you know what the # sign is called octothorpe?

How to take part

Pay attention to punctuation rules; believe me, a considerable number of rules elude even linguists and publishers. Read, paying attention to punctuation marks, and try to find mistakes. Take part in a punctuation contest. Talk about the holiday on social networks. Being educated and writing well is cool.

When is National Punctuation Day in 2023?

National Punctuation Day is observed on September 24 each year.

Observations