Well, it’s been a pretty momentous week for holidays. First we had PARK(ing) Day, then International Talk Like A Pirate Day and the first day of fall. Now we’ve got my favorite holiday of all: National Punctuation Day! As a former English student and part-time grammar fascist, the misuse of simple punctuation really drives me up the wall. The plural of any word never has an apostrophe s on it! Argh!
I’m not the only one who flies into a nerd rage about this sort of thing. After all, five years ago, Jeff Rubin launched National Punctuation Day because he believes we all need to learn how to use our language properly. As he is quoted on this NEA celebratory page, “Successful people have good communication skills, and that includes knowing how to write properly,” Rubin says. “Punctuation counts. A misplaced comma can alter the meaning of a message.”
I’m begging everyone out there. Please check your punctuation and grammar. Whenever I see a sign with an obvious punctuation error, I want to drive my car into oncoming traffic. Do you want me to die?! Is that your goal, you monsters?! Hire one English major to keep track of this stuff! You don’t even have to pay us that much!
Image: Engrish
Tags: English, Engrish, grammar, national punctuation day, punctuation, punctuation day, Jeff Rubin, unusual holidays, holidays
