Plain English

So these marks of punctuation are not thrown upon a page haphazardly, or put there simply for decoration; they have a meaning and a very great meaning. Those who use short, crisp sentences have less need for punctuation marks than those who use longer and more involved sentences. When we have learned to express ourselves directly and simply, we will naturally use fewer marks of punctuation.

492. You will find that, in writing in connection with business, there is much less need of punctuation than in literary and philosophical writings. Business writing is usually direct and simple in style. Its purpose is to state facts. The literary and philosophical writing, however, expresses more involved ideas and emotions, and in these, the punctuation is exceedingly important.

493. One of the great purposes served by punctuation is to indicate a pause or break in the thought. A very good rule to go by in punctuating is to repeat the sentence aloud, and whenever you pause for breath or because of a break in the thought, it is a pretty safe indication that in that place, you should have a punctuation mark.

494. The following are the chief marks of punctuation:

THE COMMA

495. The comma is the mark used to indicate a slight break in the thought.

There are a number of rules given for the use of commas. These rules, like the rules for the use of capitals, you cannot commit to memory; but, after repeated practice in your own writing and paying attention to your reading, you will gradually develop an instinctive sense of the use of the comma. Select some book which you are reading and go through it, noticing especially the use of the commas. See if you can determine the reason which prompted the author to place his commas where he did. Notice, also, what effect the placing or the omission of the comma would have upon the meaning of the sentence.

496. The Comma indicates the slightest degree of separation between the parts of a sentence.

RULE 1.

497. Words, phrases and clauses, forming a series and used in the same construction, should be separated from each other by commas when the conjunctions are omitted.

WORDS WHICH FORM A SERIES

498. The words which form a series, separated by a comma may be either nouns, adjectives, adverbs or verbs. The comma is only used where the conjunction is omitted. Note carefully the following sentences:

Love, laughter and happiness are the right of every child.

He visited every city, town and village.

The working class has been meek, humble, docile and gullible.

All the crushed, tortured, strangled, maimed and murdered ideals of the ages shall become an everlasting reality.

He struggled patiently, faithfully and fearlessly for the cause.

If labor thinks, dares, rebels, fights, it will be victorious.

PHRASES WHICH FORM SERIES

499. Phrases which are used in the same construction and form a series are separated by commas where the conjunction is omitted. For example:

Day after day, year after year, century after century, the class struggle has proceeded.

The struggle in the mines, in the fields, in the factories and in the shops, will go on until labor receives the product of its toil.

CLAUSES USED IN A SERIES

500. Sometimes clauses are used without the co-ordinate conjunction and a comma is used to indicate the omission. For example:

Do not moan, do not submit, do not kneel, do not pray, do not wait.

Speak as you mean, do as you profess, perform what you promise.

RULE 2.

501. Explanatory and introductory expressions, words in direct address, parenthetical words and phrases, are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas.

Note carefully the following examples:

Jaures, the great French Socialist, was the first martyr to peace.

War having been declared, the troops were mobilized.

No, I cannot believe you.

Mr. Chairman, I desire to speak to the convention.

We can, of course, give you the information you desire.

RULE 3.

502. Words, phrases or clauses written in the sentence out of their natural order should be separated from the rest of the sentence by commas.

These words, phrases and clauses are often written at the beginning of the sentences or at the end of the sentences, or in some place out of their natural order, for the sake of emphasis, instead of with the words they modify.

Notice in the following sentences how these words, phrases and clauses are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. Rewrite these sentences, placing these words, phrases and clauses in their natural order and omit the commas.

Longingly and anxiously, he waited.

With this exception, the figures are correct.

The music, sweet and dreamy, floated upon the air.

The waves came rolling in, white with foam.

To deceive the men, he resorted to shameful tricks.

Before anyone else could speak, he was on his feet.

RULE 4.

503. Co-ordinate clauses, when closely related in meaning are separated by commas. The comma should precede the co-ordinate conjunction. For example:

I have not intended to detain you, but the matter required explanation.

RULE 5.

504. The omission of the verb in a sentence or a clause should be indicated by a comma. Sometimes in writing for effect or to give emphasis we omit the verb in the sentence; at other times we omit the verb when the same verb occurs in a series of brief sentences, and its continued use would mean a tiresome repetition. For example:

Reading maketh a full man; conference, a ready man; writing, an exact man.

Here the verb is omitted in the last two clauses and the omission is indicated by the use of the comma.

RULE 6.

505. Short, direct quotations should be preceded by a comma. For example:

Their slogan is, "An injury to one is the concern of all."

Ferrer's last words were, "Long live the modern school."

RULE 7.

506. Separate the figures in large numbers into groups of three figures each by the use of commas. For example:

The population of the United States has now reached 100,000,000.

According to the census of 1900, there are 29,073,233 people engaged in gainful occupations in the United States.

Exercise 1

Supply commas in the following sentences in the proper places:

1. Food clothes and shelter are the fundamental needs of life.

2. We believe in education free from theocracy aristocracy or plutocracy.

3. Man is the master of nature of law of life.

4. We shall struggle rebel arise and claim all being for our own.

5. Sickness and suffering sorrow and despair crime and war are the fruits of poverty.

6. You should seek after knowledge steadily faithfully and perseveringly.

7. The most inspiring powerful and impressive oratory is the voice of the disinherited.

8. Through your united almighty strength order shall become equity law shall become liberty duty shall become love and religion shall become truth.

9. First let us consider the main question.

10. Mr. President I rise to a point of order.

11. We the workers of the world must unite.

12. The class struggle being a fact why should we hesitate to join our class?

13. You have not it seems understood the issue.

14. Of all our needs education is the greatest.

15. Regularly and monotonously the machine whirs to and fro.

16. Before any one can take special training he must have a good knowledge of English.

17. We plead for education universal and free.

18. The first ingredient in conversation is truth the next good sense the third good humor and the fourth wit.

19. The slogan of the People's College is The education of the workers by the workers.

20. According to the last census the enrollment of the schools of the United States is 18521002.

21. There are 4611000 in the first grade and 155000 in the last year of high school.

THE SEMI-COLON

507. The semi-colon indicates a break more complete than that of the comma. The period indicates a complete break in the thought. So the comma indicates a slight break, the semi-colon a greater break in the thought, and the period, the completion of the thought.

RULES FOR THE USE OF THE SEMI-COLON

508. The semi-colon is often used instead of the comma where a longer pause is desired or we wish to indicate a greater break in the thought. For example:

"The wind is chill;But let it whistle as it will,We'll keep our Christmas merry still."

509. As a rule we separate by semi-colons those parts of the sentences that are already punctuated by commas. For example:

After considerable delay, he came back to look for his friends; but, though he looked diligently, he could not find them.

510. The semi-colon is used to separate closely connected simple sentences when the conjunction is omitted. The continual repetition of the conjunction would become very tiresome and detract from the forcefulness of our sentences. So instead of continually repeating the conjunction we separate these simple sentences by semi-colons. For example:

Through the industrial revolution, the face of the earth is making over even as to its physical forms; political boundaries are wiped out and moved about as if they were indeed only lines on a paper map; population is hurriedly gathered into cities from the ends of the earth; habits of living are altered with startling abruptness; the search for the truths of nature is infinitely stimulated; and the application of these truths to life is made not only practicable, but commercially necessary.

511. The semi-colon should be used after each item in a series of specific statements. For example:

We quote you the following prices: Grade No. 1, $1.00; Grade No. 2, $2.90; poorer grades not in demand.

RULES FOR THE USE OF THE COLON

512. The colon is not used as much as it formerly was. The comma and the semi-colon and the period are now used in most of the places where older writers used the colon.

One authority in English says that, "in strict logic the colon is to the sentence in which it is used what the mark of equality is in mathematics."

513. The colon is used before a formal list of items. For example:

Economics has three important divisions: production, distribution, consumption.

514. The colon is used after a salutation at the beginning of a letter. For example: Dear Sir: Gentlemen: Comrades:

In such cases the dash is also frequently used with the colon. For example: My dear Sir:— Gentlemen:— Comrades:—

515. The colon is more often used instead of the semi-colon after such expressions as, thus: as follows: the following: for example: etc.

The colon is also used to separate a series of sentences which are explanatory of the main clause. For example:

The People's College has two great aims: the first is to bring education within the reach of every worker; the second is to teach from the viewpoint of the working class.

We were advised to proceed thus: first, to be systematic in our work; second, to concentrate; third, to go slowly and surely; and last of all, to think for ourselves.

RULES FOR THE USE OF THE PERIOD

516. The period is a mark of punctuation that denotes the completion of a sentence.

517. The period is used at the close of all assertive and imperative sentences. For example:

There is talk of peace but preparation for war.

Claim your own at any hazard.

518. The period is used after all initials and all abbreviations, as for example: E. V. Debs; T. P. O'Connor; Mr., Dr., Co., Mass., N. Y., C. O. D., F. O. B., U. S. A., etc.

519. The period is used to separate whole numbers and decimal numbers. For example: 3.1416 9.342.

A period is used for the decimal point between dollars and cents; as: $4.50, $2.25, $16.54, $35926.72.

It is also used to separate the various denominations of sterling money, as: £14. 15s. 6d.

520. The period is used after letters used as numerals or after figures used to number paragraphs, notes, remarks, questions or any list of particulars. For example:

The letters which are used to denote sub-heads in the enumeration of rules as a. b. c., etc., also the numerals and letters marking sections or sub-sections in chapters, as Chapter 8. Paragraph 1. Rule 1. Page 4. Volume 2. Paragraph 3. P. 16.

521. The period is also used after headings and titles, after dates and signatures to letters and other documents; also at the close of the address at the beginning of a letter, and of the name at the close of the letter; also after the last item in the direction of an envelope or package.

Exercise 2

In the following quotations place the commas, semi-colons, colons and periods in their proper places, and be able to give a reason for what you do:

The man who stabs his brother to death is a criminal and is hanged the general who under a flag slays a regiment is a hero and is decorated with a cross

The most thrilling oratory the most powerful and impressive eloquence is the voice of the disinherited the oppressed the suffering and the submerged it is the voice of poverty and misery of wretchedness and despair it is the voice of humanity crying to the infinite it is the voice that resounds throughout the earth and reaches heaven it is the voice that wakens the conscience of the race and proclaims the truths that fill the world with life liberty and love

The number of lives lost in the great wars of the world have been as follows Napoleonic wars 1900000 our Civil War 656000 Franco-German War 290000 Boer War 90898 Russo-Japanese 555900 and in the present world-war untold millions

Walt Whitman who represents individualism at its best writes "I sing the song of myself" To this the Socialist replies "Inasmuch as my redemption is bound up in that of my class I sing the song of my class"

We believe with John Ruskin "whether there be one God or three no God or ten thousand children should be fed and their bodies should be kept clean"

My dear Mr Smith Your letter of the 15th has been received

Through the dreams of all the ages rings the voice of labor beginning as a murmur growing in volume and grandeur as it rolls round the world And this is the burden of its message By the sweat of no other's brow shalt thou eat bread

The sun of the new world is rising it is rising out of the solidarity of the working class Its rays of light are bursting through the dark horizon which ignorance and deceit have so long riveted upon us It is lighting up the faces of a new order of men and women supermen and women men and women not discouraged by defeat god-like men and women who have found the secret springs of life and are already drinking deep and glorious draughts men and women who are standing erect and whose joined hands encircle the world men and women who see the world's wretchedness and the world's poverty and are ready to throw away their lives with a song on their lips that such things shall not be

Exercise 3

Note the punctuation in the following poem and determine for yourself, in accordance with the rules we have studied, why the commas, semi-colons, colons and periods are used as they are:

JOHN BROWNStates are not greatExcept as man may make them;Men are not great except they do and dare.But States, like men,Have destinies that take them—That bear them on, not knowing why or where.The why repelsThe philosophic searcher—The why and where all questionings defy,Until we find,Far back in youthful nurture,Prophetic facts that constitute the why.All merit comesFrom braving the unequal;All glory comes from daring to begin.Fame loves the StateThat, reckless of the sequel,Fights long and well, whether it lose or win.And there is oneWhose faith, whose fight, whose failing,Fame shall placard upon the walls of time.He dared begin—Despite the unavailing,He dared begin, when failure was a crime.When over AfricaSome future cycleShall sweep the lake-gemmed uplands with its surge;When, as with trumpetOf Archangel Michael,Culture shall bid a colored race emerge;From boulevardsO'erlooking both Nyanzas,The statured bronze shall glitter in the sun,With rugged lettering:"JOHN BROWN OF KANSAS:HE DARED BEGIN;HE LOST,BUT, LOSING, WON."—Eugene Ware.

SPELLING

LESSON 29

Last week we studied words which had the same, or nearly the same, meaning. There is always a slight distinction in the meaning of words, but some of them are so nearly the same that it makes very little difference which word we use. Some writers, however, are very careful and spend a great deal of time in the selection of just the right word to express their meaning.

Robert Louis Stevenson once said a good writer would wait half a day in order to secure the best word to convey a certain idea.

A very amusing story is told of Thomas Carlyle, who was very careful to use words expressing just the shade of meaning which he desired to express. He had a habit of writing in a note book these words as they occurred to him, so he would have them for ready reference and use. One day he had searched all day for a certain word which eluded him. Suddenly in the middle of the night he wakened with the word flashing in his mind. He wanted to write it down immediately lest he should forget it in the morning, but it was cold and he dreaded getting up in the cold to secure his note book so he nudged Jeanie, his wife, and said: "Jeanie, Jeanie, get up! I have thought of a good word, and I want you to write it down." Now it was equally cold for Jeanie, so Jeanie nudged Thomas and said: "Thomas, Thomas, get up yourself. I have thought of a bad one!"

Nevertheless, it is a good idea when these good words occur to you to write them down. Possibly to save trouble, you had better write them for yourself!

But in addition to words which have the same meaning, or almost the same meaning, there are also words which express just the opposite meaning, and it is well for us to be master of these words also.

These words which express opposite meaning are called antonyms. Words and their antonyms are given in this week's spelling lesson in the words for the first three days' study. For the last three days, words only are given. Look these words up in your dictionary and determine upon the most suitable antonyms.

Monday

Legal

Illegal

Artificial

Natural

Assert

Deny

Tuesday

Civilized

Barbarous

Courage

Cowardice

Active

Passive

Wednesday

Initial

Final

Temporary

Permanent

History

Legend

Thursday

Addition

Cleverness

Assured

Genuine

Acquit

Increase

Friday

Affection

Composure

Enlarge

Anxious

Prompt

Discord

Saturday

Succeed

Describe

Winning

Wasteful

Superficial

Grieve

Write the proper word in the following blanks:

PATIENTS or PATIENCE

The Doctor has many.......

We have no......with stupidity.

NEGLIGENCE or NEGLECT

The accident was due to the......of the employer.

He has been guilty of......of his family for he was injured by the criminal......of the Railroad Company.

OBSERVANCE or OBSERVATION

The troops were concealed from.......

Trade Unions never fail in the......of Labor Day.

A man's own......will guide him in the......of all good customs.

RELATIVES or RELATIONS

Taft and Roosevelt did not always have pleasant......with each other.

He has gone to visit his.......

We do not always have pleasant......with our.......

SECTS or SEX

There are many religious.......

Woman is refused the ballot because of her.......

STATUE or STATUTE

The law was placed upon the......books.

The world will sometime erect a......to the man of the people.

Do not fear to be thought a "high-brow" if you use these words in your every day speech. The very people who may laugh are in their hearts admiring you, and are, in all probability, envious. The man who has accused another of being a "high-brow" has by that very act, admitted his own inferiority.

Demand the best for yourself in words, as in everything else.

PLAIN ENGLISH

LESSON 30

Dear Comrade:

With this lesson we are finishing this course in Plain English. We have covered a great deal of ground and have studied the essentials of grammar. We have tried, as far as possible, to avoid the stupid conning of rules or learning by rote. We have attempted at least to make the reason and necessity for every rule apparent before the rule was stated.

We have also tried to weave into the lessons something of the romance of language, for language is a romance; in its growth is written the epic of the race. Our words portray the struggle of man from savage to sage. So, feeble as our efforts in this regard may have been, we trust that you have enjoyed and profited by this course and have caught a new vision of life. Most of us are forced so inexorably into the bitter struggle for existence that we have little time or opportunity to catch much of the beauty of life. That is the curse of a society that dooms its citizens to weary, toil-burdened lives, robbed of the joy and beauty of living.

Yet, if we know how to read we can always have access to books and through them we can escape the sordidness and ugliness of the life in which we are compelled to live and spend at least a little time each day in the company of great souls who speak to us from the printed page. The quotations in these lessons have been taken from these great writers.

Will you not pursue the acquaintanceship and become real friends with these men and women? Above all things they will bring you into the atmosphere of liberty and of freedom. For throughout all the pain of the struggle of the past and of the present, there has been the fight of man for freedom. We have gained the mastery over nature. Wild animals, which were a constant menace to savage man, have been destroyed. We have been freed from fear and superstition by the discovery of the laws of nature. With the invention of the machine, man has increased his ability to provide the essentials of life,—food, clothing and shelter—a thousandfold. The past has seen revolution after revolution in the struggle for mastery.

We now stand on the threshold of another great revolution when man shall master the machines which he has invented and shall cease serving them and make them serve him. His increased facilities for food-getting and shelter-getting shall be made to serve all mankind. We have a part to play in that great revolution.

Whatever you may have gained from the study of this course; what increased facility of understanding or of expression may have come to you; may it be not only for the service of yourself but also for the service of the revolution that shall bring the worker into his own.