Synopsis of the
history of the comma
History reveals that the comma evolved when writing became the order of the time, and there was need for comprehension of reading and writing. The very first record of writing was the Sumerian logographs from 4000 BC. These were only art of the objects and symbols, reflecting time and quantities, and these were used only for the purpose of taxes. The Phoenicians, in approximately 2000 BC, created symbols, which represented the spoken word. The spoken words later produced a batch of consonants, which formed the alphabet, but there were no punctuation or space between words in a sentence. Hence, according to the University of Chicago Press, “This sentence would have to look like this: THSSNTNCWLDHVLKDLKTHS” - THS-SNTC-WLD-HV-LKD-LK-THS. These are the actual symbols for the sentence -“This sentence would have to look like this.” In 100 BC the Greeks added vowels but no spacing or punctuation. Around 200 BC, the Greeks began implementing a system to space words based on how they (words) were vocalized. By 700 AD, upper and lower case letters were enacted, and by 900 AD spacing was implanted but no punctuation. So, from where did the comma evolve? Wikipedia, as well as Martha N. Magill, Rev. Rector of Baltimore Memorial Episcopal Church, concluded from their research that Aristophanes of Byzantium, librarian in Alexandria of Egypt, first established the comma in approximately 200 – 300 BC. Aristophanes devised a system of training each actor to breathe holding his/her breath for varying lengths of time – thus giving rise to punctuation. At this juncture in the history Magill becomes silent, but Wikipedia gives detailed, logical explanation. The record claims that the difference in length of breath was where the dot was placed. It was found either at the bottom, middle or top of the line. If the passage – called the Komma, was short, the dot was found in the middle. This was the origin of the comma. The mark we use today originated from a slash, or ‘virgule suspensiva’ (/), which was used from the 13th to the 17th century. In the 16th century, it is said that the virgule dropped to the bottom of the line, and a curve was attached, thus giving it its current appearance. The appearance of the comma was only a fragment of the issues to be considered. The different rules with regards to usage and functions of the comma were the bulk of the confusion. This made it the most misunderstood and most misused of all the punctuations. Mark Boone, Writing Centre Tutor, Dallas Baptist University claims that, “The most recurrent error in English today is that of placing the comma in front of a restrictive element (that portion of a sentence that is grammatically necessary to complete the meaning of the sentence) and leaving out the comma following a non-restrictive element” (that portion of a sentence that is not grammatically necessary to complete the meaning of the sentence).
Work Cited entries:
Boone, Mark. “The second comma in nonrestrictive element.” March 2009.
http://www.genocites.com/markboone
Magill, Martha, L. “A Brief History of Reading.” Received from the World Wide Web. April 2009.