Humour Quote by Lynne Truss
““Yes, you can see the bullet points here, here and here, sir; there are multiple back-slashes, of course. And that’s a forward slash. I would have to call this a frenzied attack. Did anyone hear the interrobang?” “Oh yes. Woman next door was temporarily deafened by it. What’s this?” “Ah. You don’t see many of these any more. It’s an emoticon. Hold your head this way and it appears to be winking.” “Good God! You mean – ?” “That’s the mouth.” “You mean – ?” “That’s the nose.” “Good grief Then it’s – ?” “Oh yes, sir. There’s no doubt about it, sir. The Punctuation Murderer has struck again.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Punctuation Murderer, 2015
The passage humorously critiques over‑punctuation and the absurdity of modern typographic symbols.
In simple terms: Too many punctuation marks can become confusing and comedic.
Use punctuation purposefully, not excessively.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- writing
- editing
- digital messaging
- design
- education
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does punctuation affect readability?
- When does visual flair become distraction?
Excessive symbols may obscure meaning.