That Disgraceful, Disreputable, (Wonderful) Form of Punctuation: The Parenthesis
This article explores the historical evolution and literary significance of the parenthesis in English writing. It traces the punctuation mark's origins to the 16th century and its role in reflecting human interiority and interrupted speech.
Why it matters
Understanding the history of language and punctuation provides context for how modern communication and literary expression have developed over centuries.
Shakespeare and friends would call punctuation “distinctions,” according to the Latin tradition, or “pointing,” because of the medieval practice of placing dots or points at different levels of the line. The first occurrence of the word “punctuation” happens in the French dialogue book Orthoepia Gallica from 1593 by translator and language teacher John Eliot, whose funny and colloquial conversations in facing columns on the page influenced Shakespeare’s witty repartee. Eliot challenges London French teachers to “find fault” with his “pricks, nicks, and tricks,” referring to his punctuation and rhetoric.
He was certainly a flamboyantly creative writer and inspired teacher; yet one can take him seriously here: “Pricks” performed “tricks” as punctuation became a vehicle to think about the technological revolutions of the time, gender relationships, and literary genres reflecting social and historical concerns like kingship or geographical exploration.
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