The death of punctuation—a tragedy rivaled only by the demise of cursive handwriting and the extinction of common sense. According to Rita El Khoury at Android Authority, we can thank Apple’s iPhone keyboard for this grammatical apocalypse. (Android Authority) By hiding essential marks like commas and periods behind a symbol switch, Apple apparently decided that proper sentence structure is as outdated as the BlackBerry.
Imagine the thought process: “Let’s design a keyboard that makes accessing basic punctuation a quest worthy of Indiana Jones.” Because who needs clarity in communication when you can have a sleek design that prioritizes form over function? It’s as if Apple believes that pausing mid-sentence to hunt for a comma is a delightful user experience.
But let’s not place all the blame on Apple’s minimalist keyboard. Enter the Millennials and Gen Z, generations so enamored with speed and brevity that they’ve turned punctuation into an optional accessory. Why bother with periods when you can let your sentences run on like a never-ending tweet? After all, who has time for those pesky dots when you’re busy crafting the perfect emoji-laden message?
The decline of punctuation isn’t just a matter of laziness; it’s a full-blown assault on the English language. Consider the comma, once a proud separator of clauses, now reduced to a mere suggestion. Without it, we get gems like “Let’s eat Grandma” instead of the far less cannibalistic “Let’s eat, Grandma.” Or how about the classic mix-up between “I love cooking my family and my pets” versus the more humane “I love cooking, my family, and my pets”? Commas save lives, people.
And then there’s the period, the definitive full stop that signals the end of a thought. In the digital age, it’s become a relic, often replaced by the dreaded ellipsis… a punctuation mark that older generations wield like a passive-aggressive sword. Gen Z finds this use of ellipses anxiety-inducing, interpreting it as a sign of something left unsaid or a looming threat. (New York Post)
The erosion of punctuation isn’t just an aesthetic concern; it has real-world implications. In South Australia, education leaders have linked declining literacy scores to students’ reliance on texting slang and emojis, which erode their understanding of proper grammar and writing skills. (Adelaide Now) When “LOL” and smiley faces become substitutes for coherent sentences, it’s no wonder that formal writing skills are deteriorating.
But fear not, for technology offers solutions to the problems it creates. Apple’s “Smart Punctuation” feature, for instance, aims to automatically correct punctuation as you type. Unfortunately, it often inserts random commas where they’re not needed, turning your messages into a grammatical minefield. (Apple Support Communities) It’s like having a well-meaning but clueless editor who thinks every pause in your speech deserves a comma.
So, are we really so lazy that we can’t be bothered to use a period? It seems the answer is a resounding “yes.” We’ve sacrificed clarity and precision on the altar of convenience and speed. The iPhone’s keyboard design may have handed us the shovel, but we’ve been all too eager to dig punctuation’s grave.
In the end, the downfall of civilization may not come from war or famine but from our collective abandonment of the comma and period. As we continue to butcher the English language in the name of efficiency, one can’t help but wonder: Is it really that hard to tap an extra key? Or have we simply decided that proper grammar is too much of a hassle in our fast-paced, emoji-filled world?
Perhaps it’s time to stage a punctuation revival. Let’s bring back the comma, the period, and even—dare I say it—the semicolon. Because if we don’t, we might as well prepare for a future where “Let’s eat Grandma” is taken literally, and the death of punctuation leads to the death of clear communication.
Share your thoughts...