Language/Multiple-languages/Grammar/Punctuation-of-many-languages
Welcome to our lesson on "Punctuation of many languages"! π
In this lesson, we will explore the fascinating world of punctuation across various languages.
Punctuation: it's more than just dots and lines. It's a tool that gives our words shape, adds rhythm to our sentences, and subtly conveys meaning beyond the words themselves. Yet, punctuation isn't the same in every language. It varies, reflecting the unique structures and styles of different languages.
This page is designed to provide you with references and offer comparisons of punctuation usage in various languages.
- Other related lessons: As you dive into this topic, you may also find it helpful to explore other related pages, such as TeKaMoLo in multiple languages, which can provide you with a deeper understanding of grammar rules in different languages. Additionally, you might be interested in learning about Multiple-languages Culture - Techniques for learning languages to enhance your language learning journey. And don't forget to check out Various word orders in various languages to further expand your knowledge of grammar structures across languages. Enjoy your exploration, and happy language learning! π
Symbol[edit | edit source]
The most common[edit | edit source]
Note: the followings are scripts instead of languages.
script | comma | full stop / period | question mark | exclamation mark | parentheses | colon | semicolon |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
βΉ | . | π₯ β¦ Ψ | ! β¦ π₯ | (β¦) | : | β |
|
Ψ
common βΉ Sindhi |
.
common Ϋ Urdu |
Ψ | ! | (β¦) | : | Ψ |
|
, | Φ | Υ | Υ | (β¦) | β€ | ; |
|
κ΅ | κ³ | κ· | ! | (β¦) | κ΄ | κΆ |
|
, | ΰ₯€
common . alternative |
? | ! | (β¦) | : | ; |
|
α | α
common α when ends with a verb |
αΈα | ! | (β¦) | β | ; |
|
, | . | ? | ! | (β¦) | : | ; |
|
, | ΰ₯€
common . Marathi |
? | ! | (β¦) | : | ; |
|
, | . | ; | ! | (β¦) | : | β§ |
|
α£ | α’ | α§ | ! | (β¦) | α₯ | α€ |
|
οΌ | γ | οΌ | οΌ | οΌβ¦οΌ | οΌ | οΌ |
|
γ
vertical; horizontal JichishΕ standard οΌ horizontal MonbushΕ standard |
γ | οΌ | οΌ | οΌβ¦οΌ | οΌ | οΌ |
|
,
horizontal γ vertical |
. | ? | ! | (β¦) | : | ; |
|
α | α | ? | ! | (β¦) | α | ; |
|
, | . | ?
common ΒΏβ¦? Spanish, Catalan |
!
common Β‘β¦! Spanish, Catalan |
(β¦) | : | ; |
|
κΎ | κΏ | ? | ! | (β¦) | : | ; |
|
πΊ | πΊ | ? | ! | (β¦) | : | ; |
|
α
Manchu |
α
Manchu |
? | ! | (β¦) | : | ; |
|
ίΈ | . | ? | ίΉ | (β¦) | : | ; |
|
π | . | ? | ίΉ | (β¦) | : | ; |
|
πͺ | πͺ | πͺ | πͺ | πͺ | ||
|
, | .
new ΰ·΄ old |
? | ! | (β¦) | : | ; |
|
(none) | (space) | ? | ! | (β¦) | : | ; |
|
,
new κ old |
.
new κ old |
κ | κκ | (β¦) | : | ; |
Note:
- Punctuation in Han and Japanese are full-width
- Some symbols look the same, but they have different Unicode codes.
Quotation marks[edit | edit source]
language | primary | secondary | spacing |
---|---|---|---|
|
ββ¦β | ββ¦β | English: 1β2 pt
Welsh: 1β2 pt |
|
ββ¦β | ββ¦β | English: 1β2 pt
Chinese: fullwidth Irish: 1β2 pt |
|
ββ¦β | ||
|
ββ¦β
ββ¦β |
||
|
ββ¦β | ββ¦β | |
|
ββ¦β
ββ¦β |
ββ¦β | |
|
ββ¦β | ββ¦β | |
|
ββ¦β | ββ¦β | |
|
ββ¦β | ββ¦β | |
|
ββ¦β | Β«β¦Β» | none |
|
ββ¦β | Β»β¦Β« | |
|
ββ¦β | Β»β¦Β« | |
|
ββ¦β | ββ¦β | |
|
ββ¦β | ββ¦β
ββ¦β |
|
|
ββ¦β | ββ¦β | |
|
ββ¦β | ββ¦β | |
|
ββ¦β | Georgian: none | |
|
Β«β¦Β» β | βΉβ¦βΊ β | |
|
Β«β¦Β» β | ββ¦β
Β«β¦Β» |
ΒΌ em |
|
Β«β¦Β» β | ββ¦β | Catalan: none |
|
Β«β¦Β» β | ββ¦β | Russian: none
Ukranian: none |
|
Β«β¦Β» | ββ¦β
ββ¦β |
|
|
Β«β¦Β» β | ββ¦β | |
|
Β«β¦Β» β | ββ¦β | |
|
Β«β¦Β»β | Arabic: optional | |
|
γβ¦γ |
γβ¦γ |
|
|
Β»β¦Β«
"β¦" |
βΊβ¦βΉ
ββ¦β |
|
|
γβ¦γ γβ¦γ |
γβ¦γ γβ¦γ |
|
|
γβ¦γ | γβ¦γ | |
|
lu β¦ li'u |
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotation_mark
Decimal separator[edit | edit source]
punctuation | . | Β· | , | Ω« |
---|---|---|---|---|
country or region |
|
|
|
|
punctuation | . | , | Ω« |
---|---|---|---|
constructed language |
|
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_separator
Digit group delimiter[edit | edit source]
punctuation | , | . | ' | (space) |
---|---|---|---|---|
country or region |
|
|
|
|
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_separator
Usage[edit | edit source]
Space[edit | edit source]
to separate words | to separate sentences | to separate syllables | |
---|---|---|---|
|
β | ||
|
β | ||
|
β | ||
|
Comma[edit | edit source]
to separate a series of words, phrases or clauses | to form a compound sentence | to introduce a quote | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
|
β | β | β | |
Enumeration comma[edit | edit source]
to separate words in a list | |||
---|---|---|---|
|
|||
Period[edit | edit source]
Question mark[edit | edit source]
to indicate a direct question | |
---|---|
|
β |
|
β‘ |
Exclamation mark[edit | edit source]
to indicate an exclamation | to indicate a command | to be used with imperative mood | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
|
β | β | ||
|
β | β | ||
Quotation marks[edit | edit source]
to indicate direct speech | to indicate special meaning | |
---|---|---|
|
β | β |
Colon[edit | edit source]
to indicate a series of words | to indicate description | to indicate explanation | to indicate definition | |
---|---|---|---|---|
|
β | β | β | β |
Semicolon[edit | edit source]
to separate two series of words or phrases | to separate two closely related independent clauses | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
|
β | β | ||
Hyphen[edit | edit source]
to form a compound word | to connect letters in spelling | to connect groups of digit in a nominal number | to form an interrupted word | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
β | β | β | β | |
En dash[edit | edit source]
to indicate a range of number | to separate two scores in a game | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
|
β | β | ||
Em dash[edit | edit source]
to further explain a word, phrase or clause | to express an opinion in a sentence | ||
---|---|---|---|
|
β | β | |
Wave dash[edit | edit source]
to indicate a range of number | |||
---|---|---|---|
|
β | ||
Ellipse[edit | edit source]
to indicate omission of quote | to indicate omission of a series of word | to indicate intermittent speech | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
β | β | β | ||
Round brackets[edit | edit source]
|
|||
---|---|---|---|
Square brackets[edit | edit source]
|
|||
---|---|---|---|
Curly brackets[edit | edit source]
|
|||
---|---|---|---|
Angle brackets[edit | edit source]
to indicate a title | |||
---|---|---|---|
|
|||
Lenticular brackets[edit | edit source]
|
||
---|---|---|
Hex brackets[edit | edit source]
to indicate the serial number of an official document | to indicate the nationality or dynasty of the author | ||
---|---|---|---|
|
β | β | |
Slash[edit | edit source]
|
|||
---|---|---|---|
Apostrophe[edit | edit source]
to indicate omission of letters | to indicate possessive case | to separate morphemes | to indicate elision | to indicate a glottal stop | to indicate palatalisation or non-palatalisation | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
β | β | ||||||
Interpunct[edit | edit source]
to separate syllables in confusion | to distinguish specific graphemes | to separate words of foreign proper names | to separate a series of words | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
β | ||||
|
β | ||||
|
β | β | |||
|
β | ||||
Musical note[edit | edit source]
to indicate singing | ||
---|---|---|
|
β | |
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Exhaustive Inflection
- Use an Adposition or Affix
- Various word orders in various languages
- Common Mistakes
- Order of Adjectives
- Disjunctive questions
- TeKaMoLo in multiple languages