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What Writers Argue About (funny)
- Thread starter GeekDavid
- Start date
druidofwinter
Sage
One space after a period. 
teacup
Auror
...I wasn't even aware people did 2 spaces after a period.
- Thread starter
- #4
GeekDavid
Auror
When I was a kid, when it was typewriters instead of word processors, the rule was 2 spaces at the end of a sentence.
CupofJoe
Myth Weaver
Some old-school journals were still demanding two-spaces-after-period as part of their formatting for printed submissions... It is supposed to make text easier to read/understand; I have been told.
I still do two spaces after each period. It was drilled into me in school, so it doesn't feel right otherwise.
- Thread starter
- #7
GeekDavid
Auror
If memory serves, MS Word actually flags that if you have their grammar checker turned on. I tend to keep it turned off so I'm not sure.
I learned of this only recently.
From what I recall it's related to readability on text written on typewriters (like GeekDavid mentioned). Presumably it's because typewriters always have the same width letters and always move the paper forward the same amount when pressing a key. Keeping that in mind it may very well be easier to read that way.
Personally I only ever put one space after a period.
Yep, it is left over from typewriter days. I used to use two spaces, but now I just use one.
I was taught two spaces after a period, and I'm not very old. I still do it, but the internet only keeps one space, so it barely matters.
I've never seen writers argue about it, though.
I've never seen writers argue about it, though.
Butterfly
Auror
Period!? It's a full-stop.
- Thread starter
- #12
GeekDavid
Auror
Oh, now you've just opened up a whole new can of worms there...
I'm a two spaces girl, all the way, but I was trained by my mother, who is really old school.
Lawfire
Sage
I was taught two as well. It is a very hard habit to break (for me at least).
I was taught two in primary school and one in secondary school. I prefer how one space looks, it flows better and the overall visual is without those annoying white spaces. I'm definitely a one spacer.
And yes, it's a full stop. A period is what happens once a month.
And yes, it's a full stop. A period is what happens once a month.
teacup
Auror
Chilari, what happens once a month should be the full stop.
Ireth
Myth Weaver
All through school I was taught to put one space after a full stop, but as soon as I started looking for "standard manuscript formatting", the majority seem to say two spaces is correct. I've gotten into the habit of using two spaces in my manuscripts and one everywhere else.
Zero Angel
Auror
You must be very young. I didn't learn two spaces until some update of Microsoft Word after I was in college when they started telling me I was grammatically incorrect for doing what I had been forced to do in both handwriting and on computer my entire school career.
It's not too hard to get over though. Especially, if you type at all quickly. The double space is too much thumb action.
Although, I just gave myself nostalgia through the muscle memory of double-spacing, so THAT'S SOMETHING.
Never heard of full-stop before, but I totally support this choice.
Although, I'm not quite sure I get the objection that periods being slang for menstruation means that is only appropriate for that use. How do you describe how long it takes to repeat for trig functions? Or units of time in history? Picasso's Blue Full-Stop?
You can also find and replace when you're done to get rid of double spaces.
I was only joking, and the joke wouldn't have been as funny if I'd put in historical periods and suchlike as well. Also I've never considered "period" to be slang for menstruation, just a word for it that's fairly normal.
Full stop is the British word for the punctuation mark Americans call a period. I believe it's also the root of the telegraph word STOP used at the end of sentences because morse code doesn't have punctation.
