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I received this recently from a well-informed and smart young lady.--
HI Scott,
I read an article in the Tribune yesterday that informed me that only those who took ‘typing’ place two spaces between sentences. Those who took ‘keyboarding’ use one space. The more I researched this I find that indeed there should only be one space between sentences and this became the norm somewhere in the 90’s. Well, this is the first I am hearing of it and I am deeply troubled. I don’t think I can retrain my fingers!
Years ago you wrote on Nincompoopery about the Oxford comma. I am very much against using a comma before the conjunction and am very vocal on this topic. I am wondering what your thoughts are about this nonsense of the single space between sentences.
Please advise.
Cheers!
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Yes, in fact one space is now the norm. It is, however, a norm I refuse to follow; I think a double space is still the correct answer. I chalk it up to laziness and youth's inability to hold a complete thought in their head.
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The people who bring us this travesty are the same ones that use "thru" for through, "c u" for see you and "literally" when meaning figuratively.
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I do have a funny story on this. My friend Lynn, at the time a paralegal, gave something to a proof-reader at a law firm. The proof-reader, rather than just explaining the "new" punctuation, struck out every single double space in a 30 page document with a bright red pen. It was, I believe, proof of Lynn's patience that she didn't tell this proof reader to pound sand.
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The best advice I ever got on writing and punctuation was from my USC English TA who said, "The best use of punctuation is that which makes your intent clear!" Which is why, unfortunately, I tend to use the dash in uncalled for - but helpful - ways.