charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400
X-archive-position: 15958
X-listar-version: Listar v0.128a
Sender: ffml-bounce@fanfic.com
Errors-To: ffml-bounce@fanfic.com
X-original-sender: lwf58@earthlink.net
Precedence: bulk
X-list: ffml
[The following text is in the "iso-8859-1" character set]
[Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set]
[Some characters may be displayed incorrectly]
No spaces between the periods of an ellipsis. (Alexandria... and the
roof)
Excuse me? Are you saying an ellipsis does not have a space
between each dot?
If so what are you basing that on?
According to the source I use most often (The Gregg Reference
Manual, 7th Ed.) Allyn did it correctly the first time with
'plates . . . a blob'.
And although it wasn't quite right the second time with
'Alexandria' (two spaces in front of the first dot and no space
following the last dot) it was still essentially the correct way
to do it.
Fact is, an ellipsis doesn't have to be ' . . . ', though that
is the most common form. I've seen some authors use two hyphens
('--') for the same purpose as the three dots.
But if you are going to use three dots then they should be
separated by a space.
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Note that in this entry, the
dots are not separated by spaces. Also, because Allyn used them to
represent a pause, there wasn't anything at all wrong with the way he used
them. Here's the cut and pasted entry:
Main Entry: el�lip�sis
Pronunciation: i-'lip-s&s, e-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural el�lip�ses /-"sEz/
Etymology: Latin, from Greek elleipsis ellipsis, ellipse, from elleipein to
leave out, fall short, from en in + leipein to leave -- more at IN, LOAN
Date: 1540
1 a : the omission of one or more words that are obviously understood but
that must be supplied to make a construction grammatically complete b : a
sudden leap from one topic to another
2 : marks or a mark (as ... or � or --) indicating an omission (as of words)
or a pause.
Ja mata,
LarryF
http://lwf58.tripod.com