Translation is an art, rather than a science, and in some cases there isn’t an exact duplicate of a word or phrase in other languages. This is especially true for Japanese and English, two languages with very different origins and two very different approaches to grammar and meaning. As an example, let’s consider the English …
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Some people would say that oral speech is more difficult than writing; however, others also think the other way around. In writing, punctuation rules are one of the most vexatious concerns. Punctuations, such as commas, provide further meaning to the reader because of their ability to alert the initiation of pauses. Pauses are then essential …
Commas can be tricky. On top of that, “thus” can be a tricky word. “Thus” can mean “in this way” or “like this.” It can also have the same meaning as the words “consequently,” “therefore,” and “as a result of.” Knowing when a comma is needed with the word “thus” depends in part on which …
Despite popular belief, the rules for using commas in a sentence don’t depend on what comes before or after a specific word. Another common misconception is that you need a comma any time you would pause when speaking. The truth is that the purpose of a comma is to provide clarity to a sentence by …
The use of commas in written English may already seem as clear as mud. Similarly, cohesive devices such as pronominal adverbs may also make a learner feel like twisting a knife. Despite being intimidating in nature, the function of commas and pronominal adverbs remains hugely the same which is to logically bind words, phrases, or …
When it comes to punctuation, the comma is probably the most used punctuation next to the period. However, unlike the period, using commas can be tricky which can lead to committing errors in their use. These mistakes can make your writing less effective, especially when readers have a harder time understanding due to the improper …
Orthography is the study of a given language’s writing conventions. In English, for example, orthography deals not just with spelling and grammar, but also with punctuation marks like the period or exclamation mark and the use of spaces. Of course, every language has its own conventions. Japanese orthography in particular has to contend with three …
Everyone knows their address, but it’s a fact that many people experience anxiety when asked to enter that address into a form or write it on an envelope. What should be a simple matter of putting in a street name, a street number and possibly apartment or suite number becomes unnecessarily complicated by arcane …
Ask anyone who’s ever written an essay how he or she feels about commas and you’re likely to receive a groan for an answer. Despite the comma hate, this piece of punctuation has only a few basic rules. Part of the problem is that writers tend to hyper-focus on how commas interact with specific words. …