以下是摘錄自張伯權先生為張世明先生的著作作序的一小段內文：「標點的故事」；我覺得很有趣，與大家分享。

標點的故事

有關標點符號功用的故事，中文裡流傳最廣的，當然是徐文長的那張條子：「下雨天留客天留我不留」。其實這一句話，可以有七種點法，七種不同的意思。

現代人喜歡拿來訓誨別人的一句話─「做大事，不做大官。」─也有人將它改成「做大事？不，做大官。」你覺得怎麼樣？

還有，路邊牆上常見的一個標語。「過往人等，不得在此小便。」好事者提筆一改，便成了：「過往人，等不得，在此小便。」

類似的故事，英文裡也很多。

有個年輕人和未婚妻吵嘴，遞了一張紙條給她：
“Woman without her man is a savage.”
( 沒有男人的女人是蠻子。 )

美麗的少女也不甘示弱，原物奉還，不過添加了幾個符號：
“Woman! without her, man is a savage.”
( 女人！缺少了她，男人就成了蠻子。 )

這樣的「標點戰爭」，西洋史上最有名的是哲學家伏爾泰以二個逗點挫辱腓特列大帝的故事。

有一次，伏爾泰因故觸忤腓特列大帝，王一怒下詔曰：
“Frederick the Great declares Voltaire is an ass.”
( 腓特列大帝宣諭伏爾泰是個驢蛋。 )

伏爾泰豈是省油之燈，僅僅添了二撇，便狠狠回戟一槍：
“Frederick the Great, declares Voltaire, is an ass.”
( 伏爾泰向世人宣佈，腓特列大帝是個驢蛋。 )


參考書籍：
書名：現代英文標點
編者：張世明
出版社：河馬文化出版社

附註：各位也可以在網路上搜尋相關的文章，英文的例句 “Woman without her man is a savage.” 有不同的點法。

Hi Elinortw

I wanted to know what you wrote when I saw some of the english and since I do not know how to read what you wrote I translated it but I am not sure of all the text I did understand what you were writing. I know that some of it may not be correct but I tried to know what you were sharing with the members of the site.... If i did make a mistake please correct it...... Thank You

eastcoast
Dave B


Below is the extract makes the foreword from Mr. Zhang Poch'uan for Mr. Zhang Shihming work a young Duan 內文: "Punctuation story"; I think very interesting, with everybody share.

Punctuation story

The related punctuation mark function story, in Chinese spreads broadly, certainly is Xu length of text that strip: "Under the rainy day keeps a guest the day to keep me not to remain". Actually this speech, may have seven kind of spots law, seven different meanings.

The modern people like bringing 訓誨 an others' speech - "to achieve the great accomplishment, is not the high official." - Also some people alter to it "do the important matter? No, is the high official." How do you think?

Also, in road frontier wall a common slogan. "The passing person and so on, must in this urination." 好事者 takes pen in hand as soon as changes, then has become: "The passing person, and so on must, in this urination."

The similar story, in English very are also many.

Had young people and the fiancee quarrels, hands over a paper to give her:
"Woman without her man is a savage."
(Does not have the man the woman is the barbarian. )

The beautiful young girl also unwillingly shows weakness, the original presents also, but increased several marks:
"Woman! Without her, man is a savage. "
(Woman! Has lacked her, the man has become the barbarian. )

What such "the punctuation war", in the Western history is most famous is philosopher Voltaire frustrates the shame by two commas 腓 especially to arrange in order the big emperor's story.

Once, Voltaire because therefore touches disobedient 腓 especially arranges in order the big emperor, a king anger issues an imperial order said that,
"Frederick the Great declares Voltaire is an ass."
(腓 especially arranges in order the big emperor to proclaim edict Voltaire is the donkey egg. )

Voltaire can it be that saves lamp of the oil, merely added two has cast aside, then maliciously returned to a halberd gun:
"Frederick the Great, declares Voltaire, is an ass."
(Voltaire announced to the common people that, 腓 especially arranges in order the big emperor is the donkey egg. )


Reference books:
Book title: Modern English punctuation
Editor: Zhang Shihming
Publishing house: Hippopotamus culture publishing house

Annotate: Everybody also may search for the related article in the network, English illustrative sentence "Woman without her man is a savage." Has the different spot law.

we used to doing this kind of test in high school times,it reflected me my childhood life. haha

Dear EastCoast,

I hope you can understand my poor translation. And I will be much appreciated any member’s helping hand to correct any mistakes in my contents. It is a hard but rewarding assignment.

Elinor



The following is the extract called “The Story of Punctuation” from the foreword made by Zhang Bo-quan for the work of Zhang Shi-ming. I think that’s very interesting and would like to share with you all.

The Story of Punctuation

There are some stories related to how effective the punctuation works in Chinese. The famous one that spreads broadly is the note made by Xu Wen-chang: “On the rainy day keeps a guest the day to keep me not to remain” (Xia4 Yu3 Tian1 Liu2 Ke4 Tian1 Liu2 Wo3 Bu4 Liu2). Actually, this sentence may have seven kinds of outcome in punctuation and seven different meanings.

Nowadays, some like to take this line as a motto in teaching people – “To achieve the great accomplishment, not to be in the top-ranking official.” But some modify it “To achieve the great accomplishment? No. Be in the top-ranking official.” What do you think?

In addition, a common slogan on the walls beside roads is another example: “The passersby and so on, no urinating.” A passerby intends to show off and changes it into a different meaning: “The passersby, unable to wait for a second, urinate.”

There are also many similar stories in English.

A young man has a quarrel with his fiancée. He hands on a piece of paper to her:
"Woman without her man is a savage."
(The woman has become a barbarian without a man.)

The beautiful young lady unwillingly shows her weakness, returning back the sheet of paper and adding a couple of marks:
"Woman! Without her, man is a savage.”
(Woman! Lack of her, the man has become a barbarian.)

Such stories of “war of punctuation” have happened in the Western history. The famous one is that the philosopher Voltaire frustrates and humiliates Frederick the Great by two commas.

Once, Voltaire has offended and irritated Frederick the Great for some reason. And then, the king gets angry and issues an imperial order:
"Frederick the Great declares Voltaire is an ass."
(Frederick the Great announces Voltaire is a donkey.)

Voltaire a man of wisdom merely adds two commas in the announcement and maliciously returns it back.
"Frederick the Great, declares Voltaire, is an ass."
(Voltaire proclaims Frederick the Great is a donkey.)



Reference:
Title: Modern English Punctuation
Translator & Editor: Zhang Shi-ming
Publisher: Hippopotamus Culture Publisher

P.S. You may also search for the related articles on the Internet. And you will get different results of punctuation in the above-mentioned English sentence “Woman without her man is a savage.”