Monday, August 1, 2016

Do you know/understand what a virgule is?



I feel/ suspect that you, like me till today, have no idea what a virgule is. Nor how to properly pronounce it (\VUR-gyool\) But while you may not know/understand what a virgule is, I believe/know that you see and use them regularly.  In fact in just reading this far, you have seen/read six of them so far and will see another five before you finish. If you finish!

So what is a virgule? According to Word of the day for July 28/2016, a virgule is 1. a short oblique stroke (/) between two words indicating that whichever is appropriate may be chosen to complete the sense of the text in which they occur: The defendant and his/her attorney must appear in court.
2. a dividing line, as in dates, fractions, a run-in passage of poetry to show verse division, etc.: 3/21/27;

 So a virgule is a thing most of us use regularly without knowing its name and are happy enough about that so far, not to even want to know its name. Which is fine for things I guess but not fine when we treat people like that, is it?

I wonder how many of us treat people like we treat the virgule. We see them, even use them or their services, but barely recognise them, let alone know their names. Maybe you are even being treated like a virgule yourself. What say you from your perspective and what can you do about it. Wood love to hear from you on this subject. TOWPG.