The birth of punctuation: from oral traditions to silent reading. Noun clusters. A wing wang in a mucket.

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

979. In the first segment, we unravel the mysteries surrounding the origins and transformation of punctuation. From the early days when words ran together without spaces, to the introduction of punctuation systems by scholars like Aristophanes, we explore how punctuation has played a pivotal role in shaping written communication.

In the second segment, we look at noun clusters that can gum up your writing. You'll see how simple steps like reordering, adding clarifying words, and transforming nouns into verbs can transform noun clusters from mind-bending to crystal clear.

> The punctuation segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com.

> The noun clusters segment was written by Samantha Enslen, who runs Dragonfly Editorial. You can find her at DragonflyEditorial.com.

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/punctuation-noun-clusters/transcript

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