ABSTRACT
THE FIRST thought of the unthinking will be: But surely no chapter is required? Why not a paragraph at the end of Chapter 9?
The matter is not quite so simple as that. Indeed, to avoid confusion, the chapter must first of all be divided into two parts, Punctuational and Non-Punctuational; then we must bear in mind that the latter has to deal not only with several of the marks or points or stops used in punctuation but also with asterisks. We shall be wise to consider first:
I: NON-PUNCTUATIONAL PLURALITIES
§ 1: Asterisks
The asterisk (*) qualifies for a place on two counts. First, it varies the dash, or a dot or dots, employed to signify either that a letter or letters are missing from (say) an inscription on stone or from a word in an ancient manuscript-or indeed, a modern manuscript or even a typescript or a printed book, damaged by fire or water or mould-or that a letter or letters have been intentionally omitted from an objectionable word. Thus:
d**n or d***, for d-n or d-, damn ku***mis, obviously kuklamis, the Greek xυxλαµíς, cyclamen Th** *an fell grievously ill (That man…).
