ABSTRACT
Word separation had been fully developed, and scribes began to exploit details of handwriting to ensure that individual letter forms were read as parts of larger patterns the word, the phrase and the sentence. The general repertory of punctuation developed from a progressive amalgamation of elements drawn from different earlier systems of punctuation, and was augmented from other specialized systems which appeared during the course of the Middle Ages. As each element was incorporated into the general repertory both its identity and specialized function as part of an earlier autonomous system were gradually forgotten by scribes and readers; other elements were either abandoned, or restricted to more specialized applications in general usage. The general repertory of punctuation in the later Middle Ages was based on four principal components. The parenthesis and the semi-colon reflect the needs of those who were accustomed to the habit of silent reading.
