Is it Important to use Punctuation Mark in Text Messages?

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3 years ago
Topics: Randomarticles

I am struggling with what topic shall I write about today. I do not have any plans to publish any articles tonight as I have work-related stuff that needs to be done, actually. However, the work related stuff I am talking about has some dependencies. This means we cannot start with our work yet till we have received the go-signal from our upward dependency to proceed.

Hence, since I am already in front of my computer, I thought of writing an article to make my mind stay awake while waiting for our upstream to give us the go signal to proceed with our tonight's work.

This topic came into my mind cause a while ago, I and my husband went into the grocery to buy school supplies for my kids in preparation for their start of school this upcoming Monday.

While we're queueing at the parking lot, somebody texted my husband, and so he replied supposedly with a question but he did not put a question mark at the end. So I gently told him, it looks like a statement and not a question. He might get confused about that. But he insisted to me that "no!. He will for sure know that it's a question" in Tagalog.

Does Punctuation Mark Matters in Text Messages?

Image source: http://localtextmarketers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/text-message.jpg

For me? Yes, it matters.

It helps the reader or message receiver to understand the sentence easily. Punctuation marks help the writer/s to express their feeling through words.

Nowadays, one of the main communication means between two or more people that are distant from each other is via Cell Phone. A person can now instantly send his/her message to another person via text message or FB Messenger.

We are talking to someone face to face, it's easier to understand the message that he or she is trying to convey through his or her facial expression and body language. This is the main problem or challenge if we are talking to someone through text message or messenger.

All that we can see from our screen are characters, words, and sentence/s. Punctuation helps us understand or give us a clue on how sad, how happy, or how strong those words that he/she texted you. Punctuation helps us avoid confusion.

Let me site you some of examples:

Apostrophe ('). The meaning of a sentence can be easily changed by just missing an apostrophe (').

Examples of these are:

  • its (associated with the mentioned subject)

    versus

    it's (shortened "it is")

  • your (associated with the person that the writer/sender is addressing)

    versus

    you're (shortened "you are"

  • were (past tense of are)

    versus we're (shortened "we are").

Exclamation point (!). The exclamation point can be used to show how excited, surprised, or happy the sender is.

Examples of this are:

  • Oh My God! I passed the licensure exam!

    versus

    Oh My God I passed the licensure exam

  • Watch out!

    versus

    Watch out

Which one expresses more feelings?

Question mark (?). In English, we can easily know if a statement is a question cause it usually starts in What, Where, When, How. But in Tagalog, some sentences are difficult to distinguish if it's a statement or a question if the sender/writer did not add the question mark at the end.

For example:

  • Kumain ka na. In English, this could mean Did you ate already? or this could also mean a "command" to the receiver/reader to eat.

  • Sa akin ito. In English, this could mean "Is this mine"? or this could also mean "This is mine".

If you're the reader or the receiver of the aforementioned message that has no punctuation mark, how are you gonna comprehend?

Kung ako siguro yan, magpapause muna ako for a while, mag iisip saglit at magbabackread para maintindihan ko kung anong gusto nyang sabihin.

Comma (,). A comma is being used to separate multiple items in a group or a list. Comma denotes a short pause for the reader.

For Example:

  • Can you please buy me an apple 1/2 kilograms of grapes 2 bananas 1 watermelon 5 Sunkist 6 oranges 1 kilogram of eggplant 2 kilograms of rice and 6 pcs eggs

    versus

  • Can you please buy me an apple, 1/2 kilograms of grapes, 2 bananas, 1 watermelon, 5 Sunkist, 6 oranges, 1 kilogram of eggplant, 2 kilograms of rice, and 6 pcs eggs?

Aminin, medyo hiningal ka nung binasa yung unang statement.

Author's note:

I am not saying that the use of proper punctuation should be mandatory for text messages but as much as possible, please make it a habit as it can save you and your message receiver from having a misunderstanding.

Punctuation marks add more feeling and meaning to a sentence.

Before I end this article, just wanna take this opportunity to send gratitude to my lovely sponsors. Many thanks for your support.

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3 years ago
Topics: Randomarticles

Comments

I myself can confidently says that I'm using the right punctuation even in a casual conversation with a friend. I know how important it is and I know that it might lead to a misunderstanding when I didn't put the right things. Yung iba po kasi bahala na, nag tatanong without question marks.

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3 years ago

yep which leads to confusion right? ewan ko ba bakit tinatamad maglagay ng punctuation yung iba samantalang may iba nga na over-used naman :)

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3 years ago

Yes, punctuation marks dapat gamitin ng mabuti. It changes the meaning of a text kasi and it does save miscommunication. Yung iba nga lang tamad na, jejemon pa hehehe

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3 years ago

korek sis..parang yung kapatid ko na lalaki, minsan di ko nagegets ang sinasabi, kaya kailangan ko pang itanong..jejemon ba naman magtext

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3 years ago

Hehe pero nakakaintriga yung pagiging jeje nila sis..di ko talaga magets

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3 years ago

same here...di ko din magets kung anong benefits

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3 years ago

Katamaran ata sis

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3 years ago

parang di naman sis..kasi mas mahaba pa yung tinatype nila minsan kesa sa kung yung totoong word ang gagamitin...halimbawa yung "po" ginagawa nilang "pows"

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3 years ago

Sabagay sis

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3 years ago

For me it is a definite yes! I mean you don't want others to misinterpret you, right?

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3 years ago

Indeedn.. Punctuation marks give clarity to the message

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3 years ago

Para po sa akin mas importante pa din pag may punctuation yung text para alam nila kung nagtatanong ba tayo o nag uutos. Nakakalito kasi minsan pag walang punctuation marks yung text

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3 years ago

Yes po.. Nag ko cause talaga ng confusion

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3 years ago

Minsan makalimutan ko yung paggamit ng punctuation lalo nat nagmamadali😅kaya nalilito yung nakabasa ng message ko.

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3 years ago

Mas nagtatagal nga ang usapan nyo sis.. Kasi tatanungin ka pa nya kung anong gusto mong sabihin

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3 years ago

True😁

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3 years ago

I remember before, un isa kong friend kaag nagtetext sa akin eh laging may question mark sa dulo. Kaya lage ko sya nirerepkayan, kung nagtatanong ba sya ,hahahaha.. Then may isa pa hindi naman sa text. Dito yun sa read. Nabasa ko un article nya, wala talagang period or comma. I mean magkaroon man eh sobrang dalang. Kaya habang binabasa ko eh parang naghahabol ako ng hininga😂

Kya for me it really matyers talaga, para mas maiparating yun gusto mo sabihin ng maayos.

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3 years ago

Korek sis.. Kasi parang kungvpaano nila ainulat ganun din natin babasahin

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3 years ago

yes ganun nga kaya importante tlaga un

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3 years ago

Di ko pala namention sa article ko na yung asawa ko ay parang naiinis dahil hindi daw nagrerepl, eh kapatid nya yung kausap.. Pagcheck ko wala naman question mark yung chat nya.. "Uwi ka mindoro" ganyan lang, wala din tuldok

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3 years ago

naguluhan siguro kapatid nya kung ano ibig nya sabiin,haha

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3 years ago

Korek... Nagtalo nga kami ng slight.. Ayaw nya kasi icorrect tapos naiinis sya kasi wala daw manlang reply.. Kalerkey

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3 years ago

For me, YES!! may mga kaibigan akong hindi gumagamit ng punctuation marks, nakakalito ling nag tatanong ba sila o ano.

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3 years ago

kaya nga sis..hehee..misleading diba?

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3 years ago

sobraaaa, ang ganda ng article nyo po. unique

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3 years ago

Wow.. Thanks po sa compliment

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3 years ago

I like this and you are completely right. I always appreciate when people are at least trying to write correctly. Like... You didn't go to school for nothing, use the punctuation, alright? Or I won't know what you are trying to say. :D

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3 years ago

agreed of course :).

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3 years ago

Sis nagkaroon pa ko NG kaaway dahil da punctuation na yan. Kasi sabi nya "kumain ka na na." kita mo period yun dulo, so kumain na ko kasi parang inutusan nya ko. Then nalaman nya kumain na ko, sabi ko sabi mo kasi kumain na ko, sagot sakin, tinatanong kita Kung kumain ka na, Di ko sinabi na kumain ka na. Pinakita ko yun text, abay pinag laban nya na wala siyang sinabi at tinatanong daw ako. Wala naman question mark pano naging tanung yun? Kairita

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3 years ago

ahahaha...same sila ni mister ko...di ata marunong gumamit ng question mark. Ganyan din magtext si mister kaya palagi ko din nasisita :D..Diba? akala nila matik na gets yun nung kausap nila pero di nila alam, mukha syang statement or utos minsan.

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3 years ago

Oo kasi mag kaiba yun, yan ang na gagawa NG punctuation Mark. Pag walang tamang punctuation, magulo ang usapan

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3 years ago

truth sis. kayang mag iba ang kahulugan pag maling punctuation mark ang gamit

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3 years ago

For me yes, It matters a lot. Because It helps the reader that what we are saying. Have a good night. (From noise.cash) JAwad75 here. ✌️

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3 years ago

oh it's you!...Nice meeting you here in read.cash :)...

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3 years ago

Nice to meet you too mate. ☺️

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3 years ago

Definitely!!!!! Ay natype :D

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3 years ago

ahahaha...o jeevaahhh

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3 years ago

Sabagay,minsan talaga nakakalito ung mga msgs na wla manlang mga punctuation mark,pro sa akin parang wla lang yata un..hahahha minsan ako nlang nag aadjust para wlang misunderstanding,bxta buo ung text,hndi tulad ng sa sis in law ko,ang pakay pala ay magpapaload tapos ung text nya sakin simpleng ""ATE"" oh dba??di ko talaga gets yan..🤣🤣

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3 years ago

ahahaha...ano yun may code ang kada message nya? pag ATE lang ibig sabihin pengeng load? hehehehe

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3 years ago

Hndi ko nga nagets sis kc madalas pag nagmemsg sakin un ganun lageh ung intro ""ATE"" di syempre ako sasagot lng din ng "Ano un?" Tapos di na magrereply,un pla wla ng load..minsan nmn nangungumusta pla kaya nag msg..hahahahha kaya Sabi KO pag nag msg siya kompletohin para maintindihan ko..hahahahha hirap kaya manghula.

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3 years ago

karamihan nga sa mga teenagers ngayon di ko din talaga magets ang mga message minsan...lalo na yung mga tinatawag na jejemon

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3 years ago