Correct Punctuation within Parentheses

mattewg,

That's why the books I referenced recommend always putting the final punctuation mark just before closing the parentheses.

I don't do it that way, and that runs completely counter to my experience.

Look at sentence 1 by Get It Write.

Recent New York Times Articles (all articles are in today's 20 Sep 2004 NY Times Online).

1) http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-tech-summit-alcatel.html

``Last year we had 12 to 13 percent (market share). I believe it could be close to, if not more than, 15 percent this year. We penetrated provinces where we weren't before,'' he said.

2) http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/sports/sports-baseball-japan.html

The financial loss from the strike is estimated to run as high as 10 billion yen ($91.90 million).

3) http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-nuclear-iran.html

Uranium enrichment, which at a low level can be used to fuel nuclear power plants, is permitted under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

4) http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-kazakhstan-election.html

Early official results gave Nazarbayev's Otanparty a commanding lead followed by his eldest daughter Dariga's Asar (All Together).

5) http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/arts/entertainment-people-spears.html

Spears, 22, and Federline, 26, surprised their parents with the unexpected ceremony which took place about 7:30 p.m. at the home of a tailor who had custom-made the tuxedos for the groom and other men in the wedding, according to a report on the Web site of Star magazine (www.starmagazine.com).

6) http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/arts/entertainment-people-mitchelson.html

Born in Detroit, Mitchelson spent most of his life studying, living and working in the Los Angeles area. He wrote two books, including ``Made In Heaven, Settled In Court,''and ``Living Together'' (1981).

7) http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/arts/entertainment-arts-italy-loren.html

It would be 38 years before another Italian would win an Oscar for a starring role. Roberto Benigni clinched it in 1998 for his performance in La Vita e' Bella (Life is Beautiful).

8) http://www.nytimes.com/cnet/CNET_2100-1033_3-5374316.html

The new Cisco MDS 9216i fabric switch and the Cisco MDS 9000 Multiprotocol Services Module are equipped with 14 Fibre Channel ports--which forward traffic at 2 gigabits per second--and with two 1 gigabit Ethernet ports that can be configured to support either Fibre Channel over Internet Protocol or Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI).

9) http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/sports/AP-FBN-NFL-Rdp.html

James ran for two touchdowns and 124 yards for the Colts (1-1).

10) http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Roche-Cancer-Drug.html

Following the announcement Roche shares rose 2.4 percent on the Zurich exchange, closing at 129.25 Swiss francs ($101.61).


The Washington Post appears to follow the same format.

1) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35025-2004Sep20.html

"But the question of whether America is an occupier or a liberator in Iraq is not about faith in America; it is about facts on the ground. Maybe President Bush does believe more strongly that the United States is a liberator (though he has used the word 'occupation' several times).

No point in providing many more examples. They will likely be the same.


I guess we agree to disagree on this topic. But variety is always good.

Peace!

MountainHiker

CORRECTION: I guess I *was* logged in! Never mind...

I have to disagree with matthewg - both of those examples look terrible, and both actually rely on the capitalization of 'Recent' to indicate a new sentence. My eye actually sees a period after 'evironment' and before the parenthesis (environment.) as indicating an abbreviation!

People usually read at a fast pace (especially in today's business environment). Recent surveys have confirmed this.
People usually read at a fast pace (especially in today's business environment!). Recent surveys have confirmed this.

both look much better to me. I agree that the period after the exclamation-and-parentheses is a little unattractive, but it's hardly a common occurrence and it follows the rules that would otherwise apply so it doesn't really inconvenience the reader. If the parentheses weren't at the end of the sentence, then it would look something like this:

People usually read at a fast pace (especially in today's business environment!) and with little accuracy. Recent surveys have confirmed this.

The sentence would still justify the same amount of punctuation. What matthewg is proposing is essentially some kind of alteration to the rules due to some missing text. Including the sentence punctuation within the parentheses defies the established rules of grammar and creates a speed-bump in the flow.

I guess an issue worth raising though, is whether it is really correct to use any punctuation in parentheses anyway. If the comment is important enough to warrant an exclamation mark (and especially a question mark?) then perhaps the comment should be allowed to exist on the page without being confined to parentheses.

Also consider this example:

To describe times between midnight and midday we use the term 'ante meridiem' (a.m.). Between midday and midnight we use 'post meridiem' (p.m.). Both of these terms are Latin.

If we used matthewg's system it would read

To describe times between midnight and midday we use the latin phrase 'ante meridiem' (a.m.) Between midday and midnight we use 'post meridiem' (p.m.) Both of these terms are Latin.

Again, this tries to 'double up' the function of a single punctuation mark, and relies entirely on the capitalization to indicate the new sentences, which is simply not proper.

Guest

Hello all,

I have a question that is not addressed in any section that I've perused so far, here or elsewhere. I know that punctuation normally goes outside of the parentheses (like this). (However, if the entire sentence goes inside, then keep the punctuation inside as well.) The exception to this is when a question mark or an exclamation mark (dang it!) is necessary. My question comes from this last rule. What if that is the end of the sentence, as follows?

In the end, everyone felt better about each other (even if certain members wanted to kill certain others!)

Everything I've seen so far indicates that there should be an extra period outside of the closed parenthesis (since the exclamation mark pertains only to the parenthetical material), but I'm loathe to do it. Is there a rule about this? Please help!

Yours,
Mark

 

qtDear Mark,

 I had the same question and found this online. Hope it helps!

 Lynn

1. Punctuation with parentheses. As in the model sentence above, periods and other end punctuation go outside the close of a parenthesis. No punctuation mark can precede a parenthesis, but a comma can follow one:

Like three of my four uncles (the other was too young), my father served with honor.

Occasionally a parenthesis stands on its own as a sentence; if so, capitalize the first word and place end punctuation inside the parenthesis.

Three of my four uncles served with honor. (The other was too young to enlist.)

A question mark or exclamation point, if it is part of the parenthetical material, can go inside a parenthesis, but another punctuation mark is needed to close the sentence:

Miranda's frequent exclamations express pity ("O, woe the day!" "O the heavens!" "Alack, for mercy!") and wonder ("O, wonder!" "O brave new world!").