(no subject)

[prog]

To an American, I think, ending a sentence expressing a simple, emphatic point with the phrase "full stop" sounds somehow more intelligent than ending it with the word "period", even though they mean exactly the same thing both idiomatically and literally.

I caught myself using the longer term to explain my change to a Wikipedia page last night. The page sees a fair amount of daily activity and I am rather surprised that it hasn't been reverted yet (even though I think my change is justified). I wonder if the "full stop" has tricked people into thinking I am British and therefore superhumanly correct.

Comments

well,

[meerkitty.livejournal.com]

my dear lad,

you are often superhumanly correct. this is sadly not related to being british. i encourage you, however, to perpetuate this perception. it gives me super powers when i am not wearing any clothes because i come from the Picts, on one side anyway.

period has more denotations than full stop therefore i would be in favor of using the latter, but that probably could be restricted by context in any event.

TELEGRAM GRAMMAR

[taskboy3000.livejournal.com]

JMAC STOP

YOU ARE FORGETTING THE WAY TELEGRAMS WERE SENT STOP

PUNCTUATION COST EXTRA STOP

IF YOU ARE DICTATING YOUR MESSAGE OVER THE PHONE

HOW WILL THE OPERATOR KNOW THAT YOU ARE FINISHED

FULLSTOP