A classic example of the considerable power the tiny comma wields in the battle between clarity and confusion concerns Maria Fedorova, philanthropic wife of Czar Alexander III of Russia. Intercepting in 1921 an Imperial Warrant for prisoner which read "Pardon impossible, to be sent to Siberia," the Czarina deftly transposed the comma, and returned the warrant. It now read: "Pardon, impossible to send to Siberia". The prisoner was saved.
Credit:PDI May 27, 1996
Friday, November 2, 2007
The Power of Comma
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Kamayo Patriot
Paypal
No comments:
Post a Comment