Presidential Grammar Lesson

As a credentialed English Professor I instruct my students in the proper use of Standard American English punctuation. The most easily understood punctuation is the “period”. It is a terminal device that signals the end of a sentence which is a complete thought.

Anything after the period is the beginning of a new sentence. This could be a clarification of the previous sentences’ thought process which maintains its context and relevancy or a completely new thought which expands on the previous one.

Now President Obama made the following statements:

1. “If you like your health care coverage, you can keep your health care coverage – period!”

2. “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor – period!”

At the bottom of the exclamation point is the aforementioned period, denoting the end of a complete thought. The top portion provides emphasis. In short, when the exclamation point is used it is still a terminal device but one which states clearly that the thought has come to its conclusion with special stress laid upon, or importance attached (dictionary.com).

In other words there are no caveats after the Presidents statement that further define or illuminate his original words, especially when his last word “period” was assigned such a high value of importance in its terminal function. Nor is there any implication or inference to a previous thought process that by omission could lead an audience to think there might be a hidden agenda.

I’m beginning to wonder about your “fact checkers” and speech writers Mr. President; whether they have the requisite grammar skills for your office. If not, I’ll be more than happy to provide them some remedial grammar lessons – at a fee of course!

Yes Mr. President, beware the tiniest punctuation mark; the extremely powerful period. They're like mosquitoes; they'll come back and bite you especially after you spell it out: p-e-r-i-o-d!