Conventions.
Jan. 22nd, 2004 01:09 amAsterisks are used to denote emphasis in a plaintext environment.
Parenthetical statements are denoted with (oh dear gods) *parentheses*!
Therefore, if I wish to *emphasize* a word or two, I do it like *this*, and if I wish to make an aside in a sentence (such as giving the reader more information when using commas would be confusing) I put it between parentheses.
So, dear community member, if you use asterisks to provide me with background information on something I probably should know *there are at least two people who do it in communities I participate in, and I hold rank in one of those communities* then I will think that either you are an idiot, or *if I already know that you are an intelligent person* I will think that you've been poorly educated.
Above sentence was an example of how *not* to use parentheses and asterisks. It should read as follows:
This has been a community service announcement from the Grammar Bitch, who at least makes an effort to correct herself when someone points out that she's wrong (and welcomes polite notices to that effect).
Parenthetical statements are denoted with (oh dear gods) *parentheses*!
Therefore, if I wish to *emphasize* a word or two, I do it like *this*, and if I wish to make an aside in a sentence (such as giving the reader more information when using commas would be confusing) I put it between parentheses.
So, dear community member, if you use asterisks to provide me with background information on something I probably should know *there are at least two people who do it in communities I participate in, and I hold rank in one of those communities* then I will think that either you are an idiot, or *if I already know that you are an intelligent person* I will think that you've been poorly educated.
Above sentence was an example of how *not* to use parentheses and asterisks. It should read as follows:
So, dear community member, if you use asterisks to provide me with background information on something I probably should know (there are at least two people who do it in communities I participate in, and I hold rank in one of those communities) then I will think that either you are an idiot, or (if I already know that you are an intelligent person) I will think that you've been poorly educated.
This has been a community service announcement from the Grammar Bitch, who at least makes an effort to correct herself when someone points out that she's wrong (and welcomes polite notices to that effect).