The Grammar of English Grammars · Chapter 353Section VI.—The Eroteme
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The Eroteme, or Note of Interrogation, is used to designate a question.
Questions expressed directly as such, if finished, should always be followed by the note of interrogation; as, "Was it possible that virtue so exalted should be erected upon injustice? that the proudest and the most ambitious of mankind should be the great master and accomplished pattern of humility? that a doctrine so pure as the Gospel should be the work of an uncommissioned pretender? that so perfect a system of morals should be established on blasphemy?"—Jerningham's Essay, p. 81.
"In life, can love be bought with gold? Are friendship's pleasures to be sold?"—Johnson.
When two or more questions are united in one compound sentence, the comma, semicolon, or dash, is sometimes used to separate them, and the eroteme occurs after the last only; as, 1. "When—under what administration—under what exigencies of war or peace—did the Senate ever before deal with such a measure in such a manner? Never, sir, never."—D. Webster, in Congress, 1846.
2. "Canst thou, and honour'd with a Christian name, Buy what is woman-born, and feel no shame; Trade in the blood of innocence, and plead Expedience as a warrant for the deed?"—Cowper.
3. "Truths would you teach, or save a sinking land? All fear, none aid you, and few understand."—Pope.
When a question is mentioned, but not put directly as a question, it loses both the quality and the sign of interrogation; as, "The Cyprians asked me why I wept."—Murray.
OBS. 1.—The value of the eroteme as a sign of pause, is stated very differently by different grammarians; while many of the vast multitude, by a strange oversight, say nothing about it. It is unquestionably variable, like that of the dash, or of the ecphoneme. W. H. Wells says, "The comma requires a momentary pause; the semicolon, a pause somewhat longer than the comma; the colon, a pause somewhat longer than the semicolon; and the period, a full stop. The note of interrogation, or the note of exclamation, may take the place of EITHER of these, and accordingly requires a pause of the same length as the point for which it is substituted."—Wells's School Gram., p. 175. This appears to be accurate in idea, though perhaps hardly so in language. Lindley Murray has stated it thus: "The interrogation and exclamation points are intermediate as to their quantity or time, and may be equivalent in that respect to a semicolon, a colon, or a period, as the sense may require."—Octavo Gram., p. 280. But Sanborn, in regard to his "Question Point," awkwardly says: "This pause is generally some longer than that of a period."—Analytical Gram., p. 271. Buchanan, as long ago as 1767, taught as follows: "The Pause after the two Points of Interrogation and Admiration ought to be equal to that of the Period, or a Colon at least."—English Syntax, p. 160. And J. S. Hart avers, that, "A question is reckoned as equal to a complete sentence, and the mark of interrogation as equal to a period."—Hart's English Gram., p. 166. He says also, that, "the first word after a note of interrogation should begin with a capital."—Ib., p. 162. In some instances, however, he, like others, has not adhered to these exceptionable principles, as may be seen by the false grammar cited below.
OBS. 2.—Sometimes a series of questions may be severally complete in sense, so that each may require the interrogative sign, though some or all of them may be so united in construction, as not to admit either a long intermediate pause or an initial capital; as, "Is there no honor in generosity? nor in preferring the lessons of conscience to the impulses of passion? nor in maintaining the supremacy of moral principle, and in paying reverence to Christian truth?"—Gannett. "True honour is manifested in a steady, uniform train of actions, attended by justice, and directed by prudence. Is this the conduct of the duellist? will justice support him in robbing the community of an able and useful member? and in depriving the poor of a benefactor? will it support him in preparing affliction for the widow's heart? in filling the orphan's eyes with tears?"—Jerningham's Essay, p. 113. But, in this latter example, perhaps, commas might be substituted for the second and fourth erotemes; and the word will might, in both instances, begin with a capital.
OBS. 3.—When a question is mentioned in its due form, it commonly retains the sign of interrogation, though not actually asked by the writer; and, except perhaps when it consists of some little interrogative word or phrase, requires the initial capital: as, "To know when this point ought to be used, do not say:[,] 'Is a question asked?' but, 'Does the sentence ask a question?'"—Churchill's Gram., p. 368. "They put their huge inarticulate question, 'What do you mean to do with us?' in a manner audible to every reflective soul in the kingdom."—Carlyle's Past and Present, p. 16. "An adverb may be generally known, by its answering to the question, How? how much? when? or where? as, in the phrase, 'He reads correctly,' the answer to the question, How does he read? is correctly."—L. Murray's Gram., p. 28. This passage, which, without ever arriving at great accuracy, has been altered by Murray and others in ways innumerable, is everywhere exhibited with five interrogation points. But, as to capitals and commas, as well as the construction of words, it would seem no easy matter to determine what impression of it is nearest right. In Flint's Murray it stands thus: "An adverb may generally be known by its answering the question, How? How much? When? or Where? As in the phrase, 'He reads correctly. The answer to the question, 'How does he read?' is, 'correctly.'" Such questions, when the pause is slight, do not, however, in all cases, require capitals: as,
"Rosal. Which of the visors was it, that you wore? Biron. Where? when? what visor? why demand you this?" Shakspeare, Love's Labour Lost, Act V, Sc. 2.
OBS. 4.—A question is sometimes put in the form of a mere declaration; its interrogative character depending solely on the eroteme, and the tone, or inflection of voice, adopted in the utterance: as, "I suppose, Sir, you are his apothecary?"—SWIFT: Burgh's Speaker, p. 85. "I hope, you have, upon no account, promoted sternutation by hellebore?"—Id., ib. "This priest has no pride in him?"—SINGER'S SHAK., Henry VIII, ii, 2.
"When will his ear delight in the sound of arms."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., 12mo, p. 59.
[FORMULE.—Not proper, because here is a finished question with a period set after it. But, according to Rule 1st for the Eroteme, "Questions expressed directly as such, if finished, should always be followed by the note of interrogation." Therefore, the eroteme, or note of interrogation, should here be substituted for the period.]
"When shall I, like Oscar, travel in the light of my steel."—Ib., p. 59. "Will Henry call on me while he shall be journeying South."—Peirce, ib., p. 133.
"An Interrogative Pronoun is one that is used in asking a question; as, 'who is he, and what does he want?'"—Day's School Gram., p. 21. "Who is generally used when we would inquire for some unknown person or persons; as, who is that man."—Ib., p. 24. "Our fathers, where are they, and the prophets, do they live forever?"—Ib., p. 109.
"It is true, that some of our best writers have used than whom; but it is also true, that they have used other phrases which we have rejected as ungrammatical: then why not reject this too.—The sentences in the Exercises [with than who] are correct as they stand."—Lennie's Gram., 5th Ed., 1819, p. 79.
"When the perfect participle of an active-intransitive verb is annexed to the neuter verb to be? What does the combination form?"—Hallock's Gram., p. 88. "Those adverbs which answer to the question where, whither or whence, are called adverbs of place."—Ib., p. 116.
"Canst thou, by searching, find out God; Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection; It is high as heaven, what canst thou do? deeper than hell, what canst thou know?"—Blair's Rhet. p. 132.
"Where, where, for shelter shall the guilty fly, When consternation turns the good man pale."—Ib., p. 222.
"Who knows what resources are in store? and what the power of God may do for thee?"
[FORMULE.—Not proper, because an eroteme is set after store, where a comma would be sufficient. But, according to Rule 2d for the Eroteme, "When two or more questions are united in one compound sentence, the comma, semicolon, or dash, is sometimes used to separate them, and the eroteme occurs after the last only." Therefore, the comma should here be preferred, as the author probably wrote the text. See Key.]
"The Lord is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. Hath he said it? and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken it? and shall he not make it good?"—Murray's Gram., 8vo, p. 353; 12mo, 277; Hiley's, 139; Hart's, 181. "Hath the Lord said it? and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken it? and shall he not make it good?"—Lennie's Gram., p. 113; Bullions's, 176.
"Who calls the council, states the certain day? Who forms the phalanx, and who points the way." —Brit. Poets, vi, 376.
"To be, or not to be?—that is the question."—Enfield's Sp., p. 367; Kirkham's Eloc., 123.[466]
[FORMULE.—Not proper, because the note of interrogation is here set after an expression which has neither the form nor the nature of a direct question. But, according to Rule 3d for the Eroteme, "When a question is mentioned, but not put directly as a question, it loses both the quality and the sign of interrogation." Therefore, the semicolon, which seems adapted to the pause, should here be preferred.]
"If it be asked, why a pause should any more be necessary to emphasis than to an accent? or why an emphasis alone, will not sufficiently distinguish the members of sentences from each other, without pauses, as accent does words? the answer is obvious; that we are pre-acquainted with the sound of words, and cannot mistake them when distinctly pronounced, however rapidly; but we are not pre-acquainted with the meaning of sentences, which must be pointed out to us by the reader or speaker."—Sheridan's Rhet. Gram., p. lvi.
"Cry, By your Priesthood tell me what you are?" —POPE: British Poets, London, 1800, Vol. vi, p. 411.
"Who else can he be. Where else can he go."—S. Barrett's Gram., 1845, p. 71. "In familiar language here, there and where are used for hither, thither and whither."—N. Butler's Gram., p. 183. "Take, for instance, this sentence, 'Indolence undermines the foundation of virtue.'"—Hart's Gram., p. 106. "Take, for instance, the sentence before quoted. 'Indolence undermines the foundation of virtue.'"—Ib., p. 110. "Under the same head are considered such sentences as these, 'he that heareth, let him hear,' 'Gad, a troop shall overcome him,' &c."—Ib., p. 108.
"TENSES are certain modifications of the verb which point out the distinctions of time."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 38; Pract. Les., p. 44. "Calm was the day and the scene delightful."—Id. E. Gr., p. 80. "The capital letters used by the Romans to denote numbers, were C. I. L. V. X. which are therefore called Numeral Letters. I, denotes one; V, five: X, ten; L, fifty; and C, a hundred."—Id., Lat. Gram., p. 56. "'I shall have written;' viz, at or before some future time or event."—Id., ib., p. 89. "In Latin words the liquids are l and r only. In Greek words l, r, m, n."—Id., ib., p. 277. "Each legion was divided into ten cohorts, each cohort into three maniples, and each maniple into two centuries."—Id., ib., p. 300. "Of the Roman literature previous to A. U. 514 scarcely a vestige remains."—Id., ib., p. 312.
"And that, which He delights in must be happy. But when!—or where!—This world was made for Cæsar." —Burgh's Sp., p. 122.
"And that which he delights in must be happy. But when, or where? This world was made for Cæsar." —Enfield's Sp., p. 321.
"Look next on greatness. Say, where greatness lies? Where but among the heroes and the wise." —Burgh's Sp., p. 91.
"Look next on greatness! say where greatness lies. Where, but among the heroes and the wise?" —Essay on Man, p. 51.
"Look next on Greatness; say where Greatness lies: Where, but among the Heroes and the Wise?" —Brit. Poets, vi, 380.
The Ecphoneme, or Note of Exclamation, is used to denote a pause with some strong emotion of admiration, joy, grief, or other feeling; and, as a sign of great wonder, it is sometimes, though not very elegantly, repeated: as, "Grammatical consistency!!! What a gem!"—Peirce's Gram., p. 352.
RULE I.—INTERJECTIONS, &c.
Emphatic interjections, and other expressions of great emotion, are generally followed by the note of exclamation; as, "Hold! hold! Is the devil in you? Oh! I am bruised all over."—MOLIERE: Burgh's Speaker, p. 250.
"And O! till earth, and seas, and heav'n decay, Ne'er may that fair creation fade away!"—Dr. Lowth.
After an earnest address or solemn invocation, the note of exclamation is now generally preferred to any other point; as, "Whereupon, O king Agrippa! I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision."—Acts, xxvi, 19.
"Be witness thou, immortal Lord of all! Whose thunder shakes the dark aërial hall."—Pope.
Words uttered with vehemence in the form of a question, but without reference to an answer, should be followed by the note of exclamation; as, "How madly have I talked!"—Young.
"An Author! 'Tis a venerable name! How few deserve it, and what numbers claim!" —Id., Br. Po., viii, 401.
UNDER RULE I.—OF INTERJECTIONS, &c.
(1.) "O that he were wise."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 111.
[FORMULE. Not proper, because this strong wish, introduced by "O," is merely marked with a period. But, according to Rule 1st for the Ecphoneme, "Emphatic interjections, and other expressions of great emotion, are generally followed by the note of exclamation." Therefore, the pause after this sentence, should be marked with the latter sign; and, if the "O" be read with a pause, the same sign may be there also.]
(2.) "O that his heart was tender."—Exercises, ib., p. 111. (3.) "Oh, what a sight is here!"—Lennie's Gram., p. 48. (4.) "Oh! what a sight is here."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 71; (Obs. 2;) Pract. Les., p. 83. (5.) "O virtue! How amiable thou art."—Id.,, p. 71; Pract. Les., p. 82. (6.) "O virtue! how amiable thou art."—Day's Gram., p. 109. (7.) "O, virtue! how amiable thou art."—S. Putnam's Gram., p. 53. (8.) "Oh! virtue, how amiable thou art!"—Hallock's Gram., p. 191; O. B. Peirce's, 375. (9.) "O virtue! how amiable thou art!"—Hallock's Gram., p. 126. (10.) "Oh! that I had been more diligent."—Hart's Gram., p. 167; see Hiley's, 117. (11.) "O! the humiliation to which vice reduces us."—Farnum's Gram., p. 12; Murray's Ex., p. 5. (12.) "O! that he were more prudent."—Farnum's Gram., p. 81. (13.) "Ah! me."—P. Davis's Gram., p. 79. (14.) "Ah me!"—Ib., p. 122. (15.) "Lately alas I knew a gentle boy," &c.—The Dial, Vol. i, p. 71.
(16.) "Wo is me Alhama."—Wells's School Gram., 1st Ed., p. 190.
(17.) "Wo is me, Alhama."—Ibid., "113th Thousand," p. 206.
"Weep on the rocks of roaring winds, O maid of Inistore."—Kirkham's Gram., p. 131; Cooper's Plain and Practical Gram., p. 158.
[FORMULE—Not proper, because the emphatic address in this sentence, is marked with a period after it. But, according to Rule 2d for the Ecphoneme, "After an earnest address or solemn invocation, the note of exclamation is now generally preferred to any other point." Therefore, this period should be changed to the latter sign.]
"Cease a little while, O wind; stream, be thou silent a while; let my voice be heard around. Let my wanderer hear me. Salgar, it is Colma who calls. Here is the tree, and the rock. Salgar, my love, I am here. Why delayest thou thy coming? Lo, the calm moon comes forth. The flood is bright in the vale."—See Key.
"Ah, stay not, stay not, guardless and alone; Hector, my lov'd, my dearest, bravest son."—See Key.
"How much better is wisdom than gold."—Bullions, E. Gram., p. 153; Hiley, p. 113.
[FORMULE—Not proper, because this exclamatory sentence is pointed with a period at the end. But, according to Rule 3d for the Ecphoneme, "Words uttered with vehemence in the form of a question, but without reference to an answer, should be followed by the note of exclamation." Therefore, this period should be changed to the latter sign.]
"O virtue! how amiable art thou."—Flint's Murray, p. 51. "At that hour, O how vain was all sublunary happiness."—Day's Gram., p. 74. "Alas! how few and transitory are the joys which this world affords to man."—Ib., p. 12. "Oh! how vain and transitory are all things here below."—Ib., p. 110.
"And oh! what change of state, what change of rank, In that assembly everywhere was seen."—Day's Gram., p. 12.
"And O! what change of state! what change of rank! In that assembly every where was seen!"—Pollok, B. ix, l. 781.
"O shame! where is thy blush."—S. Barren's Principles of Language, p. 86. "O shame, where is thy blush; John, give me my hat."—Ib., p. 98. "What! is Moscow in flames."—Ib., p. 86. "Ah! what happiness awaits the virtuous."—Ib., 86.
"Ah, welladay,—do what we can for him, said Trim, maintaining his point,—the poor soul will die."—STERNE: Enfield's Speaker, p. 306. "A well o'day! do what we can for him, said Trim, maintaining his point: the poor soul will die"—Kirkham's Elocution, p. 340.
"Will John return to-morrow."—S. Barrett's Gram., Tenth Ed., p. 55. "Will not John return to-morrow."—Ib., 55. "John! return to-morrow; Soldiers! stand firm."—Ib., 55. "If mea which means my is an adjective in Latin, why may not my be so called in English, and if my is an adjective, why not Barrett's"—Ib., p. 50.
"Oh? Absalom, my son."—O. B. Peirce's Gram., p. 375. "Oh! STAR-EYED SCIENCE!! whither hast thou fled?"—Ib., p. 366. "Why do you tolerate your own inconsistency, by calling it the present tense!"—Ib., p. 360. "Thus the declarative mode may be used in asking a question; as, what man is frail."—Ib., p. 358. "What connexion has motive wish, or supposition, with the term subjunctive!"—Ib., p. 348. "A grand reason, truly! for calling it a golden key."—Ib., p. 347. "What 'suffering'! the man who can say this, must be 'enduring.'"—Ib., p. 345. "What is Brown's Rule! in relation to this matter?"—Ib., p. 334.
"Alas! how short is life." "Thomas, study your book."—Day's District School Gram., p. 109. "As, 'alas!' how short is life; Thomas, study your book.'"—Ib., p. 82. "Who can tell us who they are."—Sanborn's Gram., p. 178. "Lord have mercy on my son; for he is a lunatic, etc."—Felton's Gram., 1st Ed., p. 138; Ster. Ed., 140. "O, ye wild groves, O, where is now your bloom!"—Ib., p. 88; Ster. Ed., 91.
"O who of man the story will unfold!" —Farnum's Gr., 2d Ed., p. 104.
"Methought I heard Horatio say to-morrow. Go to I will not hear of it—to-morrow." —Hallock's Gr., 1st Ed., p. 221.
"How his eyes languish? how his thoughts adore That painted coat which Joseph never wore?" —Love of Fame, p. 66.