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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage
"nested" parenthesis
On occasion I've used a set of parenthesis inside of another set. I'm probably doing something wrong because I'm sure most cases can be rewritten. But when it does occur and the "nested" set ends the original parenthetical expression would be the correct punctuation be
(blah blah blah (blah blah)) or (blah blah blah (blah blah)) or (blah blah blah (blah blah).
I think I saw the latter in a journal once, but I may be wrong.
How often do you run into "nested" parenthesis?
James
P.S. (How about when I use a smiley? :-) (How about when I use a smiley? -))
(blah blah blah (blah blah)) or (blah blah blah (blah blah)) or (blah blah blah (blah blah).
I think I saw the latter in a journal once, but I may be wrong.
How often do you run into "nested" parenthesis?
James
P.S. (How about when I use a smiley? :-) (How about when I use a smiley? -))
Top answer
[nq:1]On occasion I've used a set of parenthesis inside of another set. I'm probably doing something wrong because I'm sure ... saw the latter in a journal once, but I may be wrong.
- [nq:1]On occasion I've used a set of parenthesis inside of another set.
- I'm probably doing something wrong because I'm sure ...
- saw the latter in a journal once, but I may be wrong.
- [/nq] Quite often, but I always try to avoid ending a sentence with something between parentheses, which somehow solves this problem:)) (no smiley, just colon followed by two close parentheses).
- When I have to break a sentence - which is already between parentheses - I use commas, or the pair of dashes that I just used.
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6 Answers
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[nq:1]On occasion I've used a set of parenthesis inside of another set. I'm probably doing something wrong because I'm sure ... saw the latter in a journal once, but I may be wrong. How often do you run into "nested" parenthesis?[/nq]
Quite often, but I always try to avoid ending a sentence with something between parentheses, which somehow solves this problem:)) (no smiley, just colon followed
Quite often, but I always try to avoid ending a sentence with something between parentheses, which somehow solves this problem:)) (no smiley, just colon followed
00
-snip re: nested parentheses in writing; I always re-write instead-
[nq:1]P.S. (How about when I use a smiley? :-) (How about when I use a smiley? :-))[/nq]
When faced with that (not often, but it happens), I use square brackets for the outer set.
Cheers, Harvey
Ottawa/Toronto/Edmonton for 30 years;
Southern England for the past 21 years.
(for e-mail, change harvey to
[nq:1]P.S. (How about when I use a smiley? :-) (How about when I use a smiley? :-))[/nq]
When faced with that (not often, but it happens), I use square brackets for the outer set.
Cheers, Harvey
Ottawa/Toronto/Edmonton for 30 years;
Southern England for the past 21 years.
(for e-mail, change harvey to
00
[nq:1]On occasion I've used a set of parenthesis inside of another set. I'm probably doing something wrong because I'm sure ... correct punctuation be (blah blah blah (blah blah)) or (blah blah blah (blah blah)) or (blah blah blah (blah blah).[/nq]
If I absolutely had to use nesting, I'd use the (()) version. For deeper nesting, you could use <> or {}.
[nq:1]I think I saw the latter in a j
If I absolutely had to use nesting, I'd use the (()) version. For deeper nesting, you could use <> or {}.
[nq:1]I think I saw the latter in a j
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[nq:1]How often do you run into "nested" parenthesis?[/nq]
They are common in two places,
legislation (and regulations), and
computer programmes. These are
specialist domains where functionality
is more important than ease of comprehension.
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)
They are common in two places,
legislation (and regulations), and
computer programmes. These are
specialist domains where functionality
is more important than ease of comprehension.
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)
00
While it was 31/10/03 9:12 pm throughout the UK, Ray Heindl sprinkled little black dots on a white screen, and they fell thus:
[nq:2]P.S. (How about when I use a smiley? :-) (How about when I use a smiley? :-))[/nq]
[nq:1]That's a much more difficult question. It sort of spoils the smiley to give it a double chin, so I'd go with the first version.[/nq]
What if you put a space in betwee
[nq:2]P.S. (How about when I use a smiley? :-) (How about when I use a smiley? :-))[/nq]
[nq:1]That's a much more difficult question. It sort of spoils the smiley to give it a double chin, so I'd go with the first version.[/nq]
What if you put a space in betwee
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[nq:1]While it was 31/10/03 9:12 pm throughout the UK, Ray Heindl sprinkled little black dots on a white screen, and they fell thus: [/nq]
[nq:2]That's a much more difficult question. It sort of spoils the smiley to give it a double chin, so I'd go with the first version.[/nq]
[nq:1]What if you put a space in between (like this :-) )?[/nq]
That's better, but only with a fixed-pitch new
[nq:2]That's a much more difficult question. It sort of spoils the smiley to give it a double chin, so I'd go with the first version.[/nq]
[nq:1]What if you put a space in between (like this :-) )?[/nq]
That's better, but only with a fixed-pitch new
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