The fleeting nature of the Christmas holiday period, its swift passage from festive celebration to the imminent return to work, serves as a poignant reminder of time’s relentless march. This perception of time accelerating is a common experience, particularly during periods of enjoyment or when we wish for a moment to last indefinitely. The colon, a seemingly simple punctuation mark, encapsulates this sensation, propelling the reader forward and quickening the pace of the narrative. Just as a dash creates a pause, a colon accelerates, as vividly illustrated in Tomas Tranströmer’s poem, where it marks a sudden shift in tempo and scene.
Beyond its influence on pacing, the colon also dictates direction. It signals continuation and forward momentum, both in the text and the passage of time. As Siv Strömquist explains, the colon acts as an imperative to ”Read vidare!”, promising a connection between what has been read and what is to follow. Its historical evolution, from separating words in ancient Greek to dividing lengthy sentences for readability, reflects its enduring function as a bridge between ideas. While once interchangeable with the semicolon, the colon now holds a distinct role, a ubiquitous presence in modern writing, almost as common as the dash.
The colon’s function in dividing sentences mirrors the demarcation of time, exemplified by the transition from one year to the next. The past anchors the present, shaping the context for the future. This division is further emphasized in the colon’s role in introducing lists and enumerations, where it clarifies and organizes information, distinguishing it from the semicolon, which requires independent clauses. Additionally, the colon serves as a precursor to direct speech and quotations, acting as a gateway to another voice or perspective. It answers the unspoken question of what is to follow, delivering the promised continuation.
The dual nature of the colon, its visual representation as two dots, is echoed in its Polish name, ”dwukropek,” meaning ”two points.” This duality resonates in Wislawa Szymborska’s poetry collection of the same name, which explores the interplay of chance and fate. Szymborska’s work, like all written text, embodies a dialogue between writer and reader, a collaborative process where meaning is co-created. The writer provides the framework, but the reader ultimately shapes the interpretation, engaging with the text in a myriad of ways, from careful analysis to fleeting glances.
The colon plays a crucial role in this interpersonal exchange, facilitating the connection between writer and reader. While other punctuation marks also contribute to this interplay, the colon’s unique ability to anticipate and deliver, to connect and clarify, sets it apart. Linguist Alexander Katourgi acknowledges this interpersonal function while also emphasizing the interchangeability of punctuation marks. He points out that while the colon can often be replaced by other marks, such as dashes or parentheses, the nuanced meaning conveyed may be altered. The colon’s frequent association with pointing words like ”this,” ”thus,” and ”the following” reinforces its directional nature and ability to guide the reader.
Ultimately, the colon serves as a tool for efficiency and compression, streamlining language and conveying meaning succinctly. Its simplest form can be interpreted as ”namely,” providing a direct explanation or elaboration. However, its significance often extends beyond mere clarification, creating a sense of anticipation and revelation. For writer Jenny Tunedal, the colon represents both a source of uncertainty and a source of wonder, highlighting its prosaic yet powerful ability to open up possibilities for lists, enumerations, and the accumulation of ideas. This duality, the combination of practicality and potential, embodies the essence of the colon, a punctuation mark that shapes the flow of language and reflects the ever-moving passage of time. The colon, in its unassuming way, becomes a symbol of expectation and possibility, much like the new year itself.
