Mary Norris quotes: wise famous quotes, sayings and quotations by Mary Norris

Mary Norris Famous Quotes & Sayings

Discover top inspirational quotes from Mary Norris on Wise Famous Quotes.

Mary Norris quotes: Was it an insult to be called a "woman writer"? Didn't it have a taint of, say, the "woman driver"?

Was it an insult to be called a "woman writer"? Didn't it have a taint of, say, the "woman driver"?

Mary Norris quotes: There is no pleasure so acute as that of a well-placed semi-colon. (the author is actually quoting a friend here)

There is no pleasure so acute as that of a well-placed semi-colon. (the author is actually quoting a friend here)

Mary Norris quotes: Those extra letters dangling at the ends of words are the genitalia of grammar.

Those extra letters dangling at the ends of words are the genitalia of grammar.

Mary Norris quotes: Why, if there is alphabet soup, do we not have punctuation cereal?

Why, if there is alphabet soup, do we not have punctuation cereal?

Mary Norris quotes: Nobody knows everything-one of the pleasures of language is that there is always something new to learn-and everybody makes mistakes.

Nobody knows everything-one of the pleasures of language is that there is always something new to learn-and everybody makes mistakes.

Mary Norris quotes: So many things in language can never be known or settled or explained, except by custom.

So many things in language can never be known or settled or explained, except by custom.

Mary Norris quotes: Punctuation is a deeply conservative club. It hardly ever admits a new member.

Punctuation is a deeply conservative club. It hardly ever admits a new member.

Mary Norris quotes: I can't help but think that the way we punctuate now is the right way - that we are living in a punctuation renaissance.

I can't help but think that the way we punctuate now is the right way - that we are living in a punctuation renaissance.

Mary Norris quotes: Commas, like nuns, often travel in pairs.

Commas, like nuns, often travel in pairs.

Mary Norris quotes: If commas are open to interpretation, hyphens are downright Delphic.

If commas are open to interpretation, hyphens are downright Delphic.

Mary Norris quotes: You cannot legislate language. Prohibition never worked, right? Not for booze and not for sex and not for words.

You cannot legislate language. Prohibition never worked, right? Not for booze and not for sex and not for words.

Mary Norris quotes: A good dictionary can only help.

A good dictionary can only help.

Mary Norris quotes: The point is not to let the orthography distract the reader from the meaning.

The point is not to let the orthography distract the reader from the meaning.

Mary Norris quotes: Sing in me, o Muse, of that small minority of men who are secure enough in their masculinity to use the feminine third-person singular!

Sing in me, o Muse, of that small minority of men who are secure enough in their masculinity to use the feminine third-person singular!

Mary Norris quotes: It is just possible that feminists have been literal-minded and, in pursuit of a political goal, have lost their sense of humour.

It is just possible that feminists have been literal-minded and, in pursuit of a political goal, have lost their sense of humour.

Mary Norris quotes: The seven words George Carlin said you couldn't say on TV or radio ("fuck," "piss," "shit," "cunt," "motherfucker," "cocksucker," and "tits").

The seven words George Carlin said you couldn't say on TV or radio ("fuck," "piss," "shit," "cunt," "motherfucker," "cocksucker," and "tits").

Mary Norris quotes: Fiddlesticks" is Scarlett O'Hara's way of saying "Fuck this shit.

Fiddlesticks" is Scarlett O'Hara's way of saying "Fuck this shit.

Mary Norris quotes: I would never disable spell-check. That would be hubris. Autocorrect I could do without.

I would never disable spell-check. That would be hubris. Autocorrect I could do without.

Mary Norris quotes: In my experience, the really great writers enjoy the editorial process.

In my experience, the really great writers enjoy the editorial process.

Mary Norris quotes: Has the casual use of profanity in English reached a high tide? That's a rhetorical question, but I'm going to answer it anyway: Fuck yeah.

Has the casual use of profanity in English reached a high tide? That's a rhetorical question, but I'm going to answer it anyway: Fuck yeah.

Mary Norris quotes: The dictionary is a wonderful thing, but you can't let it push you around.

The dictionary is a wonderful thing, but you can't let it push you around.

Mary Norris quotes: Everybody is a writer. Everybody uses e-mail and has Facebook pages and tweets.

Everybody is a writer. Everybody uses e-mail and has Facebook pages and tweets.

Mary Norris quotes: The English language is full of words that are just waiting to be misspelled, and the world is full of sticklers, ready to pounce.

The English language is full of words that are just waiting to be misspelled, and the world is full of sticklers, ready to pounce.

Mary Norris quotes: There is a phase in the life of every copy editor when she is obsessed with hyphens.

There is a phase in the life of every copy editor when she is obsessed with hyphens.

Mary Norris quotes: Whom" may indeed be on the way out, but so is Venice, and we still like to go there.

Whom" may indeed be on the way out, but so is Venice, and we still like to go there.

Mary Norris quotes: The better the writer, the more complicated the dangler.

The better the writer, the more complicated the dangler.

Mary Norris quotes: On the printed page, it's best to have everything - you know, to still mind your P's and Q's, dot your I's and cross your T's, yes.

On the printed page, it's best to have everything - you know, to still mind your P's and Q's, dot your I's and cross your T's, yes.

Mary Norris quotes: Something there is in cyberspace that doesn't love an apostrophe.

Something there is in cyberspace that doesn't love an apostrophe.

Mary Norris quotes: Muphry's Law: "If you write anything criticising editing or proofreading, there will be a fault of some kind in what you have written.

Muphry's Law: "If you write anything criticising editing or proofreading, there will be a fault of some kind in what you have written.

Mary Norris quotes: First we get the rocks out, Alice. Then we get the pebbles out. Then we get the sand out, and the writer's voice rises. No harm done.

First we get the rocks out, Alice. Then we get the pebbles out. Then we get the sand out, and the writer's voice rises. No harm done.