#changes

In today's ever changing world of communication, it should be only natural that punctuation adapts to fit the changes in language.
     Punctuation has been a longstanding foe to many writers, including myself, with its rules feeling somewhat tedious. But nevertheless it seems glaringly obvious to me when I see others making simple punctuation errors in everyday life over the mediums of text and twitter. The chart of Source A provides proof of a changing language; it pays tribute to the fallen marks of punctuation in our language. It was news to me that these marks could even exist, let alone that, "the pilcrow and the hedera enjoyed temporary places in common usage before fading from view." After realizing that punctuation can be trendy, it seems obvious with the usage of the common use of hashtags '#'. Similar to how placing an exclamation point after a sentences changes its tone and demeanor, the hashtag leaves the reader reading the statement differently. Asterisks have also taken on a new meaning through their usage on twitter. Placing two asterisks around an action set the scene for a tweet. This is needed in today's world where thoughts can be limited to 140 characters. As stated in Source F, "users are forced to be concise," so they found a way to convey tone without taking up too many of the precious characters. Hashtags essentially do the same thing, they give detail without taking space. Lastly the @ symbol has come into usage in the age of the internet, serving as an identifier. All these symbols will more than likely be gone by the time I have grandchildren, maybe even by the time I get married. By then the latest craze will have come along with new punctuation to fit.