‖ punctus Palæogr.
(ˈpʌŋktəs, ˈpʊŋk-)
[L., f. pungere to prick: cf. punctum.]
A point, a punctuation mark. Freq. in phr. punctus elevatus (ɛləˈvɑːtəs), a raised point; punctus interrogativus (ɪntəˌrɒgəˈtiːvəs), a question mark; punctus versus (ˈvɜːsəs), a reversed point. See also quots.
| 1952 P. Clemoes Liturgical Influence on Punctuation in Late Old English & Early Middle English MSS 4 Punctus elevatus, a symbol formed by combining Punctum and Podatus. It denoted the cadence with which a Colon ended, generally a gradual lowering of pitch followed by a return to the Tuba in one stage. Ibid. 5 Punctus versus, a symbol consisting of the Punctum. It denoted the cadence with which a Periodus ended. Ibid., Punctus interrogativus, a symbol formed by combining Punctum and Porrectus. It denoted the cadence with which an interrogative sentence ended. 1954 D. Whitelock Early Eng. MSS. in Facsimile IV. 18/2 The usual mark of punctuation is the punctus, marking minor pauses as well as the end of sentences. Ibid., A sign shaped like a semi-colon, the punctus versus, occurs. Ibid., A mark like an inverted semi-colon, the punctus elevatus,..never marks the close of a period, but divides a main from a subordinate clause, or one subordinate clause from another. 1957 N. R. Ker Catal. MSS. containing Anglo-Saxon p. xxxiv, The two marks, the dot and the ;, were reinforced at the end of the tenth century by a third mark, {revsc}, which had been used hitherto only in Latin texts. It was known later in the Middle Ages as punctus elevatus and is often called now, inaccurately, the ‘reversed semi-colon’. 1966 P. Clemoes Early Eng. MSS. in Facsimile XIII. 24/1 Four marks are used, namely a simple point placed at about mid-height..a punctus elevatus..a punctus versus..and a punctus interrogativus. 1971 P. J. Lucas in Archivum Linguisticum II. 5 Notably absent are the punctus elevatus (or so-called ‘inverted semicolon’) and the punctus interrogativus... His [sc. Capgrave's] failure to use both the punctus elevatus and the punctus interrogativus probably indicates a movement away from liturgical (and formal rhetorical) influence. 1975 Anglo-Saxon England IV. 117 This [system of punctuation] consists of a hierarchy of punctum (.), punctus elevatus ({revsc}), punctus versus (;)..the punctus interrogativus (?) is also used. |