10 fun facts about ruthless Russian punctuation

I have never done threads, and the clock is ticking, so, inspired, I decided to write down a thread about Russian punctuation.

The full thread can be found at the link above, and here we will note the most fun facts. The author's syllable is almost completely preserved, but in some places it is a little cultured.

About semicolons

The strangest and most incomprehensible sign is the semicolon (;). It is mysterious, like the depths of the ocean, and the rules for its setting rest against "is put when the elements of the sentence are greatly complicated", which can be translated as "put it where you want, then you will get rid of it."

Highlighting circumstances at the beginning of a sentence

The strangest mistake I've come across is highlighting circumstances at the beginning of a sentence, for example: After a good dinner, I felt like taking a nap. It is not needed there, it is a sin to put it, do not do that.

Gerunds in the text

"The gerunds in the text are always highlighted!" - the Russian language teacher shouts to the whole class. In most cases, this is true, but the bad rule is that there are no exceptions. The gerunds may not stand out if they perform the function of the predicate or are closely related to it in meaning, which is rare.

About variability

If the Russian language cannot subordinate something to its will, then it calls the sign optional or variable. This is a simple and effective way to avoid casualties among philologists.

About interjections

Interjections are a non-systemic element of language from the realm of eternal darkness and primordial chaos. With their selection, questions arise, since not all linguists can fully answer the question “What are you, creature ?!”.

Comma before "and" in compound sentence

If you find it comforting that you know such a minimum as the comma before the "and" in a compound sentence (CSP), then I have bad news for you: there are five cases when it should not be there. Examples:

The parts of the SSP have a common minor member: In the spring the sky turns blue and the trees begin to turn green.

There is a common main part in the homogeneous subordination of clauses: Then it seemed that we would be together and no one could separate us.

There is a common clause: When I woke up, everything around was gray and I didn't want to go anywhere.

There is a general intonation: Will you stand still or should I go for the shovel again?

They are part of a direct question in a non-union complex sentence: There is a question: will you obey or should I punish you?

About dash

Dash is a complex sign. Not only is it confused with a hyphen, but it - a dash - can also be paired. In a non-union complex sentence, there is an absolutely insane rule about the expression of a quick change of events, which cannot be defined in any way. You just need to feel it.

Difficulty of peeling off

The biggest difficulty in isolating is constructions with the union "how", because there are a million sub-clauses, each of which has its own reservation in the spirit of "but if you really want to, then …".

Punctuation marks in phraseological units

No phraseological unit needs punctuation marks, even if your whole being screams that they are vital there. Examples: Poor as a church mouse. Hungry like a wolf. Neither fish nor fowl.

Comma-dash

The most powerful punctuation mutant is the comma-dash (, -). Even venerable professors get nervous when asked to explain the laws behind this sign, so I won't even try.