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I know, not the most creative way to title a post about the ellipsis.

I present to you, my ravings about grammar, more specifically, the ellipsis (duh).

I have noticed the increased popularity in usage of the ellipsis, especially on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google + - the only social networking sites that I use. I have also observed the proliferation of its misuse and abuse all over these social sites. I acknowledge it is inconsequential to bemoan grammar fundamentals on Facebook, or I should say, lack thereof, as 90% (this is a made-up statistic, but bears a great deal of semblance to the truth) of social networking users have no recognizable concept of the rules of basic orthography, morphology nor syntax. And yes, I used those particular words to sound like a condescending Grammar Nazi of douchebag proportions.

The ellipsis serves several purposes, one of which is to omit certain words in quotations that may be irrelevant to your intentions:

And yes, I used those particular words to sound like a … douchebag….

The three dots are also used to show a break in thought, or an idea being trailed off. The ellipsis would then be placed at the end of a sentence…

The person in the comment used the three dots at the end of his sentence, but why were his thoughts trailing off? It seemed like a complete idea to me. Unless he intended to bring his wetsuit, his Speedos, tanning lotion and an assortment of beach necessities that he couldn’t quite remember.

The other notable usage of the three dots is to indicate a pause in a sentence. This is of particular concern to me, as this is what people tend to misunderstand on Facebook. Ellipses used in this manner are intended to make writing seem conversational which does seem like a good idea. But what happens when it is misused and abused?

Look at this fellow:

The ellipsis has been mistaken in his usage for a full stop.  It now serves as an awkward pause in an otherwise angry post. Added to that, there are not three dots, but five freaking dots in that sentence. FIVE! One would think that people tend to make typing easier by shortening words and phrases. This individual has used five dots making it certain that he is not interested in saving time, even if his time could have been better spent researching how to use an ellipsis. But he alone is not guilty of this folly, I have seen two dots in place of three, I have seen seven dots, I have seen quantities of dots that I do not feel inclined to count and for what purpose? What do two dots in the English language even mean? What do seven mean? A short pause and a long pause respectively?

What about:

This person is guilty of all three desecrations of the ellipsis. More than three dots have been used, three dots placed at the end of a sentence for no apparent reason, and a rather absurd pause introducing and in a date. Commencing (long ass pause) Saturday (long ass pause) 9^th? If ellipses are meant to make the written language sound conversational, can you imagine someone actually talking like this who isn’t Captain Kirk?

In the end, if you don’t know how to use an ellipsis, just do us all a favour and desist. You’re embarrassing yourself and irritating me (and other Grammar Nazis, if you think my irritation is not enough). If you do not cease defiling the ellipsis, well…