What does received punctuation mean?

"Received punctuation" is a term used in telegraphy and early computer communication. It refers to a specific set of punctuation marks used to clarify the meaning of messages transmitted over a limited-character medium like telegraph lines or early computer terminals.

Here's a breakdown:

1. Limitations of Early Communication:

* Telegraph lines: Had limited bandwidth and could only transmit a restricted set of characters.

* Early computer terminals: Used limited character sets, often with no access to punctuation beyond the basic ones.

2. The Need for Clarity:

* Without proper punctuation, messages could be ambiguous.

* Received punctuation aimed to solve this by using specific symbols or codes to represent common punctuation marks like commas, periods, question marks, etc.

3. Examples of Received Punctuation:

* Full stop (period): "STOP" or "Full stop"

* Comma: "Comma" or "COM"

* Question mark: "Question mark" or "QM"

* Quotation marks: "QUOTE" or "Q"

4. Evolution of Communication:

* With the advent of wider bandwidth and more sophisticated technologies, the need for received punctuation diminished.

* Today, we use standard punctuation marks directly in our digital communications, making received punctuation mostly a historical curiosity.

In essence, received punctuation was a clever workaround for the limitations of early communication technologies, ensuring clear and unambiguous message transmission despite limited character sets.