Something wicked this way comes! Applying linguistic structures within Ricoer's interpretation theory

Abstract

Punctuation may seem to be minor, but even ‘minor’ editing influences the interpretation of a text. This paper draws in several novel connections in language and communication in order to look at how the punctuation of the exclamation mark, and the editors that select it, create a symbol that suggests to the reader how to appropriate the text. Using Ricoeur's interpretation theory as the foundation, this study applies linguistic structures of propositions, syntax, speech act functions, and genre to microscopically analyze the use of punctuation and how it functions to guide the reader's interpretation of a text. In the case of a religious text, the exclamation point is used to alert the reader to understand his own state of wickedness.