Wednesday, October 06, 2010

One space?!

Three weeks ago I learned something shocking. Well, shocking to me. And maybe to you, too, if you're not in the know either.

Apparently, you are only supposed to put one space between sentences.

How did I not know this? When did this happen, and why did no one tell me? Where was the PSA, and how did I miss it?

I like to think that I'm still relatively young. But I did learn to type on a typewriter. I took a semester-long typing course in the seventh grade, and we were taught to put two spaces between sentences. Which was correct, because we were typing on typewriters. I haven't typed on a typewriter in a long time, but I have always kept two spaces between my sentences.

A few weeks ago a friend on Facebook posted a link to this, and it blew my mind. That was the first time I had ever heard about the one space rule. In fact, it was probably the first time I'd heard about any spacing rule since the seventh grade. Then on Monday night a professor at school also mentioned the one-space-for-word-processing rule, so I'm convinced it's official.

Now I just have to tame my eager right thumb.

2 comments:

Jpeg Meg said...

My thumb still hasn't gotten the hang of it. I have to concentrate if I want to get it right.

ALF said...

I was also taught to put two spaces between sentences. I can't seem to stop even though I know it's apparently not the right way anymore.