A punctuation question

[lighty]

I'm pretty good at UK/US written English, when I bother to work at it (in other words, I am capable of using correct spelling, etc, when I need to - otherwise I'm hit and miss) . . . I am beginning to realize (or realise) that I need some further lessons on punctuation.

I have the single quote/double quote thing under control, pretty much.  I grasp the punctuation outside the close quote mark for the UK.  I'm wondering about the exclamation mark, however.

Many times now - particularly with Daragh O'Malley's and the Sharpe's Children Foundation posts on Facebook - I have noticed that when an exclamation mark is used there is a space between the end of the sentence and the mark.  Thus:

Help !

See the space?  I thought it was a peculiarity of Daragh's writing, but I just noticed that BF did the same thing in a post in another thread (the one about the new background) so I assume it is correct UK standard to add that space.  The same does not hold true for other types of punctuation - full stop, question mark . . . why the exclamation mark?  Because it might be mistaken for a letter?

I would love to be enlightened! (or enlightened !)

ON EDIT!

Some research leads to the following:  it is standard in French (and apparently Swiss) to use the une espace fine (or thin space: a not-quite full space) before punctuation that has 'double' marks - the exclamation and question mark, the semi-colon and colon, and that double caret thingie that I don't have on my keyboard (looks like << only closer together).  It is a typographical convention.

Makes perfect sense, actually - particularly if you are using an exclamation mark after a word that ends with 'L' (like this - Cyril!  Adding the space makes it much more clear: Cyril !)

So that makes sense.  What doesn't make sense is why you Brits are doing it!! (or it !!)  Spill, BF, PLEASE . . . why do you add the space? (space ?)  Were you taught to do it? (it ?)

[beanyfan]

I wouldn't quote me and what I do as gospel, but I tend to leave a space purely because it can look like another letter  or a number when it's too close to the word.

[lighty]

Thanks, BF - we cross-posted.

Did you just pick it up or were you taught to do it? (Now I'm having trouble not doing it . . . my thumb keeps reaching for the spacebar . . .)

[Blue Jay]

I'm not British but I have learned never to use a space between a word and an exclamation mark. It's the same here in Holland. It's not considered correct here and I can't mark it as correct at examinations either. Hope this was helpful?

British publications never use a space either.

[exbill]

I wouldn't quote me and what I do as gospel, but I tend to leave a space purely because it can look like another letter  or a number when it's too close to the word.

I concur with BF ! 
Also on some programmes if the punctuation is not separated from the  final letter  and the  first letter of the next word  the spell checker shows it as an error .   

[Blue Jay]

I agree with you on the space between the punctuation mark and the next letter, XB, but my British English spelling checker definitely doesn't mark it as an error when there is no space between the last word of a sentence and the punctuation mark.

[lighty]

Hmm - much fodder for thought.  It appears that it is adopted by some, but not a convention outside France.  Interesting.  Thanks, everyone, for the input! . . . errr . . . input !

I know that a lot depends on what we retain from earlier days; I still struggle to remember that it is not convention to use the double space after a full stop (or other punctuation) - a carry over from the old typewriter days when everything had exactly the same spacing.  I remember thinking it was soooo advanced the first time I used an IBM Selectric typewriter and could change between fonts - at the time there were TWO - the Pica 10 point and the Elite 12 point.  Very, very cool compared to the old Royal manual I learned to type on in high school.  Gads, I hated that thing.

[Blue Jay]

I learned to type on one of those old black Remingtons. Very heavy. I still hit the keyboard like that. Although it must be said, I never killed a keyboard yet. I loved those new electric typwriters. Had a few daisywheels with different fonts.

[ladyblue]

In the swedish language there is never a space between the last word and the punctuationmark.

[lighty]

So . . . it's starting to look like we have a certain concurrence.

A) it is reasonable to put a space between the last letter and the punctuation mark, for purposes of readability.
B) it appears that France is the only nation that actually uses this technique as a convention in writing.
C) some Brits, whether by training, visual exposure, or natural predilection, have adopted the French convention.

and D) why did it take me so long to notice this? 

[Sable899]

I think I need to add "educational" to the meta data stream in the code header.  That way Google will see it and know that SBO is a source for educational materials required for a well-rounded education. 
 

[lighty]

I think I need to add "educational" to the meta data stream in the code header.  That way Google will see it and know that SBO is a source for educational materials required for a well-rounded education. 
 

Might not be the education some expect . . . 

[moonflower]

I have certainly furthered my education here.  Sean Bean 101.  I've had a lot of fun learning about this subject!