The Puzzling Case of Asterix and Its Many Pronunciations 'asterix punctuation'

When it comes to English language usage, there are many subtleties that can cause confusion. One such case is the correct spelling and pronunciation of a rather common word: 'asterisk.' For those who may be wondering (or even worrying), fear not – we're here to set the record straight.

The asterisk itself appears as an * symbol on your keyboard, often used for various purposes depending on context. However, when it comes to its written form at the end of a sentence, there's a common misconception that needs addressing.

In standard English grammar and punctuation rules (and most reputable style guides), when using an asterism (the technical term for multiple asterisks *) or just one solitary asterisk followed by any kind of punctuation mark (e.g., period . , question mark ? , exclamation point ! ), the correct order is to place the punctuation after the asterisk. In other words, it should look something like this: 'This sentence ends with an asterisk.*'

Now, onto another related topic – one that often causes chuckles among language purists and grammar enthusiasts alike: how do you correctly pronounce the word itself? The correct pronunciation is /ˈæstərɪk/ (AST-er-ik), but for reasons lost to linguistics history or perhaps just regional idiosyncrasies, many people tend to butcher it as 'asterix.' And yes – they're right! Well sort of. You see, while the more commonly accepted spelling and pronunciation is indeed 'A-s-t-e-r-i-x', there are cases where this rule can be bent.

In certain parts of American English (specifically in some regions within the United States), it's not uncommon for people to swap out the final -k sound with an -ks sound. So instead of saying 'asterisk,' you might hear someone pronounce it as 'A-s-t-e-r-i-ks'. This isn't necessarily incorrect; rather, it reflects regional variations in spoken dialects.

To illustrate this further (pun intended!), consider a classic example from everyday conversation: When asking for information or clarification on something that's been said to you, people might ask 'What did he say?' instead of the more formal 'What did he state/utter/talk about?'

Similarly, when referring back to an earlier statement or question in written form (think emails, social media posts etc.), some individuals may use contractions like 'u' for 'you', dropping certain letters altogether ('dont'), or even reversing word order entirely ('He axed me a question' instead of 'Did he ask me a question?'). While these informalisms might grate on the nerves of sticklers for proper grammar and punctuation, they're actually quite common in casual written communication – especially among younger generations who've grown up with texting and social media.

So there you have it folks! Whether pronouncing your word as 'A-s-t-e-r-ix' or 'ASTERIX', we hope this little primer on the correct use of asterisks has shed some light (pun intended again!) onto one of language's many fascinating mysteries.

Asterix punctuation