Paul Burke – re hearing punctuation, Pronouncing punctuation, as in the wonderful recording by Victor Borge, should be taught at all schools. There would then be no possible misunderstanding. My colons are heard on a regular, and effusive basis. Am I related to your brother?
Use of the "f" instead of "s" continued in German script for much later than in the UK. This resulted in the oft-misunderstood poem by Matt McGinn about an event in the German city of Essen (or Effen)
The Big Effen Bee (Matt McGinn)
He kept bees in the old town of Effen, An Effen beekeeper was he, And one day this Effen beekeeper, Was stung by a big Effen bee.
Now this big Effen beekeeper's wee Effen wife, For the big Effen polis she ran, For there's nobody can sort out a big Effen bee, Like a big Effen polisman can.
This big Effen polisman he came right away, And he ran down the main Effen street, In his hand was a big Effen baton, He had big Effen boots on his feet.
He grabbed the big Effen bee round its big Effen neck And he choked it till it grew Effen pale But the big Effen bee had the last Effen laugh It had two Effen stings in its tail.
Now they're both in the Effen museum, Where the Effen folk often come see, The remains of the big Effen polis, Stung to death by the big Effen bee.
That's the end of that wee Effen story, 'Tis an innocent wee Effen tale, But if you ever tell it in Effen, You'll end up in the old Effen jail.