Punctuation

The main differences concerning punctuation are:

It. uses « » for quotations;

It. prefers ( ) instead of dashes before and after parenthetical clauses or phrases.

However, and partly as a consequence of using computer keyboards, It. punctuation tends to follow Eng. usage more and more frequently.

In both languages, it is NOT true that punctuation always marks pauses. For example, there is no pause before vocatives, but a comma is required in writing: "Buongiorno, Sig. Costello" ( Good morning, Mr. Costello). Another case worth noticing: when the subject is a rather long expression, we normally pause after it before saying the rest of the sentence. However, a comma should not be written in that position. "Alcuni degli amici che ieri sera sono venuti a cena da me // abitano all'estero da anni" ( Some of the friends who came to me for dinner last night // have lived abroad for years).