Why do non-1st language English speakers put a space between their punctuation marks?

[Frozzy]

SD is right. for the smaller currency amounts (cents, pence, etc.) you put the sign AFTER the number. If it is the larger (dollars, pounds, euros etc.) You put it BEFORE the number

Also... there are certain rules for these signs in usage. Take Five Dollars and twenty-three cents for example in countries with English as a 1st language.

523¢ = correct
$5.23 = correct
$5.23¢ = incorrect
5,23$ = incorrect
5.23$ = incorrect.

i.e. if the number (in cents/pence etc.) is BELOW 100, use that denomination, if OVER 100, use Dollars/Pounds etc.

[Dauphin]

The ISO standard is to put the currency, in its 3 letter form, first.

[Buck Birdseed]

Let's use international not american nomencalture, please.

() = Brackets
[] = Square Brackets
{} = Set Brackets

[Solly]

"non-1st language English speakers"

Why not just say "foreigners"? Not totally accurate but nowhere near as clumsy. But then again you are a lefty, so foreigner is a four letter word.

[Alex]

Originally posted by Boddington's
"non-1st language English speakers"

Why not just say "foreigners"? Not totally accurate but nowhere near as clumsy. But then again you are a lefty, so foreigner is a four letter word.

'Foreigner' depends on the reference. You're a foreigner to me, but you have English as your 1st language. See? Not everything revolves around you.

[Dry]

Re: Why do non-1st language English speakers put a space between their punctuation marks?

Originally posted by redbull
I see a number of people who do not speak english as a 1st language put spaces between the last word and the punctuation mark (often a question mark)

While working for a European orgnisation where the 2 official languages were french and english I remember having read some typographic rules booklet.
Typographic rules are different between english and (at least) french.
In english, the question mark should be preceeded by IIRC 1/4 space, while in french it is 3/4 space. This of course is not possible with computer. Therefore 1/4 space -> no space, 3/4 space -> 1 space.
The problem is similar with semi-colon, IIRC.

Some links
- english rules :

http://www.squ.edu.om/agr/OnlineCourses/Typo/Chap3/Chap302_5.html

- Règles françaises :

http://www.interpc.fr/mapage/billaud/ponctua.htm

[DanS]

"Let's use international not american nomencalture, please."

Your proposal has been considered by the committee, but rejected. Parens, brackets, braces.

The quotes thing is up in the air. Some use the non-US convention, even though it is incorrect in the US. My boss uses this, though, and she's always right.

[Frozzy]

Thanks a lot Dry, thats really answered my question