Anecdote

1. Anecdote Alex Tenno Blaine Gonzales

2. Definition and Pronounciation • A short account of a particular incident or event of an interesting or amusing nature, often biographical. • [an-ik-doht] • http://www.merriam-webster.com/audio.php?file=anecdo07&word=anecdote&text=\%3Cspan%20class%3D%22unicode%22%3E%CB%88%3C%2Fspan%3Ea-nik-%3Cspan%20class%3D%22unicode%22%3E%CB%8C%3C%2Fspan%3Ed%C5%8Dt\

3. Examples • In 1802, Timothy Dexter published a twenty-four page pamphlet (entitled "A Pickle for the Knowing Ones") entirely devoid of periods, commas, and other punctuation. In subsequent editions, in deference to demanding readers, Dexter agreed to add some punctuation. There was, however, a small catch: rather than disperse punctuation throughout the text, the author had simply added an extra page containing nothing but punctuation, preceded by a short message: • "the nowing ones complane of my book the fust edition had no stops I put in a nuf here and thay may peper and solt it as they please” • His purpose is to prove a point. He wants the “nowing ones” to see that a good story can be conveyed even without puncuation. His anecdote at the end of the book is a ninsult to those who think that they know better

4. Examples • "The writer makes his livingby anecdotes. He searches them out and carves them as the raw materials of his profession. No hunter stalking his prey is more alert to the presence of his quarry than a writer looking for small incidents that cast a strong light on human behavior.” • The author (Fadiman) is trying to prove that anecdotes are the heart and soul of a story. In this example, he is telling readers how hard an author should look for an anccdote to prove his point