You can diss AI, but it offered a simple explanation of Roland Barthes’ “punctum.” Basically a punctum is something in the photograph that you connect to, and it is subjective.

Pondering the punctum led me to riff on the word itself. For example, why is it that more people punct certain photos? What is it about these images that is so punctable and memorable?

I puncted on and came up with more:

Nouns

punctum         puncting metapunctum    contrapunctum 

punctography  / punctumography         punctumosity                 

punctumification            puncterbation     punctmogrification 

punctmentalization          punctmestification          

Verbs

to punct             to punctumify                to punctumerize           

to punctmogrify           to punctificate                to punctivate    

to hyperpunctumivate      to punctmulverize

Adjectives

punctable          punctum-free                 puncticious                    

perpunctory                 perpunctable    prepuncterous               

impunctable             impunctuous               punctmentalizable

Idioms

to have your punctum and eat it too                  playing punctum         

like two peas in a punctum   the 800-pound punctum in the room 

to let the punctum out of the bag         to take it with a pinch of punctum

to hit the punctum on the head to kill two birds with one punctum  

to get up on the wrong side of the punctum

Swears

Get the punct out of here.                      Go punct yourself.           

You’re a piece of punctum. She’s as ugly as punct. 

I don’t give a punct.                                  Kiss my punctum.           

Don’t punct with me. It scared the punct out of me. 

He’s a mean motherpuncter.

I could go on, but you get the idea.

May the punctum be with you!