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The Semicolon.


Steve

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The guardian has an interesting article titled "Jon Henley on the fate of the semicolon".

 

An unlikely row has erupted in France over suggestions that the semicolon's days are numbered; worse, the growing influence of English is apparently to blame. Jon Henley reports on the uncertain fate of this most subtle and misused of punctuation marks. Aida Edemariam discovers which writers love it - and which would be glad to see it disappear

 

"I love it; it is useful for many things. My understanding is, it is correctly used to join two complete, but related sentences; this way, the reader feels the link, albeit subtly. I love it so much, in fact, that I am currently writing a story made up of only semi-colons; it is quite a challenge, but I believe in it very much."

-George Saunders

 

"They are more powerful more imposing more pretentious than a comma but they are a comma all the same. They really have within them deeply within them fundamentally within them the comma nature."

- Gertrude Stein

 

-Steve

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I'm firmly in the pro-semicolon camp.

 

I know that the semicolon can be replaced by a comma and a connecting word; this is fine for non-dramatic writing. Unfortunately, a connecting word can hurt the pace of the prose, but* perhaps the anti-semicolonites are so ham-handed that they have no need for subtlety. And perhaps they've forgotten that semicolons are also used to group items in a list (especially after a colon. I.e., A: B, C; D, E, F; G.).

 

You can also use it for a sassy winking smily :)

 

Madness.

-Thoth.

 

* Connecting word.

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Semicolons for life! I will never ever stop using them. We need to send Lynne Truss after the anti-semicolonites; she'll have their hinds.

 

Silly b*st#rds.

- Calli

You tell 'em, Calli.

 

UP THE SEMICOLON !! DOWN THE ANTI-SEMICOLONITES !!

 

-Thoth.

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Semicolons for life! I will never ever stop using them. We need to send Lynne Truss after the anti-semicolonites; she'll have their hinds.

 

Silly b*st#rds.

- Calli

 

I agree; you are so right on this one. It make me think of an old quiz a friend gave me when I was like 10.

 

Punctuate/capitalize the following:

 

that that is is that that is not is not is it it is

 

The answer seems to make even more sense if you add semicolons.

 

It's late. Time to brain off now.

 

IF

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Punctuate/capitalize the following:

 

that that is is that that is not is not is it it is

 

The answer seems to make even more sense if you add semicolons.

My...this is an old one.

 

That that is, is; that that is not, is not. Is it? It is!

 

Or something like that. There are several correct answers.

 

For anyone who doubts the clarifying power of punctuation, may I suggest Eat, Shoot & Leaves by Lynne Truss.

-Thoth.

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  • 2 weeks later...
For anyone who doubts the clarifying power of punctuation, may I suggest Eat, Shoot & Leaves by Lynne Truss.

 

Also in my "keeping forever" pile. I read that like some women read trashy novels.

 

- Calli

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