Thread: What Are Your Views On The Semi-Colon?

I have recently been through all my own writing and removed every semi-colon. They looked too fussy for my liking and I had no difficulty in using alternative methods of punctuation for every case I came across.

What are your views?

The Courtjester

I'm not sure what you mean. I use semi-colons where they're necessary. I don't look at them from an aesthetic point of view. If the sentences are related but not separated by a conjunction, a semi-colon is necessary. You could just as easily use a full stop and a new sentence. I certainly don't think there's anything wrong with either.

I am an English Teacher; I enjoy semicolons. But as Sam said, they have their place. It can be awkward to have too many of them in a small space, but I don't think that necessitates removing them entirely. They are a nice way to add some variety to your sentences.

What I know for sure -- the ~ is underrated.

~ha!

For health reasons I would prefer a whole colon. The ~ is of dubious merit in fiction or poetry. A semi-colon is more than a comma and less than a colon, it has its uses, but I see no reason to obsess about it.

Another underrated use for the semicolon is in a list when commas would be confusing.

There are three things I enjoy more than anything: reading, which is good for the brain; teaching, which is good for the soul; and eating, which is bad for the waistline.

I find there's a certain kind of pause, a certain kind of tone shift that takes a semi-colon, not necessarily between two complete clauses. The tone feels like "This follows directly." Lemme see if I can come up with examples,

I knew you were his son; you've got his look.
It wasn't you he wanted; it was him.
"Yes; I will."

I don't use semi-colons, ever. Not because I have anything against them, but they simply never joined my punctuation line up.
That and I don't really know how to use them properly, but then I am the person who had to state "I don't know what an adjective is" in a college creative writing course and yes, I am majoring in English and no, I still don't know what an adjective is.

Dear Friends – thank you for the interesting points you make. I appreciate that there are different views on this matter and was not seeking to indicate that mine is better than any other. As I implied, I used to use semi-colons extensively. Having now virtually eliminated them, even if I had the inclination I would not have the energy to go through 420,000 words yet again and possibly reinstate some of them.

The Courtjester

Originally Posted by ProcrastinationStation

I don't use semi-colons, ever. Not because I have anything against them, but they simply never joined my punctuation line up.
That and I don't really know how to use them properly, but then I am the person who had to state "I don't know what an adjective is" in a college creative writing course and yes, I am majoring in English and no, I still don't know what an adjective is.

Sounds like you'll be majoring in English for a long time!

Joking aside for the most part, if you can't be bothered to learn what an adjective is, why are you taking English? That's like saying you want to be a mechanic, but can't be bothered to figure out how an engine works. You might want to reassess your major.

Originally Posted by Capulet

Sounds like you'll be majoring in English for a long time!

Joking aside for the most part, if you can't be bothered to learn what an adjective is, why are you taking English? That's like saying you want to be a mechanic, but can't be bothered to figure out how an engine works. You might want to reassess your major.

It's not that I am not bothered, it's that I cannot remember. It does not stick so I gave up trying. Literally, in my entire school life, that includes primary, secondary and 2 years of college it has never been an issue. The only times it came up where 1. When we were learning it in primary school and in my second year at college, in creative writing class, once.

I enjoy English and I am good at it, why shouldn't I major in something I enjoy (for the most part anyway).
It has never been that important, or an issue so there was no real reason for me to try to force myself to remeber.

I'm an em dash man, myself. I order them in large quantities and use them liberally. I tend use those where I might use a semicolon.

I'm very fond of the dash myself and use it quite frequently, instead of the - to me - awkward semi-colon.

I don't understand the 'awkward' comment. That's like saying commas are awkward so I use full-stops instead. It's a grammatical unit. Like everything else in writing, when used properly it is fine.

Microsoft word's spell check has a love affair with the semi colon and critiquing the passive voice. The dash and the semi colon were always two confusing tools of grammar for me. Perhaps if I didn't smoke so much pot in my youth; I might have a better grasp on all the things my teachers tried to tell me.

Awaiting revision.