Mechanics Question - Writers Forum

Kamisama · 05-24-2006, 02:25 PM

This is about colon vs. semicolon usage. The questionable mechanic usage is bolded in red.
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I don't think the Japense to English dictionaries are accurate. Why do your parents deny you the ability to take foreign languages? I remember reading something about you and your dad; what was all that about?

Mike C · 05-24-2006, 02:27 PM

Should be a full stop (or period as I believe the colonials call it).

Kamisama · 05-24-2006, 02:28 PM

However, cannot a semicolon take place of the period?
Therefore, the previous post would be correct.
I was wondering: would a colon look more appropriate?

Mike C · 05-24-2006, 02:30 PM

A colon would be completely inappropriate, a semi-colon just incorrect.

Mike C · 05-24-2006, 02:31 PM

Rule of thumb for the semi-colon - never use one in fiction unless you have no alternative. And you always have an alternative.

Kamisama · 05-24-2006, 02:31 PM

Alright.

mammamaia · 05-24-2006, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Rule of thumb for the semi-colon - never use one in fiction unless you have no alternative. And you always have an alternative.

bless you, mike!!!... may i quote you next time i'm blasted for saying they don't belong in fiction?

love and happily-vindicated hugs, m

Bika · 05-24-2006, 08:31 PM

Could you explain that a little further please?

cbrmale · 05-24-2006, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bika

Could you explain that a little further please?

A semi-colon takes the place of 'comma and'. So it is more appropriate to put in 'comma and' or something equivalent. Simple?

Semi-colon example: Matthew didn't want to make a scene; he didn't want anything physical with this man.

Or is should be written as: Matthew didn't want to make a scene, and he didn't want anything physical with this man.

Aevin · 05-24-2006, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Rule of thumb for the semi-colon - never use one in fiction unless you have no alternative. And you always have an alternative.

I disagree. When certain ideas are tied to each other, using a semi-colon only makes sense.

Also, when they're used to separate complex elements in a series, it makes it a whole lot clearer. Avoiding them is a good policy, but they're certainly useful--even in fiction.

cdelling02 · 05-25-2006, 01:38 AM

I find semi-colons quite often in literature. That's not to say they are the most ideal form of punctuation but they obviously serve a purpose. I wouldn't get rid of them altogether. With a set of two complex sentences it just sounds better to use a semi-colon than to chop it up into two separate sentences.

cbrmale · 05-25-2006, 01:59 AM

I rarely use semi-colons, I may have three or four in a novel-length story to tie together semi-complex sentences.

Mostly for my work writing (non-fiction) and for my fiction wiritng , I use ',and' to join the fragments or break the fragments into two short sentences.

Mike C · 05-25-2006, 02:00 AM

I'm always eminently quotable, Maia!

You can disagree all you like, but in my experience semi colons are used most frequently by those with the least knowledge of how they're supposed to work. Your writing will not suffer if you do not use one. George Orwell went his entire career without.

bob rulz · 05-25-2006, 02:33 AM

I find semicolons useful in certain circumstances in fiction. The punctuation that should never be used in fiction is the parentheses.

Dawnstorm · 05-25-2006, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike C

I'm always eminently quotable, Maia!

You can disagree all you like, but in my experience semi colons are used most frequently by those with the least knowledge of how they're supposed to work. Your writing will not suffer if you do not use one. George Orwell went his entire career without.

That sounds suspicially like the usual call of:

"They're difficult so get your hands off them."

Like those writing manuals who want to do away with adverbs, passive voice, conditionals etc.

No offense, but if a langauge-element exists, there's a proper way to use it. In case of the semicolon they may be few, and it's true that I never ever read a text and thought, "Hm... a semicolon might improve the flow..." Wait, I'm agreeing with you! Never mind...