3. ;
The History of the Semicolon
―The first printed semicolon was the work of good old Aldus
Manutius just two years after Columbus sailed to the New
World…it was not…the first time a human being ever balanced
a dot on top of a comma…medieval scribes had used a
symbol very similar to our modern semicolon in their Latin
transcripts to indicate abbreviations…The Greeks used the
semicolon mark to indicate a question…Meanwhile, a
suspiciously similar mark (the punctus versus) was used by
medieval scribes to indicate a termination in a psalm.‖ –Lynn
Truss, Eats, Shoots, & Leaves
4. ;
It’s Current State
―By and large…it was decided that the way to satisfy the punters
was to classify the mark hierarchically, in terms of weight. Thus
the comma is the lightest mark, then the semicolon, then the
colon, then the full stop.‖ – Lynn Truss, Eats, Shoots, & Leaves
―The semicolon tells you that there is a still some question about
the preceding full sentence; something needs to be
added…The period tells you that that is that; if you didn’t get all
the meaning you wanted or expected, anyway you got all the
writer intended to parcel out and now you have to move along.
But with the semicolon there you get a pleasant feeling of
expectancy; there is more to com; read on; it will get clearer.‖ –
Lewis Thomas, The Medusa and the Snail
5. ;
It’s Current State
―The semicolon is one of the most useful but least used
punctuation marks…If a comma is a yield sign and a period is a
stop sign, the semicolon is a flashing red—one of those lights you
drive through after a brief pause. It’s for times when you want
something stronger than a comma but not quite so final as a
period.‖ – Patricia T. O’Conner, Woe is I
―[The semicolon] suggests the close relationship between…two
statements in a way that the [period or comma] does not
attempt…Indeed, this simple method of indicating relationship
between statements is one of the most useful devices in
composition. The relationship, as above, is commonly one of
cause and consequence.‖ – Strunk & White, The Elements of
Style
6. ;
What does a semicolon do?
―The semi-colon…connects…two independent thoughts without
bringing the narrative to a full stop in the way that a period
would.‖ – Liz Bureman, TheWritePractice.com
―If two or more clauses grammatically complete and not joined
by a conjunction are to form a single compound sentence, the
proper mark of punctuation is a semicolon.‖ – Strunk and
White, The Elements of Style
7. ;
Proper Usage of a Semicolon
Semicolons can only be used in two instances:
To conjoin two independent clauses
To separate long, descriptive items in a list
The most common is to conjoin two independent clauses:
Maria baked cookies and pie; we had plenty of desserts.
Independent Clause #1 Independent Clause #2
8. ;
Proper Usage of a Semicolon
Semicolons can only be used in two instances:
To conjoin two independent clauses
To separate long, descriptive items in a list
The most common is to conjoin two independent clauses:
The bus ran late this morning; all of my students missed the exam.
Independent Clause #1 Independent Clause #2
9. ;
Proper Usage of a Semicolon
Semicolons can only be used in two instances:
To conjoin two independent clauses
To separate long, descriptive items in a list
The most common is to conjoin two independent clauses:
Note that the relationship can be clarified with a heavy conjunction:
I missed class; therefore, I have no notes to study for the exam.
Independent Clause #1 Independent Clause #2
10. ;
Proper Usage of a Semicolon
Semicolons can only be used in two instances:
To conjoin two independent clauses
To separate long, descriptive items in a list
The most common is to conjoin two independent clauses:
Note that the relationship can be clarified with a heavy conjunction:
She decided not to attend; however, I attended both performances.
Independent Clause #1 Independent Clause #2
11. Copulative Conjunctions/Linking
Words/Conjunctive
;
Adverbs…Heavy Conjunctions!
Words that are used to show relationships between to
independent clauses that are connected with semicolons
Common ones include…
additionally in comparison therefore
comparatively in contrast thus
conversely incidentally undoubtedly
furthermore subsequently
henceforth thereafter
12. ;
Proper Usage of a Semicolon
Semicolons can only be used in two instances:
To conjoin two independent clauses
To separate long, descriptive items in a list
―In lists and elsewhere, semicolons are basically uber-commas.
They help separate things that are really long and cumbersome
or that are already bogged down with commas.‖ – June
Casagrande, Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies
13. ;
Proper Usage of a Semicolon
Semicolons can only be used in two instances:
To conjoin two independent clauses
To separate long, descriptive items in a list
When items in a list are either long or involve commas in their
internal punctuation, separate the items with semicolons:
He brought his newly-purchased, retro-looking lamp; an imitation
bear rug that he was given by his great-grandfather; an
old, delicately-painted porcelain egg that he won in an art
contest; and a large collection of Middle Eastern art to hang on
the walls.
14. ;
Proper Usage of a Semicolon
Semicolons can only be used in two instances:
To conjoin two independent clauses
To separate long, descriptive items in a list
When items in a list are either long or involve commas in their
internal punctuation, separate the items with semicolons:
The Halloween party was full of costumes, including a pink, fluffy
bunny with green ears; a child-sized Batman with a
miniature, classic-style Batmobile; a Milky Way galaxy with
Earth, Jupiter, and Pluto orbiting; and an Apple laptop with a
connected iPod, iPad, and iPhone.
15. The Dangers of the ;
Semicolon
―[Semicolons] place two clauses in some kind of relation but
relieve the writer of saying exactly what that relation is.‖ – Paul
Robinson, ―The Philosophy of Punctuation‖
―[A] danger is that weak-charactered writers will be encouraged
to ignore the rule that only full sentences should be joined by the
semicolon. Sometimes—and I’ve never admitted this to anyone
before—I adopt a kind of stream-of-consciousness sentence
structure; somewhat like Virginia Woolf; without full sentences;
but it feels OK to do this; rather worrying.‖ – Lynn
Truss, Eats, Shoots, & Leaves
16. ;
Practice
Determine if the following uses of the semicolon are correct or
incorrect…
Better to have loved and lost; than never to have loved at all.
Mary did not understand the material; therefore, she failed the exam.
The missile was launched two minutes ago; it is expected to reach its
target in three minutes.
Grandma knitted us gifts our birthdays; including mittens, hats, and
scarves.
There is no one to babysit tonight, however; I will be attending tomorrow.
We should not forget to pack an umbrella; rain coats; rain boots; and a
tarp.
17. ;
Practice
Determine if the following uses of the semicolon are correct or
incorrect…
Better to have loved and lost; than never to have loved at all. (incorrect)
Mary did not understand the material; therefore, she failed the exam.
(correct)
The missile was launched two minutes ago; it is expected to reach its
target in three minutes. (correct)
Grandma knitted us gifts our birthdays; including mittens, hats, and
scarves. (incorrect)
There is no one to babysit tonight, however; I will be attending tomorrow.
(incorrect)
We should not forget to pack an umbrella; rain coats; rain boots; and a
tarp. (technically correct, but a comma is preferred when the list is shorter items like these)