I admit it: I've used the semi-colon on more than one occasion. But apparently not frequently enough. It is now, according to an Australian newspaper, in danger of going extinct:For centuries, the semicolon has carved out a tenuous - but precious - place for itself between the comma and the colon.
Without the humble semicolon, some of the greatest achievements of English prose - the looping, qualified sentences of Henry James; the elaborate, ironic juxtapositions of Evelyn Waugh - would not have been possible. It has endured; it has persisted; it has even thrived.
But now - under the various pressures of texting, email, journalese, "plain English" and PowerPoint - the career of the semicolon appears rapidly to be approaching a full-stop.
The rare, and usually middle-aged [WTF?!], journalists who still revere the semicolon will discover it is no favourite of sub-editors, who will nowadays allow the comma to do much of the semi's previous work of co-ordinating ideas inside a sentence. And as sentences get shorter, there is less of that work to do.
I was just in fact proofreading a document for my boss (not my job, but I was the only other person in the office late this afternoon) that's going up to our VP, and I did indeed tidy up some of his run on sentences with the help of this trusty punctuatory friend of ours.
ReplyDeleteThe semi-colon exists for a reason.... Just as all punctuation has a purpose. That purpose is to clarify meaning, and at times convey tone of voice.
ReplyDeleteThe semi-colon is a punctuation mark carrying more weight than a comma, but not the full-stop force of a period. In our daily speech we invariably use a slight pause or shift in vocal tone. And so it should indicated in written form. (Fuck text-message shortcuts anyway.)
Now if you were to talk about a semi-colonoscopy, I would be worried.
--JC
Quietly applauding JC's beautifully worded comment.
ReplyDeleteBoth spelling and punctuation seem to escape me quite a lot of the time.
I know very well how to use the semicolon in the Swedish language, but I have to examine if there are any differences in use when it comes to the English language. Thanks for this post!
ReplyDeleteIf you see semi-colons properly used in a piece of writing, it is more likely than not to be worth reading.
ReplyDeletesmicln!!! OMG LOLZ!!!
ReplyDeleteAdmiral, What a beautifully timed piece - the decline in the structure and organisation in language as a metaphor for the collapse of Western Civilisation. Could we take it further and suggest the semi-colon represents the beleaguered middle classes?
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I still use the semi-colon on a regular basis (maybe too much) and am sure it shall never be forgotten!
ReplyDeleteSchopenhauer for example was a great an avid user of the semi-colon.
ReplyDeleteWhy should the semi-colon escape the forces of dumbing-down now at work throughout our culture? This semi-colon must think that it's a special character . . .
ReplyDeleteI despise the semi-colon because it is such an ugly and ungraceful mark. Death to the semi-colon. We can make do with well enough with commas, dashes, and periods, thank you.
ReplyDeletesemi-colon's have their uses ;-)
ReplyDeleteRecently read an article about eliminating the use of the oxford comma, which lead to discussion of not having two spaces after a "period". Now potentially no Semi-colon? What's this world coming too? And what will my kids use to convey light-heartedness in their emoticons if the semi-colon is eliminated from the key board?
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Sydney, Australia; greatly enjoying your splendid blog which I have just discovered;also relishing your praise of the semi-colon[e e cummings would be lost without it];maintain the rage.
ReplyDeleteI too am an avid and instinctive user of the semi-colon. It is the most elegant of punctuatory devices. I would be lost without it and cannot understand how any piece of decent writing could be devoid of it. It allows for a change of tone or elaboration of a point or idea in the most natural flowing style. The staccato effect of the full stop and the pedestrain comma will never do.
ReplyDeleteI have just discovered this blog and am awfully glad I have! I feel very much at home.