Semi-colon in dialogue?

jannawrites · Oct 28, 2007

Is it okay for one to speak with a semi-colon? Here's what I have:

“Well,” I began slowly, “I still don’t know. I miss the kids from the center, very much; they were each so special..."

I'd have it with the semi-colon in narrative and I hear it when the character speaks, but is it appropriate to have it in dialogue? Is there a rule of thumb?

ErylRavenwell · Oct 28, 2007

I would avoid using them in dialogue. Use a period or ellipsis (the latter only to suggest a suspension).

Devil Ledbetter · Oct 29, 2007

jannawrites said:
Is it okay for one to speak with a semi-colon? Here's what I have:

“Well,” I began slowly, “I still don’t know. I miss the kids from the center, very much; they were each so special..."

I'd have it with the semi-colon in narrative and I hear it when the character speaks, but is it appropriate to have it in dialogue? Is there a rule of thumb?

There is nothing wrong with using a semicolon in dialogue. If it's not the end of the speaker's sentence, don't use a period. It will only make the speech sound halting and that isn't what you're going for. You're going for natural-sounding dialogue and we do use semicolons naturally when speaking.

Don't use an ellipsis in dialogue unless you mean to convey a trailing off of speech. It is not a stand-in for a semicolon. Let the semicolon do its job.

I'd be more concerned with use of the ly adverb "slowly" in the tag, and the weak words "very" and "so."

Marlys · Oct 29, 2007

In that sentence I would use an em-dash. I understand the newer editions of The Chicago Manual of Style advise against semicolons in dialogue--does anyone have the 14th or 15th edition handy to check?

CaroGirl · Oct 29, 2007

In my opinion, you can "speak" a semi-colon in the same way you "speak" a comma or period. It's a punctuation mark that has a specific use, which is, joining two independent clauses that express a continuous thought. Why NOT use a semi-colon in dialogue? Better than risking a comma splice.

jannawrites · Oct 29, 2007

Hm. Thanks, all. I think I'll leave the semi-colon for now.

Shadow_Ferret · Oct 29, 2007

Well, if someone is talking, you can't tell if its a semicolon or a period or a comma. Personally, I'd avoid any of that.

As a personal preference, I enjoy writing dialog in fragments because if you listen to people speak, they tend to talk that way. With very casual grammar. Short sentences. Minimal punctuation.

While in journalism class, I learned that when you are writing copy for the "talking Heads" you should avoid all commas. Just write short sentences with periods. Because the Talking Heads can't speak a comma.

ResearchGuy · Oct 29, 2007

jannawrites said:
Is it okay for one to speak with a semi-colon? Here's what I have:

“Well,” I began slowly, “I still don’t know. I miss the kids from the center, very much; they were each so special..."

I'd have it with the semi-colon in narrative and I hear it when the character speaks, but is it appropriate to have it in dialogue? Is there a rule of thumb?

Couple of comments:

1. Read lots of current fiction to see how other writers are using punctuation.

2. My own recommendation is this:

“Well,” I began slowly, “I still don’t know. I miss the kids from the center very much. Each one was so special . . ."

(Note that I also slightly reworded, in addition to changing the semicolon to a period and removing comma after "center." But that rewording might not be appropriate, as after all, it is the character who is speaking.)

3. I would question semicolons in dialogue as giving too formal a look. Break up the sentences or use em dashes. (My opinion, but I am not the first with the em dash suggestion.)

4. As for Marlys's question posed about Chicago Manual -- I see nothing about semicolon in dialogue in the index to the 15th edition (not in connection with semicolon and not in connection with dialogue). The Chicago Manual (15th) has a few things to say about "Speech, Dialogue, and Conversation," sections 11.43-11.50. Might be worth a look. Ellipsis points might be a good alternative to the semicolon you had in your excerpt, jannawrites (see section 11.45).

FWIW.

--Ken

C.bronco · Oct 29, 2007

CaroGirl said:
In my opinion, you can "speak" a semi-colon in the same way you "speak" a comma or period. It's a punctuation mark that has a specific use, which is, joining two independent clauses that express a continuous thought. Why NOT use a semi-colon in dialogue? Better than risking a comma splice.

I agree with CaroGirl; I speak with semi-colons all of the time.

maestrowork · Oct 29, 2007

Semicolons don't make much sense in dialogue. I usually limit the punctuation to comma and period. Question mark for questions, em-dashes for interruption, and ellipsis for trailing off/omission. I don't use exclamation mark if I can help it.

In speech, a semicolon is simply a period -- it's the end of that sentence. With pauses, use commas.

veinglory · Oct 29, 2007

Whether or not one agrees with it, semi-colons in dialogue have hit the verbotten list for some editors.

melaniehoo · Oct 29, 2007

I love semicolons and use them while writing, but not in dialogue. Like Shadow said, a lot of people speak in shorter sentences and I try to have my writing reflect that.

Branwyn · Oct 29, 2007

veinglory said:
Whether or not one agrees with it, semi-colons in dialogue have hit the verbotten list for some editors.

I've found that to be true as well.

melaniehoo · Oct 29, 2007

I take it back. Tonight, I wrote a semicolon in dialogue. Technically, my husband wrote it since he translated a small portion into Spanish for me, but when I went to replace it with a period it didn't seem right.

DeadlyAccurate · Oct 29, 2007

I use them in dialogue and haven't been told to remove them. I "hear" semicolons differently* from periods and commas.

*Differently or different? I'm going back and forth on that one.

ErylRavenwell · Oct 30, 2007

A semicolon is a controversial punctuation mark. It can be the equal of a comma or a period or something in between..."a transvestite hermaphrodite," said Vonnegut (God bless his soul). Any writer worth his salt wouldn't be caught dead using a semicolon in dialogue.

larocca · Oct 30, 2007

I don't believe I've ever written a semicolon in my dialogue, but I certainly use them when I speak, and I wouldn't edit it out. Improperly used semicolons make me a little nuts, but you don't have that problem. You know how to use one.

For those who say the semicolon has hit the verboten lists for some editors, the author in me would worry about that. We've also got a few readers on this thread who seem to hate those innocuous little punctuation marks, so I might not use them in my own writing just because of that. There's a lot about my writing that I'll fight for, but punctuation isn't worth the effort.

CaroGirl · Oct 30, 2007

ErylRavenwell said:
A semicolon is a controversial punctuation mark. It can be the equal of a comma or a period or something in between..."a transvestite hermaphrodite," said Vonnegut (God bless his soul). Any writer worth his salt wouldn't be caught dead using a semicolon in dialogue.

What on earth is controversial about a semicolon? It's a punctuation mark with a very specific and useful purpose. It is never the equal to a comma (hence my comment about the comma splice) and rarely equal to a period. Anyone who bellyaches about the nebulous nature of semicolon usage has no idea how to use one.

If using a semicolon in dialogue has become "verboten", then that's too bad. I'm not sure I've ever used one in dialogue, but if I did, the editors-that-be would be welcome to take it out. I wouldn't argue points of punctuation in the face of possible publication. But what a shame for the poor, downtrodden semicolon.

Jamesaritchie · Oct 30, 2007

semicolon

A semicolon most often means you have a sentence that needs rewritten. They make no sense in dialogue, and I'm one of those editors who removes them. Periods are cheap and there's an endless supply. Use them.

CaroGirl · Oct 30, 2007

Jamesaritchie said:
A semicolon most often means you have a sentence that needs rewritten.

I'll give you a sentence that needs to be rewritten. Or maybe it needs rewriting.

You walked right into it JAR.

maestrowork · Oct 30, 2007

Many people can't even use the semicolon correctly in narrative. In dialogue most of the time it just looks wrong. Like someone else said, most people don't speak in complete sentences to begin with, so a semicolon seems stuffy. Besides, I really can't "hear" the semicolon. To me, that's just either a comma or a period.

For example:

"He got dumped; he was mad" really would look/sound better in dialogue as "He got dumped and he was mad" or "He got dumped. He was mad."

rugcat · Oct 30, 2007

I use semicolons quite often, but never in dialogue. It's not something I ever consciously thought about; it just looks and feels unnatural.

Devil Ledbetter · Oct 30, 2007

I have maybe three different instances of semicolons in dialogue in my WIP. They are not stuffy and artificial. You can "hear" them the same way you can "hear" a period or a comma. I'm not interested in dumbing down my WIP's plot or vocabulary. Likewise, I won't dumb down its punctuation until an editor who's about to get it published insists.

I think the prejudice against semicolons is laughable and like all prejudices, stems from ignorance. Being "against" them in dialogue or narrative is a fad that will pass.

Julie Worth · Oct 30, 2007

Devil Ledbetter said:
I have maybe three different instances of semicolons in dialogue in my WIP.

I'm the same. I use them, but not very often.

ErylRavenwell · Oct 30, 2007

CaroGirl said:
What on earth is controversial about a semicolon? It's a punctuation mark with a very specific and useful purpose. It is never the equal to a comma (hence my comment about the comma splice) and rarely equal to a period. Anyone who bellyaches about the nebulous nature of semicolon usage has no idea how to use one.

The semicolon can be used to separate items of a list where the items themselves contain commas. This is simply a modified comma for better clarity!

Yes, Vonnegut had no idea how to use a semicolon! Perhaps, it is you who should avoid blanket statements.

Vonnegut: "...it stands for nothing..."

That said, there are many successful writers who use the semicolon (in narrative). This is simply an opinion.

Semi-colon in dialogue?

no, really

Come on you stranger, you legend,

Resist. Love. Go outside.

Living the dream

no, really

Court Jester

Resident Curmudgeon

I have plans...

Fear the Death Ray

volitare nequeo

And thus we begin the edits

Print release:Sept.1,'09

And thus we begin the edits

Absolutely Fazed

Proofreader

Living the dream

Living the dream

Fear the Death Ray

Lost in the Fog

Come on you stranger, you legend,

What? I have a title?