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So now on to the em-dash.
By my way of thinking, semi-colons and em-dashes are practically interchangeable.
By my way of thinking, semi-colons and em-dashes are practically interchangeable.
If you think that, then an article on the em-dash might indeed be a good idea.
Em Dash An em dash is the width of an m. Use an em dash sparingly in formal writing. In informal writing, em dashes may replace commas, semicolons, colons, and parentheses to indicate added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought.
Examples: You are the friend—the only friend—who offered to help me. Never have I met such a lovely person—before you. I pay the bills—she has all the fun.
A semicolon would be used here in formal writing. I need three items at the store—dog food, vegetarian chili, and cheddar cheese.
Remember, a colon would be used here in formal writing. My agreement with Fiona is clear—she teaches me French and I teach her German.
Again, a colon would work here in formal writing. Please call my agent—Jessica Cohen—about hiring me.
Parentheses or commas would work just fine here instead of the dashes. I wish you would—oh, never mind.
This shows an abrupt change in thought and warrants an em dash.
I stand by my statement and again defer to Mr. Vonnegut.
So you let writing influence of what another writer might think of it? I think Vonnegut is hardly an authority on linguistics, especially with such silly arguments. There's nothing wrong with semicolons, as long as you use them properly. I mostly use em-dashes myself, but that's just a matter of style and not one of semicolons being "hermaphrodites" or any such nonsense.
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Hermaphrodites is a perfect way to describe semi-colons. They're neither a colon nor a comma, but a gender confused genetic mutation of the two.
They can serve the same function, grammatically speaking, but stylistically they're quite different.By my way of thinking, semi-colons and em-dashes are practically interchangeable. For novels, I'll use an em-dash 9.9 times out of ten. In the words of the great Kurt Vonnegut: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college.
So slugs are "gender-confused genetic mutations"? They manage just fine, being hermaphrodites and all. Slugs have their place in the world, and so have semicolons. I use them mostly as a more breezy version of the full stop; there's nothing wrong with that.