To semicolon or not to semicolon

To add to the mix, a colon can be used to start a list and semicolons to separate listed items. I learned many things, such as: one; two; and three.

Maybe your query is more writing style than grammar.

morngnstar said:

I know what a semicolon is for; it's to separate two independent clauses without a conjunction. But is it ever allowed to use a different punctuation in that situation? For example, my inclination was to use a colon in the first sentence - "I know what a semicolon is for: it's to separate two independent clauses without a conjunction" - because the second clause has an antecedent in the first: "what a semicolon is for".

Or is the colon only allowed when what follows is not a complete clause with a subject and a predicate? E.g. if I had said, "I know what a semicolon is for: separating two independent clauses without a conjunction."

Another situation where the rules say I should use a semicolon is when I have two clauses that contradict each other.

He didn't mean to hurt him; he just wanted to scare him a little.

But my instinct is that I could use a comma in that situation. Or maybe again I'm getting confused with a construction that doesn't use a complete clause. He just meant to scare him a little, not hurt him.​

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The latter double needs a semi (he didn't...). A comma would be a splice there.

As for the beginning q., yes, you can use a colon there, though I'd rephrase the opening clause so it doesn't end in a preposition. That's making me twitchy. If you can say 'for instance,' or 'namely' after the first clause, you can use a colon before what you're using as examples/explanation.

I'm aware of proper semicolon use:

I know semicolons have two main uses: they're used to.... and to separate items in a list when the items in the list have internal commas (you don't use semicolons to separate plain listed items, just ones in which the items, or at least some items, have commas.). Bob went to the store and bought three things: a pencil; a set of clothes including pants, a shirt, and a festive scarf; Triscuits.

And you can use a dash (ndash?) instead of a semicolon or colon. To me, the semicolon, comma splice, and dash have slightly different feels. Like, the semicolon is softer than the dash.

And you can also connect two independent clauses with a conjunction (or comma and a conjunction). I m guessing you are talking about the situation where you have already decided not to have q connecting word. My grammar book has 7K on this topic, but it's tedious and your intuition seems to be working well.

And something I noticed, and you can decide what you want -- the semicolon is easy to misread in Times New Roman.

I've seen em dashes used in situations where another author might use a colon. They do give a different feel to the narrative, one that is less formal. En dashes aren't interchanged with colons or semicolons, as far as I know. Aren't they used when you give a range of dates or something like that. They don't show up in fiction very often, but em dashes seem to be more common in contemporary fiction than colons are.

The en-dash (–) is used between numeric ranges; dates for instance, or page ranges. That's pretty much it.

The comma splice is always wrong. Don't use one.

I'm going to link to some pretty decent discussions below, but in broad terms, semi colons, colons, and dashes are not unilaterally interchangeable.

Sometimes you can choose between any two of them; I can't conceive a use case where any one of the three would serve the same purpose.

Dashes Versus Colons

Colons and Dashes

The basic principle regarding using a semicolon is that you use a semicolon to link two independent clauses without a connecting word. That's it. Really. What's cool about semicolons is that they can emphasize the semantic relationship of the two independent clauses.

This is a decent discussion from Purdue's OWL site regarding the distinctions between commas and semicolons: Commas vs. Semicolons in Compound Sentences.

AW Admin said:

The en-dash (–) is used between numeric ranges; dates for instance, or page ranges. That's pretty much it.

The comma splice is always wrong. Don't use one.

I'm going to link to some pretty decent discussions below, but in broad terms, semi colons, colons, and dashes are not unilaterally interchangeable.

Sometimes you can choose between any two of them; I can't conceive a use case where any one of the three would serve the same purpose.

Dashes Versus Colons

Colons and Dashes

The basic principle regarding using a semicolon is that you use a semicolon to link two independent clauses without a connecting word. That's it. Really. What's cool about semicolons is that they can emphasize the semantic relationship of the two independent clauses.

This is a decent discussion from Purdue's OWL site regarding the distinctions between commas and semicolons: Commas vs. Semicolons in Compound Sentences.

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These are good links. Thanks for providing them.

I've noticed that some writers use semicolons more than others do. There is a lot of choice when it comes to sentence construction. IMO there's a very different feel between two related sentences in close sequence, two independent clauses joined by a semicolon, and two independent clauses joined by an "and" and a comma.

I've seen sentences I was taught are comma splices in trade-published fiction, but they may technically fall in a sort of gray area. They link two very short independent clauses together in a situation where using a semicolon might feel like using jute rope to stitch two pieces of cloth together.

"It's not a plane, it's a flying saucer."

Or they are being used in an asyndeton where the clauses are short but technically stand alone. "I came, I saw, I conquered," or something like that.

I've seen some debate online over whether these count as acceptable comma splices, or whether they aren't really comma splices. I thought their use was accepted by at least some style guides, though.

Roxxsmom said:

I've seen some debate online over whether these count as acceptable comma splices, or whether they aren't really comma splices. I thought their use was accepted by at least some style guides, though.

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In a Classical rhetoric class, I remember the prof saying that if you attempt to join two independent clauses with a comma, it's a comma splice (or comma fault if you're British) but if you join three or more, you're Caesar.

The actual linguistic argument for English serial comma splices relay on there being a an "understood" coordinating conjunction, like and or but.

I think, much as poetry doesn't always follow standard practice, literary convention allows for rhetorical flourish, to be honest. So we can scrape by with a nod at asyndeton.

AW Admin said:

The comma splice is always wrong. Don't use one.

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As far as I know, the comma splice is useful and used by many good authors. So this is probably not good advice. (There are several common grammatical errors; I do not know why comma splice receives so much attention except for its cool name.)

Admittedly, I stopped checking Hemingway when I got to: "The dancing kept up, the drinking kept up, the noise went on."

I also counted this as a comma splice: "The transaction is like any other, really; he gives the mortician and his assistant a signed death certificate, they give him a receipt." (King)

Right, m-dash. Sorry.

morngnstar said:

Thanks. I forgot to mention dashes. I'm usually clear that I should put an "aside" between dashes, though I have written a sentence that I thought deserved two colons. The middle clause explained the first, and the last explained the middle. But I will review that with these rules in mind to see if one or both should be changed to a dash.

The rule that what preceded a colon should always be an independent clause is easy to follow, and helps narrow it down in many cases, though not all.

Speaking of dashes, I'm also sometimes unclear whether I should use a dash or ellipsis to indicate a pause or reconsideration, often, but not exclusively, in dialogue.

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The way I've seen it explained is that em-dashes should be used (in dialog) when the pause in dialog is abrupt, especially if it is interrupted, or something that isn't dialog is abruptly inserted in the middle of a spoken sentence. The ellipses should be used when there's a trailing off at the end of a sentence, or if the sentence is simply unfinished, not interrupted.

"Look out for the"--Beth slammed the door in Tabby's face--"cat."

or

"Look out for the--" Tabby darted between Beth's feet to freedom.

vs

"I think it's always important to..." Beth's head slumped forward and she started to snore.

I never use semi-colons (intense personal hatred for them). More often, I simply put a period instead. That suits my writing style.

I never use colons or parentheses in fiction, either. As a result, I seriously overuse the unspaced em-dash--a thing of beauty IMO. Trying to fix this quirk.

I am rather partial to comma splices given that I'm a poet at heart.

However, considering what a visceral reaction people have to my beloved comma splice, I'm weeding them out of my writing. I had one critique partner go hysterical over my comma splices. I'm sad to see them go, but I guess if readers are so opposed to them, and one wants to be read, then there's a good case for kissing them goodbye.

Some great comments here!

Nice!