Semicolons are the Devil
I’ve spent fifteen years in publishing—working as a retailer, editor, copyeditor/proofreader, managing editor, production supervisor, and writer. As a result of these experiences, I have formed some opinions, many of them centered around how subjective the rules of grammar and language style are.
One of those opinions is that semicolons are the devil. I fucking hate them. Always have. Why? Not because of the mark itself, which I’m rather fond of. It is kind of quaint, yet often handy.
No, it’s because no matter how semicolons are used, or not used, you are pretty much guaranteed that someone along the editorial process will try to change them on you, often along with some snide comment that implies they know more about sentence structure than you do.
In some ways you can understand it, because most people really don’t know (or give a shit) what a semicolon is for. People in publishing, however, have spent a lot of time studying language, and want to make sure everyone around us knows how smart we are.
As a result, just about every writer, editor, copyeditor, and proofreader has an opinion about semicolons they’re happy to share as if is Ancient Law, but there is little general consensus. Some think they are NEVER necessary, and that if you can’t get by with a comma, you’re better off just rewriting the sentence. Others will throw them in any old place, like sprinkling salt in a soup. Many will accept them only under certain circumstances, like when you are connecting two independent clauses.
But the definition of “independent clauses” is itself a point for debate, as modern writing styles often present dependent clauses as independent sentences or statements, using context to fill in the blanks. A writer might want to insert a semicolon for proper cadence, even if one of the clauses isn’t strictly independent. Some editors have a strict and narrow definition of “independent”, while others take a broader view in line with the writer’s general style. Some have their opinion shift with the phases of the moon.
In my experience, any use of semicolons will throw up a flag with everyone in the editorial process, and sooner or later, someone, if not multiple people, will give you grief over it. Handy and quaint as they are, they’re a pain in the ass. I get agita just by looking at the damn button on my keyboard.
But sometimes a comma won’t do, and you like the sentence just the way it is. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with em dashes to take the place of those semicolons, and in some other tricky places as well.
Somewhere out there, right now, someone in publishing is itching to tell me that is improper use of em dashes.
Go ahead—I dare you.
ooooh, a dare! Where is my Warriner’s?
I’m just going to leave this here….
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon
I’d choose the em-dash over the semicolon every day *lol*, though I must admit that the proper use of the semicolon was taught to us language/literature students in college. But I doubt sometimes that there is sth. like “proper use” for semicolons. [Semicolons are an dying art form anyway. As a freelance editor I don’t force them on people. If they wanna use them- ok, if not – the better.
And I come from Germany – so I don’t know if rules for semicolon use are any different in the US? (I need to research that xD.)
When I was in elementary school they explained all ususal symbols to us. And what did I get when they came to the semicolon?
“It’s unnecessary, you’ll never need it.”
But I like them. And i like to use it. And my german teacher also likes it. But i guess someday, there will be again somebody who says: “They are useless. Don’t use it!” And I had also a few discussions about this littl symbol…
This is how you use the dreaded semicolon: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon
You mean, you use that thing for something other than making a winking smiliey face??? ;o)
What the helll do I know, I was a psych major!
Psych majors know how to spell, really. We just type too fast for our own good and never proofread.
I used to be able to delete my comment if I saw a mistake, why can’t I do that anymore?
I love semi-colons so I have to carefully ration them out in my writing. Sigh.
I’ve always had a fondness for semicolons; I think they give my writing a touch of sophistication. Luckily for me I don’t deal with editors or proofreaders. I’m pretty sure that bloggers are allowed to do whatever they want (at least, that’s the rule I’m going by).
I fear I’m a sprinkler. I often know I’m using semi-colons improperly, but damn it, I like the look of them, I like the way they break up written sentences just as if they were spoken.
I can honestly say that I have never before thought about it when using semi-colons. I just put them wherever my strange little mind seems to want them …. em-dashes however, I must admit I use wayyyy too much; often instead of parentheses, when I want to put in a little aside.
I think grammar is your own, no-one can take it away from you! [eesh, that was nearly a double exclamation mark then *shudder*].
Slight change of topic, but I was wondering. Do folk over the pond call a semi-colon a “Sem-Eye” colon or “Sem-Ee” colon?
Anywho, back to work with me!
I’ve been meaning to read this….so glad I did. Here I go ::big breath:: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ::breathe:: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Loved this post. 🙂
(Now I’m going to think you’re analyzing my syntax at all times….oh no!)
::inner thoughts:: “don’t lie Lizette, you’re too busy, tired, hungry to care. you’re awesome…. yeah! yeah!!!! alright, this is getting out of hand, don’t let them know what you’re thinking! Can’t stop….AHHHH!!!”
end. 🙂
Lizette