Jul 21 2008
Honest Words About Semicolons
We’ve discussed semicolons before, but when I read what Bill Walsh, of the Washington Post, said about them, I knew I had to take another shot. In his book, Lapsing Into a Comma, he wrote:
The semicolon is an ugly bastard, and thus I tend to avoid it.
This is what I’ve always wanted to say about semicolons. But I’ve never managed to say it with such eloquence. Thank you, Bill.
Is there even the slightest place in the written language for the semicolon? Lamentably, yes. If you’re cruising along writing a sentence that contains a series of things, and at least one of those series contains a comma, use a semicolon for clarity’s sake. Like this:
- Joe jumped over the fence; kissed Jill, Stephanie and Ann; and ran off laughing.
There is another acceptable use for a semicolon, but I personally don’t think it holds water. I’m referring to the rule that states you can use one to join two related sentences together without a conjunction. For example …
- I reached the cliff and looked down; what I saw terrified me.
I believe sentences like that are better off split into two. In fact, I’ve run into very few sentences that have been glued together with these ugly little punctuation marks that wouldn’t have been improved by chopping them neatly in two at the semicolon.
I’m inclined to agree too. In your second example, I’d think two different sentences would carry more impact too.
[...] the Writer’s Bag, there’s a brand-new post about semicolons which does two things: Settles a discussion I had with commenter PS3 after my comma post, and makes [...]
I respectfully disagree. I think the semi-colon holds a respectable place and has a valuable role in our language. In fact, I used it this weekend in a memo: “While the product manager is responsible for the success or failure of the product, the authority to make the product a priority to the rest of the organization is not given; the product manager must marshal the resources and manage other’s priorities to impact the successful results. ”
Yes, it’s not poetry and prose, but the point is reinforced by the semi-colon; the sentence builds toward the semi-coloned clause, not just another blank statement that suggests my 3×5 notecards were in order.
Given the right situation, the semi-colon emphasizes where a period is a bland stop.
BTW, I thoroughly enjoy your short essays/columns/blogs. Please keep it going.
All the Best,
VF
Good example of the intelligent use of a semicolon. Thanks, VF.
Ahhhhh
i, too, respectfully disagree (and am an anarchist when it comes to grammar and punctuation rules in my blog since i’m forced to live by them in my work)
i believe there are lots of uses for the semi-colon, particularly in “creative” writing (isn’t all writing creative?) where a snappy, snipped off, clipped, succinct style is used. Quoting from the delightful book Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss:
“See how the sense changes with the punctuation in this example:
Tom locked himself in the shed. England lost to Argentina.”
These two sentences have lost their relationship with the use of a period. They seem totally, completely unrelated.
Again
style most often dictates.
And
in many cases
semi-colons fit a style brilliantly.
Zephyr, you’ve made a valid point and stated it well. I would say you should be a writer, but I think maybe you already are.
For what it’s worth, Cormac McCarthy strenuously avoids semicolons. Attributions as well. Quotation marks too. Absence of semicolons I can live with. The complete lack of attribution often strikes me as a pose, and don’t get me started on ignoring quotation marks. Does he think his prose is a thing so divinely wrought that such considerations are beneath him? Yet, I do enjoy reading him. Go figure.