Editorial Tip of the Week: Semicolon (Part II)

Continued from Part I of this article.

The semicolon should be used to separate items in a list or series that have internal punctuation. In this use, the semicolon helps to clarify the series, keeping the reader from being confused with the division of the commas.

The four housemates are all in their thirties: Caitlin, 34; Matt, 37; Stephen, 31; Brendan, 36.

After work Brendan, trying to return home as quickly as possible, ran to the bus; gave the bus driver, who gave him a scowl, two dollars; and squeezed into a seat between two passengers.

When using a semicolon with clauses that end in parenthesis or brackets, the semicolon should be placed after the closing parenthesis or bracket. When a sentence uses a quote and a semicolon, the semicolon should follow the closing quotation mark unless the semicolon comes from the quoted material.

The semicolon should be used to separate independent clauses and items in a series that have internal punctuation; this punctuation mark demonstrates an attempt to clarify, a way of connecting two or more related thoughts. If you want to revisit the rules of the semicolon, this comic does a great job of explaining the basic uses of this punctuation. While the semicolon remains a debated figure in contemporary grammar, Lewis Thomas in Medusa and the Snail (Viking Press, 1979) touches upon the simple elegance of the semicolon:

It is almost always a greater pleasure to come across a semicolon than a period. The period tells you that is that; if you didn't get all the meaning you wanted or expected, anyway you got all the writer intended to parcel out and now you have to move along. But with a semicolon there you get a pleasant little feeling of expectancy; there is more to come; read on; it will get clearer.

For more information see sections 6.57-62 in the Chicago Manual of Style.

Editorial Tip of the Week: Semicolon (Part I)

Somewhere between the divider and the full stop, the comma and the period, stands the semicolon. A gentle pause, the semicolon can perform the functions of either of these two forms of punctuation. While proper use of the semicolon was once cause for duels, the mark has seen a decline in usage over the past two centuries. The end of this curious mark may loom nearby, but we must strive to understand the proper use (and the possible joys) of the semicolon.

The semicolon is most often used to separate two independent clauses not joined by a conjunction. These clauses should be related, the latter modifying or clarifying the former.

My cats have grown close; I often find them snuggling in the chairs of my house.

The Chicago Manual of Style, fifteenth edition, is careful to point: "The following adverbs, among others, should be preceded by a semicolon when used transitionally between independent clauses: then, however, thus, hence, indeed, accordingly, besides, and therefore."

My house became cold in December; however, my cats adjusted quickly by sleeping under the covers of my bed.

The semicolon may also be used to separate a clarifying clause from the initial independent clause. It is most common in this case to use the semicolon before phrases such as "that is" or "namely."

We should expect vast changes for the company in the coming year; that is, we should prepare to cut costs on future projects.

Our salmon style guide notes that the semicolon may be used before a conjunction when the conjunction separates two independent clauses. While a comma is typically used in this situation, the semicolon is helpful when the independent clauses have internal punctuation.

Our company was focusing on publishing works of fiction; but requests from new clients, in addition to calls from our current authors, pushed us to accept more works of poetry.

Continue reading in Part II of this article.

Editing Tip of the Week: The Colon and the Semicolon

When a period or a comma just won't do, the semicolon or the colon can usually get the job done. The semicolon can function as either one, but The Chicago Manual of Style states that its use is closer to that of the period. The main use of a semicolon is to join two independent clauses not linked by a conjunction, as in The evening plans unexpectedly changed; we went bowling instead of out to dinner.

The semicolon is also used to separate items in a series that involve internal punctuation. The Daily Writing Tips Web site offers a good example of this use with the sentence We learned the basics of grammar, punctuation, and spelling; the ins and outs of brainstorming and getting started; and how to take notes in an interview.

The colon functions like a semicolon, but it places a stronger emphasis on what has preceded the colon, as in a sentence like She was sure of one thing: he was guilty.

One thing to keep in mind is that while the semicolon and colon can assume the roles of a comma or period, the two are not substitutes for each other. For example, a semicolon precedes adverbs such as hence, indeed and therefore. A colon wouldn’t work in this way.

For more examples and uses of semicolons and colons, visit http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/ and http://www.dailywritingtips.com/