The Student Room Group

Save the Semicolon Society

Ahh, the semicolon; a piece of punctuation which is always being abused in the most vile of fashions; a piece of punctuation which needs to be saved from the idiots who use it instead of a colon to appear cool. A society should therefore be started in its name, to distinguish the cool semicolon users from the uncool semicolon abusers.

Surely somebody is interested?

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Reply 1
Atomik
Ahh, the semicolon; a piece of punctuation which is always being abused in the most vile of fashions; a piece of punctuation which needs to be saved from the idiots who use it instead of a colon to appear cool. A society should therefore be started in its name, to distinguish the cool semicolon users from the uncool semicolon abusers.

Surely somebody is interested?

Uh; yeah.

:biggrin:
Reply 2
The Americans are the real threat to the semicolon; they do not like the idea that two sentances can be related in some ambigious subtle way. Americans overuse comma's and are trying to kill the semicolon!
Reply 3
Indeed.
Reply 4
This society will receive my utmost support.
Reply 5
pendragon
The Americans are the real threat to the semicolon; they do not like the idea that two sentances can be related in some ambigious subtle way. Americans overuse comma's and are trying to kill the semicolon!
:eek: *runs away from spelling and grammar nightmare* :p:
Reply 6
I'm a cool semicolon user; get it right people.
Reply 7
It's a tricky one to place correctly and I feel that it is for this reason that it is falling into misuse or disuse. I notice that it has not become part of a winking, sideways face when sent in text messages.
I support the Save the Semicolon Society.
While we are at it, whatever has become of the ellipsis? It has also been bastardised!
Reply 8
I respect the semicolon. However, I'm afraid to say, that I overuse commas. I do it subconciously :frown:
Reply 9
I have a question: Did anybody on this thread get taught how to use a semicolon at school/college/university? I think, for most people, it is a skill acquired from reading what other people have written, as opposed to something learnt in education.

It felt good to teach my mentally superior girlfriend how to use a semicolon correctly.

Knogle
Uh; yeah.


pendragon
The Americans are the real threat to the semicolon; they do not like the idea that two sentances can be related in some ambigious subtle way. Americans overuse comma's and are trying to kill the semicolon!


These were both piss-takes, right?

Also, I wouldn't really blame the Americans for it; I've seen plenty of Brits misplacing commas and not using semicolons.

1013
While we are at it, whatever has become of the ellipsis? It has also been bastardised!


Yeah, this is very true.

I have an interesting 'story' about ellipses, actually. Because I have obsessive compulsive disorder, I really dislike odd numbers - they make me feel uneasy. So, when using ellipses, I would use four dots instead if three. But, now, my pedantry has got the better of me, and it really irritates me to see somebody using two or four dots, let alone 10, which some people do!

HagerVor
I respect the semicolon. However, I'm afraid to say, that I overuse commas. I do it subconciously


The comma thing, in my opinion, isn't too bad - as long as they are being used appropriately. (By the way, to make it flow better, I'd advise eliminating the word 'that' from the sentence. :wink: )
Reply 10
These were both piss-takes, right?
Uh; yeah.

:redface: :biggrin: :nuts:
Reply 11
It's so rare to see a semicolon used appropriately nowadays; they're just not taught in school any more. Sign me up!
Reply 12
Yes! Another supporter!

I have spoken to many people who feel as if semicolons are no longer needed in the English language. Sentences which require semicolons, but which are replaced by full stops, really do not flow well. (Oops, that sentence didn't flow particularly well... :redface: )

ALL HAIL THE SEMICOLON!

Knogle
Uh; yeah.

:redface: :biggrin: :nuts:


*Bashes you on the head with an oversized semicolon.*
Reply 13
Atomik
The comma thing, in my opinion, isn't too bad - as long as they are being used appropriately. (By the way, to make it flow better, I'd advise eliminating the word 'that' from the sentence. :wink: )


I agree that is is better to use too many, as opposed to too few. It is when people insert commas in random locations in a sentence that really gets me. After all, the comma is one of the easiest punctuatuion marks to use; you just have to imagine where the pauses would be if the worrds were being spoken aloud.

Good story about the ellipsis by the way. I think that a lot of people don't realise that there is a standard number of dots which are supposed to be used.
Reply 14
1013
I agree that is is better to use too many, as opposed to too few. It is when people insert commas in random locations in a sentence that really gets me. After all, the comma is one of the easiest punctuatuion marks to use; you just have to imagine where the pauses would be if the worrds were being spoken aloud.


Yes, this is very true. However, a few years ago, I used to overuse commas. For example, I would insert one before using the word 'because' - every single time. I'm gonna come up with a new phrase here: Maybe I was an asthmatic English reader; maybe I would 'run out of breath' all too often, and think that commas were needed in the places where I ran out of breath.

Good story about the ellipsis by the way. I think that a lot of people don't realise that there is a standard number of dots which are supposed to be used.


Heheh, cheers. I think that three is a suitable number; not too little and not too many.
God save the English semicolon; where would poetic prose be without it; one longs for the day when Waugh will be read aloud in town centres across East Sussex.
Reply 16
It doesn't need saving, it's not in danger!

Well, apart from when people use it totally wrongly ^ :rolleyes:
Reply 17
I use hundreds of semi-colons every day. No danger of them ever going out of use for me. Of course, I'm never writing in english when I use them.
Reply 18
I am happy to use them, and they are definately underused when they are required.
Reply 19
This society won't make a difference; I'll sign up anyway.

Was that correct? :redface:

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