Underutilized punctuation

[only_more_so]

The more I write, the fancier my writing seems to become. I find that I'm using my friend the semicolon on a regular basis. Perhaps because I hate using ", and" or other conjunctions.

Also, I've begun using the em dash rather than ellipses to indicate someone cutting their speech off.

 

[sr71plt]

The more I write, the fancier my writing seems to become. I find that I'm using my friend the semicolon on a regular basis. Perhaps because I hate using ", and" or other conjunctions.

Also, I've begun using the em dash rather than ellipses to indicate someone cutting their speech off.

When I edit, I find the "shouda used" and "should notta used" instances of semicolons pretty much balance out. The proper use of a semicolon in connecting clauses is that the clauses both/all need to be independent and the two (or more) elements being connected need to be of equal significance.

I see errors going both ways much more than I see correct use.

 

[cantdog]

As a reader, I always interpret the dash as a cut off utterance, but the ellipsis as the speech trailing off...

 

[dr_mabeuse]

As a reader, I always interpret the dash as a cut off utterance, but the ellipsis as the speech trailing off...

This is correct. The em dash indicates a sudden break or interruption of speech. The ellipsis indicates a trailing off of speech. They're not interchangeable.

 

[DeeZire]

I find that I'm using my friend the semicolon on a regular basis. Perhaps because I hate using ", and" or other conjunctions.

I would have put a friendly semicolon between 'basis' and 'perhaps', instead of a period. Would that be proper usage? If not, I am so screwed...

 

[starrkers]

I tend to overuse commas, making longer and more complicated sentences than need be. And I start sentences with And and But, and I use commas when I should probably use semicolons.

If I ever get a real editor, they'll probably go postal over my punctuation.

 

[sr71plt]

I would have put a friendly semicolon between 'basis' and 'perhaps', instead of a period. Would that be proper usage? If not, I am so screwed...

You're screwed then, because that second clause doesn't have a subject or verb. It's dependent. The semicolon is only for linking independent clauses. [Chicago Manual of Style 6.57]

(Of course the period in that example isn't proper either--among other things)

 

[sr71plt]

I tend to overuse commas, making longer and more complicated sentences than need be. And I start sentences with And and But, and I use commas when I should probably use semicolons.

If I ever get a real editor, they'll probably go postal over my punctuation.

There's nothing wrong in commercial-world publishing with starting a sentence with "And" or "But." (or ending it with a preposition, for that matter.) That's all lower school nonsense.

 

[Guest]

There's nothing wrong in commercial-world publishing with starting a sentence with "And" or "But." (or ending it with a preposition, for that matter.) That's all lower school nonsense.

That reminds me of a joke.

There were a group of ladies meeting at a conference. One, a southern gal, leans over to the others and asks, "So, where y'all from?"

A snooty gal sniffs, "We are from where we never end a sentence with a preposition."

"Oh," the southern gal begins. "Well, then. Where y'all from, bitch?"

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Creative Punctuation

I've been working with creative punctuation for years. To wit:


The tilde is very useful for indicating yodeling:

"~Yode~el~ae~HEE~hoo!" Fritz called from the chalet roof.


And the octothorpe is traditionally used to set off choking sounds:

"#Glarghh!#," he complained. "Let go of my throat! #hork!# You're killing me! #klchh!#"


Then there's the triple quote, for quoting people who are imitating people imitating other people:

Joe made fun of the way Marilyn imitated Grace: """Go fuck yourself!""".


And don't forget the "Shut my mouth", where someone cuts you off with a remark to which you have no reply.

Bob: So as I was saying--
Charles: Oh, fuck you and your family postman too!
Bob: ---!!
...
Charles: Bob! #khech!# Get off me! #glorgh!#


There"s plenty of room for /|creative|\ punctuation!$^*}

 

[Guest]

I've been working with creative punctuation for years. To wit:


The tilde is very useful for indicating yodeling:

"~Yode~el~ae~HEE~hoo!" Fritz called from the chalet roof.


And the octothorpe is traditionally used to set off choking sounds:

"#Glarghh!#," he complained. "Let go of my throat! #hork!# You're killing me! #klchh!#"


Then there's the triple quote, for quoting people who are imitating people imitating other people:

Joe made fun of the way Marilyn imitated Grace: """Go fuck yourself!""".


And don't forget the "Shut my mouth", where someone cuts you off with a remark to which you have no reply.

Bob: So as I was saying--
Charles: Oh, fuck you and your family postman too!
Bob: ---!!
...
Charles: Bob! #khech!# Get off me! #glorgh!#


There"s plenty of room for /|creative|\ punctuation!$^*}

Nobody does it like Victor Borge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF4qii8S3gw

 

[cantdog]

I would have put a friendly semicolon between 'basis' and 'perhaps', instead of a period. Would that be proper usage? If not, I am so screwed...

It's a stylistic choice. That particular semicolon placement is on the border of misuse, too. Let me explain.

First, linking two perfectly good sentences with a semicolon, as you propose, is criticized in the manuals as a 'splice.' Some people use a comma splice, and that is easy to spot. Some editors will correct it on that basis.

A semicolon is called for in sentences of the form:

Ice cream always reminded him of Stilicho; as a result, he would turn off to avoid any Good Humor truck.

But not generally when of the form:

He would turn off to avoid seeing any Good Humor truck; they always reminded him of Stilicho.

It's the "as a result," that makes the semicolon cool, because you have the comma in it. Also, (unlike the use of "also," in this sentence) the comma-bearing connecting phrase delineates the relationship between the two main clauses. In the case of "as a result,", it's a causative relationship, but it could be any other. "After that,", for instance.

The second example would be better thus:

He would turn off to avoid seeing any Good Humor truck, since they always reminded him of Stilicho.

 

[cantdog]

I tend to overuse commas, making longer and more complicated sentences than need be. And I start sentences with And and But, and I use commas when I should probably use semicolons.

If I ever get a real editor, they'll probably go postal over my punctuation.

Sentences are supposed to start with and or but. It beats great long sentences spliced by commas, anytime. Readability is the key consideration.

The exception is legal writing. Many legal agreements, pages in length, will be structured as one sentence. That's done to keep the relationship between the clauses clear, but it makes for a tedious writing style in ordinary prose.



ETA: Hey! What's so unreal about the editors here?

 

[sr71plt]

Nobody does it like Victor Borge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF4qii8S3gw

Unfortunately, that's no one did it like Victor Borge. (He's gone.)

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

When in doubt, I go with the simplest punctuation and sentence structure. However, I tend to write long sentences making heavy use of em dashes and parentheses, so sometimes simplicity goes out the window. It depends on what I'm trying to say. I try to let content dictate form rather than the reverse.

 

[Guest]

Unfortunately, that's no one did it like Victor Borge. (He's gone.)

Quite correct. I'd forgotten.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Quite correct. I'd forgotten.

*mournful music playing in the background*

I saw him in concert once. His schtick was just a bit (but only just a bit) racier than his TV performances. And I couldn't really tell which I prefered, his side-splitting humor or his transcendental keyboard skills. RIP, Vic.

 

[NoJo]

I'm using my friend the semicolon on a regular basis.

I'm using my friend the colon right now.

 

[The_Fool]

I'm using my friend the colon right now.

Must be taking a shit....

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Must be taking a shit....

That's the implication I got but who takes a laptop into the loo with them?

 

[AvoidingRealWork]

Must be taking a shit....

Or is he using his friend's colon?

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Or is he using his friend's colon?

ARW, you're back! We were wondering. Molly and crew were besides themselves with worry. Don't forget to show up tonight. We're interviewing new handmaidens and dining on cold, fried snapping turtle.

 

[cantdog]

Best served cold

Snapper is a dish.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Snapper is a dish.

Yeah!

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii177/1volupturary_manque/snapping-turtle-2.jpg

 

[AvoidingRealWork]

ARW, you're back! We were wondering. Molly and crew were besides themselves with worry. Don't forget to show up tonight. We're interviewing new handmaidens and dining on cold, fried snapping turtle.

I just got back from a punk wedding. You wouldn't believe. I have pictures, but the B+G probably wouldn't appreciate them showing up here.